USB Undetected Issue.

Dave94o said:

Hello, I've searched, but can't seem to have find the answer to my problem.

I've have a Sony Vaio L series touchscreen computer (64 bit windows 7). For some reason usb that I connect to my computer aren't shown in the computer window. When I first connect the usb ( like an external hard drive) windows detects it and installs all of the drivers that is needed and gives off no errors. And I have even looked in Device manager and then when I click on the device it says that device works properly, but I can't access the device from my computer. I have read that I should change the letter for the device that I plug in, but when I try to do that by right clicking on the device and where it says "change device letter" there it is grey so I can't press it.

P.s I have an iPod and iTunes, when i connect the iPod it works perfectly fine with iTunes, it charges and sync perfectly, so the usb drive is not broken it something software related.

Hi Dave94
When you right click on the device, do you see an option to "set as active"/
If so, set to active, and you should be good to go.
Hope this helps, if not post back, and I'll try again to resolve your issue for you.

Ok,try going to control panel-administrative tools-computer management-storage then disk management.
If its showing up there, then you should be able to set it as active.
On the right hand side, you should see a menu for "more options".

Dave94o said:

No when i go to more action and where it say "set device as active" it is grey there so i cant press on it

Odd, but it IS showing the drive there, correct?
Is it possible that the drive itself is bad? Can you test it on another rig?
I'll continue to research the issue, and will post back.
Just a thought. Try leaving the drive hooked up, and restart your computer, boot into the bios, and make sure the external sata is enabled. Also, in the interim download and update the device drivers for the drive, as well as drivers for USB.

Dave94o,
Please read my LAST post before continuing with the regedit instructions
Thanks

If you havent already done so per my last post:


1. REinstall All USB drivers

CAUTION: These next steps are critical that they are done carefully and accurately!

Create a system restore point before proceeding to the next step.

2. Click Start, type REGEDIT in the Start Search bar and press Enter. Please click Yes and open Registry window.

3. In Registry Editor, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

4. In the details pane, double-click DevicePath.

5. Add a semi-colon to end of the existing text, and then add the path to %SystemRoot%\System32. The result should be similar to: %SystemRoot%\inf;%SystemRoot%\System32

Do not remove the %SystemRoot%\inf file path from the DevicePath registry entry.

6. Click OK to save the new value, and then close Registry Editor.

7. Delete "INFCACH.1" from C:\Windows and C:\Windows\Inf Directories (if it exists)

8. Ensure that there is a copy of the usbstor.inf file in C:\Windows\Inf
If there isn't – follow the below steps:

a) From another Windows 7 system (copy it out of another Windows 7 system and copy it directly into the C:\Windows\inf directory

OR

b) From the problem machine, run Command Prompt ( as administrator). From C:\ do a dir usbstor.inf /s . Wherever the file is found, go to that directory and copy all the files located in that directory to C:\Windows\inf directory

9. Open device manager, uninstall all unknown devices (right click, uninstall) so they all disappear from the list

10. Reboot the computer

Instructions for marking a partition as active using Diskpart:
Open an elevated command prompt:
Method 1: From Windows
Click on Start and type “command prompt”
Right-click on the application and select “Run as administrator”
Choose “Yes” when asked to confirm

Type “diskpart” and press enter. Do not type the quotes.
Enter “list disk” and note the number of the disk that is your external.
Enter “select disk n” n is the number of the disk.
Enter “list partition” and note the number of the partitions
Enter “select partition n” n is the number of the partition.
Enter “active”
You can now close the command prompt.

The disk is now active.

You may want to check your bios once again to see if it recognizes it.

Hope some of this helps...