Windows 7 - SMC EZ Connect g USB WLAN Adapter, not recognized.

A few days after buying my computer I purchased the USB WLAN Adapter in the title.
It worked perfectly for at least a year. After that, I started having the occasional "device not recognized" message. Unplugging and plugging again solved the problem.

Later it got worse. I had to unplugg and plugg several times for it to work (my record was 113 times). The strange thing is, it only malfunctioned after I turned the computer on. If I made it to work (using the unplugg and plugg routine), and left my PC on, I'd have no trouble. I could even switch USB ports at will, it would always work after that first time. If I had to turn off the computer, I'd go back to square one (restarting was no problem, though).

Now, I just can't make it work. No matter how many times I unplugg/plugg, I always get the "device not recognized" message.

I tryied the adapter in another computer (with Vista Home), and it gets detected with no problem whatsoever.

The computer where this issue happens, has other USB devices, and they all work without a single problem.

I'd really appreciate some help with this, I don't want to waste money on another adapter just to find the exact same problem happening.


Sincerely, Tatoon.

Edit: The computer where this issue is happening is using Windows 7 Ultimate x64.

Welcome to Seven Forums Tatoon.
Does the WLAN device malfunction in all USB ports after turning it off? You may try to find a new driver for it from the maker's website. It could be a USB issue too, have a look here to see if anything may apply to you.
USB Driver - General Fix for Problems

This happens on all the USB ports. But if I use them with any other device, they all seem to be ok.

I don't think this is a driver issue, since the WLAN Adapter isn't even recognized as such. Besides, I downloaded the most recent drivers from their site (a *.sys, *.cat and *.inf, but no *.exe), but they seem to be impossible to install without the adapter being recognized.

I'll take a look at your link tomorrow and I'll post the results. But I don't really think this is an USB port issue. I could be wrong, of course...

Edit: I just remembered, while I unplugged/plugged, I had a BSOD. But that only happened like...twice, and it was a while ago, while the adapter was still usable.

If you keep it on one particular port and force the drivers on through Device Manager it may return to better working order, but there's nothing to beat swapping it for a PCiE x1 slot type WiFi card if you can splash a little cash...

Give this a try SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker
option one and read the warning.

Ok, so I did what you said (both), and for a second I thought the problem was solved.
First time I connected the adapter after following your instructions it DID detect new hardware and a warning appeared saying the drivers where going to be installed. But as nothing else appeared, I went to look in the Device Manager...and I still got the "unknown device"

I tryed to run the sfc command in the boot prompt, exactly like it was in the instructions. But when I try to run the command (sfc /scannow /offbootdir...) I get a message saying "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service".

I'm out of ideas. I tryed the adapter in other computers...it's fine.

Did you look through the USB troubleshooting steps? Other than that you can go to a restore point before this happened.

I did those several times. The only thing different is that it actually looks for the drivers before saying "device not recognized".

About the restore points, I doubt that would help me. Last time the adapter actually worked perfectly in the computer was a looong time ago. And it didn't just stoppeworking. First I'd get that error once in a while. In time, it became just like it is. It wasn't sudden, it got worst very slowly.

I'll still try it, but I doubt it will help me.

Edit: After searching a bit more I found about an issue with USB drivers in Asus motherboards (P7P55D, more specifically). My computer has a P7P55 LX, and as far as I remember the BIOS was never updated. Is it a good idea to update those drivers, because this would explain why this issue only happens in this computer. Still...it's strange how it doesn't happen with any other USB device.

Edit2: I decided no to risk flashing the BIOS. I was fooling around in the USB controllers in the device manager when a bubble appeared saying the drivers where installed. All I did was randomly uninstalling a couple of devices with my USB hub off. It's working perfectly (for) now. If that's all it takes, the same solution will work tomorrow. If not...well...in the wise words of the baby Jesus: "I'll be back". For now I'll just use it while it works.

After a few days I simply HAD to turn the computer off (went out of town). The problem is back again. I tryed to repeat the same steps, but I'm out of luck.
I took my time in MS forums, and it seems this is not new...but they have done nothing to solve it anyway.

Now, since this issue is making my computer unusable (no way to connect to the Internet), I'm seriously considering downgrading to XP.