USB Ports Not Recognized

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Rich" <rwirick@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b56001c43767$593f0d00$a601280a@phx.gbl...
> Win XP HE is not recognizing my USB ports and the USB
> controllers aren't even showing up in Device Manager.
> Should I try flashing my BIOS to remedy this problem?

More information may be necessary to resolve this problem. Initially,
flashing your BIOS to resolve any problem should be done only if you know
that doing so is the only means to resolve the problem.

I've had problems with USB recognition in several scenarios.

(1) In order to recognize USB devices, installing another O/S or upgrade
requires a special 'System Device' referred to as "Plug & Play BIOS
Extension", from Control Panels 'Add New Hardware' applet.

(2) Installing a PCI card with 4 - USB 2.0 ports, I had to install
Microsoft's latest SP1 updates (I don't recall which specific update was
involved). When I performed a fresh install of MS XP Pro on the Dell
Dimension 4400 PC which the OEM copy of XP Pro originated, my new PCI
expansion card with USB 2.0 ports expansion card was no longer recognized.
After I completed updatiing all of Microsoft's patches, the XP Pro O/S was
able to recognize the USB 2.0 ports again (not original component of my PC).

(3) Some computers are proprietary. My Compaq Presario's require a special
mini-PCI controller in order to recognize various devices. I believe this
applied when I tried installing Windows 98 SE from scratch. I'm not sure if
this would apply to later O/S versions. Windows ME was more compatible
though I still had problems.