Enable test mode to solve USB problems?

I think I've exhausted troubleshooting in a step-by-step manner. But I think I discovered an interesting piece of information about your machine. Sometimes all it takes is stepping away from an issue.

(1) Your dv7 seems to be able to hold two drives (per the service manual)
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c03221579.pdf [PDF]

HP doesn't always point to the correct manual. The fact that I know about a laptop with two HHDs comes from helping another member solve an issue. After a few false starts we found the right service manual and could proceed - but it was in that manual that I learned she had a laptop that could hold two drives. I checked and it appears that your machine can also hold two drives. Compare your laptop to the manual, that's the only way to be sure.

IF HP pointed me to the wrong service manual (again!) then you can still accomplish the same result by using an external enclosure for to house your existing HDD. Using an external HDD enclosure assumes that the USB issue gets resolved by updating BIOS and re-installing Windows. Not to be defeated by technology, there might be a Firewire port on your machine and there might be an external enclosure that supports that connection.

(2) I did not fully consider your concern about discs being in MI

Taken together, a Clean install seems to be the best route forward. The BIOS still needs to be flashed BEFORE the install.
I can't help allay your fears about flashing BIOS more than what I've already posted, but I understand them.

---

Here's what I propose

1. Flash the BIOS to F.0A - required.
   If you have to pay the shop to correct it, then that's the reality.
   If the BIOS is NOT corrected, there's no sense in proceeding and you can ignore the rest of this post.
   
   
2. Purchase a new main drive.
   I suggest an SSD. It doesn't have to be massive, 30 GB is more than sufficient to hold the Operating System.
   The original HDD can serve as your data disk when it is reconnected after the Clean install - that's where most of the space is used anyway (music, documents, pictures, videos, etc)
   
   
3. Create Windows install media from the Official MS store.
   This is where I did not fully consider the discs being in MI and the light only came on light when you posted information about the HP Recovery partition.

There are well written tutorials that describe the entire process, from creating Windows 7 install media to reinstalling vendor specific applications after Windows is installed. The tutorials describe every aspect of the process from backing up your data to making sure you have license keys for any software you previously purchased so that you can reinstall you favorite programs.

• There are some facets of the process that some people miss - most notably are:
  selecting the wrong ISO,
  only having one drive in the machine when you install, or
  not having a Wireless network driver available
  * a wired connection works 99% of the time without additional drivers
• Read the tutorial(s) so that you understand the process and ask any questions before undertaking the task
  Generic Windows Install: Clean Install Windows 7
  OEM Windows re-install: Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
  The ISO for your Windows version is identified on HeiDoc.net as:
  Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 U (media refresh): X17-58997.iso

Both tutorials cover much of the same information, the OEM version includes more about specific vendors.
Both tell you how to create Windows 7 install media. The only things you'll need to install Windows the are the official ISO, a DVD-R or 4 GB flash drive, the tool to write the media, and the Windows License key on the COA sticker (on the bottom of your laptop od in the battery compartment)

You can skip the sections on back since you'll retain the original HDD
Your system is NOT UEFI, so you can skip those notations as well.


Take a read and ask any questions - I or other members will be glad to answer.

Thanks you posted a few posts while I was typing

It cannot be determined when the BIOS was updated - ok

You DO have an HP_TOOLS partition - it's the last one. But, you also said you didn't have (or see) a reference to
HP Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Support Environment in Programs and Features. That could be my wrong assumption that it would show up there - it should. You can always get the software form the support page on HP. The issue I was concerned about was that the software relies on the HP_TOOLS partition and I didn't want to go through the process of changing your partitioning schema.

Intel Management Engine was uninstalled but did not change the USB device status - it was a long shot.

You made a Recovery disc - keep it safe, it's a good thing to have handy when the swamp is filling and the alligators are nipping at your nose

Windows Help and Support is working - what made it work? Not important - just curious.

Ok, I suppose this is where I yell uncle. You've done a lot and have been great doing all the stuff I asked you to do.
The only things left is my post above about a clean install.
The lynchpin is still BIOS, perhaps even more so with a clean install.
I gave you a lot to chew on, so take your time and digest as much as you are able. Ask questions.

It has been my pleasure working with you and the other members on this issue. I am sorry there wasn't a better outcome.

All is not lost though. I provided an alternate path and other members might drop by with their suggestions.

I'll stay subscribed to your thread and watch - I always learn from other members so maybe they have better magic.

Best regards

Bill
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CrabbyRightNow said:

Ok. I am going out for a couple hours and will flash the bios when I get back. If I read all this right, you are telling me to install a second hard drive that will hold the operating system only. Everything else will be on the other hard drive. Then when I reinstall windows it will not affect the other files. Is that right? Is that a backup procedure? I would still need another drive for a backup, right?

I think you have a good handle on the process and you pointed out to me that I need to make a correction.

So we can easily converse about the drives without ambiguity, I think 2nd drive is not a good description.
2nd drive could mean a physical placement or electrical connection or both.

Let's use new and old so no one reading your thread has to guess. It will make it easier for me anyway.

The old drive will be physically removed from the laptop.
The new drive will be placed where the old drive was in the laptop.
The old drive will sit on the table until after the install is completed.

Windows will be installed on the new drive in the machine.
You can test the USB ports - they should work.

The tutorial gets Windows up-to-date including all drivers Windows has to offer.
Windows Update gets you 98% driver complete, if there are any missing drivers (unusual) the HP support site is the place to get them.

At this point you have, for all intents and purposes, a new Windows machine.

Here's where you made me think and that always a good thing. I said you could skip the backup section and that's what I need to correct or clarify.
The only real backup is data that never goes back into a live machine. It can be copied to a live machine, but the backup itself is kept separate.

You have a new Windows install on the new drive and your data is on the old HDD sitting on the table - that's a good backup.

There are two scenarios, one where the new drive is an SSD, and the other where the new Drive is a HDD.

If you get a new HDD, then the old drive is you backup and all you need to do is copy your data to the new drive.

If you get a new SDD, the scenario might change depending on the capacity.
A small SSD is less expensive, but doesn't hold much data. Adding another HDD for backup or for data adds to the complexity and cost of this operation. The complexity is mostly in explaining the difference :)

Do you need another new drive? Maybe - you need to tell me your plans on the new drive (SSD or HDD, small SSD with OS only + data drive, or big SSD, no data drive)

The capacity of the new HDD will NOT require a tertiary HDD for backup, nor will a large SSD ($$).
A small SSD will require a tertiary HDD, but that should go in the machine and the old HDD can be your backup.

There's a third option - a hybrid drive.
There's a fourth option - a new SSD and use the old HDD as data - technically not a backup.

I think I'll wait for you to return and ask more questions.

Bill

Remembered one last trick

System Restore

The name is not what it sounds like, Windows 7 creates snapshot 'copies' of system files during certain operations (Windows Update is one) and at regularly scheduled intervals. It does not make copies of your data.

System Restore in this context means System files are restored from those copies. The copies are called Restore Points.

Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 in OPTION ONE of the tutorial describe 4 ways to launch System Restore.
You only have to do one of those steps

Step 6 gets you into the actual restore process

Step 7 The windows shown here will pop up if you don't have any restore points
Press the [Cancel] button - this trick won't help the issue on your machine - there's nothing to restore.

Step 8 The window shown here displays the most recent Restore Point, you don't want to Restore that one
Click the radio button next to
Choose a different restore point

Step 9 The window shown here displays some of the available Restore Points
From the data you posted during troubleshooting, I think the touchpad started having trouble around 12/17
other things started having trouble around 12/24

You know when all of this started better than anyone else, so the point of this exercise is to find a Restore point earlier than when the trouble started and restore that one.

Let's say 12/17 is correct - the USB ports worked then but the touchpad was not

Look for a Restore point before 12/17
a day before would be great

If you don't see one earlier, check to see if there are any earlier ones that aren't being shown.
Show other restore points

If there are no Restore Points earlier than when the touchpad started having problems, then
Press the [Cancel] button - this trick won't help the issue on oyur machine - there isn't a Restore Point early enough.

This is another tutorial some people have trouble following - they pick the wrong restore point or the don't dig deep enough (they miss choose a different or miss show more

It's important to look first - System Restore is limited to a certain amount of space. Restoring a Restore Point creates a Restore Point ... if the new Restore Point exceeds that amount of space, older Restore Points are deleted to make room.

If you post each screen, then I or another member can help guide you. You, however are the only one who has the date of the first occurrence. I only looked at one log - the trouble might have begun before that.

Part voodoo, part best guess, part luck.

Try to remember when the USB ports stopped working - that to me is more important that the touchpad.
What I don't want you to do, is restore a Restore Point where neither worked. That would be bad.

Bill
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I decided to go ahead and flash the bios. It worked. I looked in the settings to see if it was the new bios. It now shows Insyde F.0A 5/2/2012. My question is why the older bios F.0B showed a newer date: Insyde F.0B 6/19/2012. Does that mean I now have an older bios than the one I had before? It did say on the microsoft site that F.0A was the newest bios.

My USBs still don't work and still show code 52 in device manager.

I am also wondering if I should go back and restart some stuff that I changed, such as services.