# Laptop can't read USB



## David Evil Overlord (Jan 4, 2013)

My new laptop has been wonderful for the past two months.

Immediately after a Windows update around the first of January, it no longer recognises when a USB memory stick is plugged in.

Like the memory stick that holds all my writing. 

When it does acknowledge that there may be a USB pulgged in, any attempt to open it rsults in Windows Explorer thinking about it for the next five to ten minutes. And then locking up and "not responding".

Help!

P.S. Consistently having problems with Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. Windows locks up and does not respond when asked to read USBs. Internet Explorer keeps losing the internet (it claims, for rxample, that Googole.com did not respond). None of this was a problem before that update.


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## Abernovo (Jan 4, 2013)

I'm sure you've tried this, but put it in another port to see if all the ports are saying the same thing. Try a USB hub, if you've got one. I've had USB ports fail before now. Sometimes they worked after restarting the computer.

Finally, if you can, use another computer to open the files on the USB, to make sure there's no corruption there. If there is, have you backed it up elsewhere?

If it is your actual laptop, I can't really help. Restore Point, maybe? But I'd wait for someone with more tech know-how before doing that.


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## The Judge (Jan 4, 2013)

I haven't the first idea what this means, but the other half says, can you restore the laptop to a point before the update was applied -- look up the windows programme called "Back up and restore" which should take you back.

To my mind, even if that works it's presumably only a temporary solution -- if Windows updates again, it risks going screwy again.  If the laptop is only 2 months old, I'd start jumping up and down with the supplier and demand they sort something out.

Fingers crossed!


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## Mouse (Jan 4, 2013)

And if none of the sensible suggestions work, blow on it.


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## allmywires (Jan 4, 2013)

DEO, sadly sounds like an update has gone wrong. I just got a new shiny Sony VAIO and after installing a particular update, the Internet stopped working - got stuck on 'Resolving proxy settings' on Chrome and then would say that there was a problem with my firewall blocking Chrome (which there wasn't). Long story short, I had to do a system restore to get it back to factory settings. I would suggest rebooting to a restore point but try phoning Microsoft support or your laptop manufacturer (despite the 35p a minute (!!!) charge, Sony were very helpful).


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 4, 2013)

@ Abernovo:

I've tried all the USB ports on the laptop -- same problem.

I've tried the USB on a computer at work -- no problem.

I've tried rebooting my laptop -- same problem.

I haven't tried a USB hub, but that's only because I don't have one to try.

I have the most important file backed up on my email account. I have a brand new blank USB waiting to be used to back up everything else, and no computer willing to do they task.


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## Vertigo (Jan 4, 2013)

If it's only 2 months old take it back to the vendor and get them to fix it. 

Alternatively, I don't remember how to do it, but you should be able to unwind any Windows updates. Google it and you should find loads of instructions. 

Then turn automatic updates off for the time being (I always have it turned off and periodically do manual updates) in case there is actually a problem with the update; give MS a month or two to get it sorted and then update again.


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 4, 2013)

Vertigo said:


> If it's only 2 months old take it back to the vendor and get them to fix it.
> 
> Alternatively, I don't remember how to do it, but you should be able to unwind any Windows updates. Google it and you should find loads of instructions.
> 
> Then turn automatic updates off for the time being (I always have it turned off and periodically do manual updates) in case there is actually a problem with the update; give MS a month or two to get it sorted and then update again.


 
Ah, now that sounds like a plan that might work.


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## Alex The G and T (Jan 5, 2013)

Buy a Mac


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## J Riff (Jan 5, 2013)

Or find the drivers for the particular USB stick you are using, if they exist.
 U can update most drivers in device manager.


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 6, 2013)

Alex said:


> Buy a Mac


 
That was what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, Mrs Overlord saw the price of Macs compared to Windows laptops...

@ J Riff: just went to the Sandisk website to download the driver. My USB is a Sandisk nano. Which, according to the website, does not exist. However, I found an advertisment in the corner of the webpage that showed a Sandisk cruzer fit that looks suspiciously like my Sandisk nano.  But according to the list of drivers available for download, the Sandisk cruzer fit does not exist, either.


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## TheTomG (Jan 6, 2013)

At least you know the USB is ok. Sounds like you tried different USBs in the same computer, so does indeed sound like something is wonky on the PC driver side. I'd contact the computer manufacturer, see what they have to say about it, as I suspect it's the drivers for that machine and its hardware rather than Windows (otherwise all Windows users would have the same problem.)

Restore points to undo updates also sounds like a good idea. Meantime, snagging the files off the USB on another PC and uploading to some cloud storage sounds like an option to gain access to the files on the rogue PC for now, until the issue gets resolved.

Hope this helps! Let us know how you get on.


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## Vertigo (Jan 6, 2013)

You could also transfer them using CD/DVD. Once zipped, most text based formats are pretty small.


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## Alex The G and T (Jan 6, 2013)

David Evil Overlord said:


> My new laptop has been wonderful for the past two months.
> 
> 
> 
> When it does acknowledge that there may be a USB pulgged in, any attempt to open it rsults in Windows Explorer thinking about it for the next five to ten minutes. And then locking up and "not responding".



Ummmm... Why are you trying to read a memory stick with a web browser?

Shouldn't the card just show up on the desktop as a disc icon.  Open files, at will, according to the app which reads the file-type?


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## J Riff (Jan 6, 2013)

You shouldn't have to roll back the windows update, though.
It probably updated your USB root hub is all.
Cant remember exactly how I fixed this when it happened, but poke around in device manager and maybe you can roll back only the USB update... or, dang I will remember... uhhhm...
\anyway, yeah, it should show up in My Computer as a drive letter.
Maybe even Add Hardware in the control panel will help find it, then it should show up every time.


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 6, 2013)

Alex said:


> Ummmm... Why are you trying to read a memory stick with a web browser?
> 
> Shouldn't the card just show up on the desktop as a disc icon.  Open files, at will, according to the app which reads the file-type?


 
I'm trying to read it with Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer.

It SHOULD show up as a little dialog box asking what I want to do with the files the computer has suddenly detected on this new disk drive thingy (eg look at photos, open files, play videos, etc). My Kaspersky virus scan should also ask if I want to scan it before I start opening any files. None of these things are happening. The only acknowledgement Windows gives me is a sound effect and the little "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon at the bottom right of the screen. 




J Riff said:


> You shouldn't have to roll back the windows update, though.
> It probably updated your USB root hub is all.
> Cant remember exactly how I fixed this when it happened, but poke around in device manager and maybe you can roll back only the USB update... or, dang I will remember... uhhhm...
> \anyway, yeah, it should show up in My Computer as a drive letter.
> Maybe even Add Hardware in the control panel will help find it, then it should show up every time.


 
It eventually shows up in My Computer as a drive letter. After five to ten minutes. Any attempt to open the drive letter results in My Computer thinking about it for another five to ten minutes, and then deciding to show the "not responding" message at the top of the screen.

P.S. Just plugged in my external hard drive. It works perfectly. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any of my writing on it, mainly my photos.


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## Abernovo (Jan 6, 2013)

It sounds like a more serious problem. It's a new computer, DEO, so still under warranty. You could get the shop to fix it. Phone the helpline.


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## Vertigo (Jan 6, 2013)

OK so it looks like your USB is okay if it is working with a USB hard drive. Each USB drive (HD or flash) typically has it's own driver so I suspect the one for your USB stick is corrupt in some way. Best bet is to uninstall that driver and then re-install it. This should actually be quite easy to do:

1. I think you will need the memory stick plugged in for this to work and also wait for Windows to recognise and assign a drive letter. Do not attempt to access it at this stage.
1. In the Windows Sart menu or in Windows Explorer find 'Computer' right click this and select 'Manage'.
2. In the Computer Management app that loads select 'Device Manager.'
3. In the window on the right expand 'Disk Drives'
4. Your memory stick drive should now show in the list of drives (It might even show with an exclamation mark beside it if Windows is actually aware there is a problem). Right click it and select 'Uninstall'. This should uninstall the driver for this device.
5. Unplug the USB memory stick and then plug it back in again. You should see a notice appear in the bottom right of the screen saying it is loading the device driver. This should only take a few seconds and then, with a bit of luck, it should now work.


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 6, 2013)

Woo-hoo! Thank you, Vertigo. That did it! 

EDIT: Well, it worked perfectly for one usb, the new blank one. When I ejected that one and inserted the one with all my writing on it, it screwed up again. Grrr!


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## David Evil Overlord (Jan 7, 2013)

Okay, sorry about the double post...

Yes. it took this long to uninstall, reinstall, uninstall, reinstall, etc, then finally get the $%#@#$% thing to open, and transfer files. Backed everything up on my external HDD, and emailed them all to me as well.


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