How to fix the "Unable to install Apple Mobile Device USB Driver" problem
If you have upgraded your iTunes to version 9.2 you may have run into the problem that your computer no longer recognizes your iPhone/iPad/iPod. I had the problem on one computer, but not the other. When you connect the device it starts installing the driver, then it fails and iTunes never sees your device.
Here is how you fix this problem if you have it.
First, open Computer Management. You can do this by clicking the little Window logo that is your Start menu, right click "Computer", and click "Manage."
Click the Device Manager node. At the bottom you see Universal Serial Bus Controllers. It may be expanded already, otherwise expand it.
Now connect your device. It will start loading the driver, the Device Manager window will go blank once or twice, and eventually you will see the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver. It will have a yellow exclamation mark super-imposed on it. That signifies it failed to load. If it doesn't show up, disconnect the device and try it again. I had to try a couple of times before it stuck long enough to do anything with it.
Right click Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and select Properties. Click the Driver tab, and then click the Uninstall button. You will get a dialog that asks you whether you want to also delete the driver. You do. The driver is faulty and you want to get rid of it. It appears the iTunes 9.2 installer actually destroys the configuration of that driver. I have not investigated how exactly it does this but I would expect that the registry configuration is flawed.
Once you delete it, reconnect you ipod and it should be recognized by your computer.
Here is how you fix this problem if you have it.
First, open Computer Management. You can do this by clicking the little Window logo that is your Start menu, right click "Computer", and click "Manage."
Click the Device Manager node. At the bottom you see Universal Serial Bus Controllers. It may be expanded already, otherwise expand it.
Now connect your device. It will start loading the driver, the Device Manager window will go blank once or twice, and eventually you will see the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver. It will have a yellow exclamation mark super-imposed on it. That signifies it failed to load. If it doesn't show up, disconnect the device and try it again. I had to try a couple of times before it stuck long enough to do anything with it.
Right click Apple Mobile Device USB Driver and select Properties. Click the Driver tab, and then click the Uninstall button. You will get a dialog that asks you whether you want to also delete the driver. You do. The driver is faulty and you want to get rid of it. It appears the iTunes 9.2 installer actually destroys the configuration of that driver. I have not investigated how exactly it does this but I would expect that the registry configuration is flawed.
Once you delete it, reconnect you ipod and it should be recognized by your computer.
PC
