USB stick not being recognised

I tried my USB stick (Dell 128 Mb)in two computers at work this morning and none of them would recognise the drive. I cannot access it at all. I checked the Device Manager and it says that the USB ports are working properly.

What can I do?
Thanks.

wierd!!!! i wonder if dell sticks use drivers?

Yes... I believe they do. Try going to the dell support page and find the drivers. Download them, install, and then restart. This should take care of the problem.

-Mike

you only need drivers if you are running windows 98

Supposedly, but I have had a few devices that worked much better (read all of the time) when I loaded the drivers on 2K Pro or XP.

Also, some of the sticks I have cannot be run through USB hubs because of power consumption. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

-Mike

The computers at work have Windows XP and up to this day, I've had no problems at all.

Interesting... was the computer seeing the stick at all (and it just wasn't functional) or did they not recognize it?

-Mike

It is not there in 'My Computer" and the computer does not go through the usual recognition process.

1. plug/unplug the stick; repeat in different USB ports if doesn't work on the first try
2. reboot with stick unplugged, repeat 1 as necessary.
3. reboot with stick plugged, repeat 1 as necessary.

- Might also be a Win version issue as mentioned before. I remember having to download the driver a long time ago. Dell doesn't have it on their support site and it was a pain to even find the link to the proper website. I just checked my HDD but I don't have a copy of the drivers, or I would've sent it to you. The Dell stick I got was such a pain to use (P&P incompatibility) that I am not using it anymore.

right click my computer
co to manage
look in device manager for the stick
if it is there and functioning normally
THEN
(still in management)
click down to disk management
look for the stick there
if it is there, check the drive letter assignment
change the drive letter to something not being used

i have seen several of these fail to properly grab an EMPTY drive letter...... especially on computers that are on networks...... they seem to not be able to tell they are on the same letter as the network drives

Did you upgrade to XP SP2 recently?

Do the computers you're using work properly with other USB devices? If not, you may have to install drivers that came with the motherboard to turn the USB ports on.

could be a USB2 thing.
If the work computers don't have USB2 ports, and your stick only goes at usb2 speeds, then they won't acknowledge the stick.
I had to go to Intels site to download drivers for the Intel chipset to enable USB2 on several new Dells at work.
T.

Strange... do some of the new sticks only work on USB2?

-Mike

[ QUOTE ]
tech said:
could be a USB2 thing.
If the work computers don't have USB2 ports, and your stick only goes at usb2 speeds, then they won't acknowledge the stick.
I had to go to Intels site to download drivers for the Intel chipset to enable USB2 on several new Dells at work.
T.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think USB2 devices are designed to still work in all USB1 ports at a slower speed. That's what mine do. Recognition is a different issue.

My experience is that USB2 devices work fine in a USB1 port, just as USB1 devices work in a USB2 port. My guess is your stick is on the fritz.

USB 2 should be OK with a USB 1 port.

I would check your MB drivers...make sure you have the latest drivers for the USB root hub and the USB/PCI bridge for your MainBoard.

I had a stick that just died... woudl not recogognize ever - It was a Lexar - sent it in - brand new one showed up...

I had a similar problem with a cheap USB drive. I tried it in a couple PC's that use 2000Pro, and my buddies laptop that is running XP home. All had the same problem. They will recognise that an external drive has been added, but when I try to open it, I get the message asking me to insert a disk into the drive. At least it was cheap. I probably should get around to sending it to see if I can get it replaced, but I just bought a Lexar (on impulse again, I've spent a lot of money during the R&R), so I'm not too hurried I guess.

USB still seems to have it's troubles. I have a modern Intel mobo in a modern Antec Super LanBoy case and the USB ports on the front panel won't work with an external hard drive, though they work with my digital camera.

The hard drives work with the rear ports okay. The rear ports are directly connected to the mobo whereas the front ports run through cables supplied with the case and use connectors that come with the case.

I guess some of the Antec stuff isn't good enough for whatever speed the external hard drive needs. I would suspect my cabling job, but as my camera works, I guess it must be something else.

I'm glad my main mobo has firewire. My firewire external hard drive just plain works, every time.