USB no longer recognised for IPOD or ext drive

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USB no longer recognised for IPOD or ext drive

I recently recieved a 5th Gen IPOD. I have installed the software that came with the unit but I cannot see the IPOD. When I check the Device Manager I see an "Unknown Device". Also I can now no longer see my external USB backup drive. It also has "Unknown Device" instead of Mass Storage Device. When I go to reinstall either of these items I get an error:

"The Installation failed because a function driver was not specified for this device instance"

I have removed all usb refs in the Dev Manager and restarted. I have removed these in Safe Mode and restarted. Each time I get the same Unknow Device. My setup is:
Windows 2000 pro, SP4
2.4GHz P4 on a Gigabyte board
512 Ram

Previous to the ipod install my backup drive worked perfectly. It seems like my USB drivers have somehow been corrupted.
I have tired forcing these in as Microsoft Mass Storage Devices but I still get the yellow exclamation mark.
I have also tried to access a 256Mb MP3 player but I get the same error.

Any help is appreciated

Thanks

New IPOD user but getting frustrated.

5 Gen IPOD, Windows 2000

Posted on Dec 25, 2005 4:50 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 25, 2005 5:08 PM in response to Dalob123

Glad to not be alone!!

I have this exact same problem, and have spent the better part of the last 10 hours or so trying to remedy it much the same way you have. Only to see every single USB device I own corrupted.

Though, for one brief shining moment, my computer did recognize my iPod, though it lasted for less than 2 minutes...it did then slip back into the familiar pattern.

Talk about a buzz kill for christmas, not only does the iPod not work, but I lose access to all my music and data and other USB devices.

Glad to not be alone, but desperate for answers!

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Answer 2

belindab

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Dec 25, 2005 6:00 PM in response to no3pencil

Glad to not be alone!!

I have this exact same problem, and have spent the
better part of the last 10 hours or so trying to
remedy it much the same way you have. Only to see
every single USB device I own corrupted.

Though, for one brief shining moment, my computer did
recognize my iPod, though it lasted for less than 2
minutes...it did then slip back into the familiar
pattern.

Talk about a buzz kill for christmas, not only does
the iPod not work, but I lose access to all my music
and data and other USB devices.

Glad to not be alone, but desperate for answers!

Same again here but without any known corruption

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Answer 3

elees

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Dec 25, 2005 7:52 PM in response to belindab

I laos have the problem trying to connext to a Win2k laptop. Device mgr shows it as code 28, drivers not installed. I have uninstalled and re-installed latest sofware to no avail.

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Answer 4

Dalob123 Author

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Dec 26, 2005 3:14 AM in response to Dalob123

OK. Just managed to install it on my wife's Toshiba (winxp pro) laptop with no problems so it looks like the IPOD is ok. Have uninstalled the ipod software from my win2000 machine but still cannot get my usb backup drive online. Reinstalled the software but still have the same issue with the usb devices eg "Unknown Device" and it will not accept new drivers.

Ho ho ho merry bloody xmas. Spent more time trying to fix this than reinstalling my whole machine. (which I am considering).

Going to try and install the ext usb drive on the laptop to make sure the problem is not that. Will let you kow how it goes.

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Answer 5

Thileia

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10 points

Dec 26, 2005 3:47 AM in response to Dalob123

It does sound corrupted. Did you check your event log for any errors? Was there any indication you had a bad disk before? Did you remove any previous drivers before installing iPod?

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Answer 6

Dalob123 Author

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Dec 26, 2005 12:13 PM in response to Dalob123

Installed the ext backup drive on the laptop with no problems so I now know it is not the drive. Everything was working pre IPOD and I can verify this as I recieved my daily backup notification email to let me know the backup was successful.
Plugged this drive back into my win2000 machine, same error. Tried a new port, same error.

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Answer 7

Dalob123 Author

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Dec 26, 2005 1:25 PM in response to Dalob123

Have now reinstalled the USB 2.0 Host Controller and tried to reinstall the ext usb drive by forcing it in as a Microsoft Mass Storage Device. Restarted but still no go. Checked the event log, 2 errors

DCOM got error "The service database is locked. " attempting to start the service iPodService with arguments "-Service" in order to run the server:
{7A7FB085-6068-4898-8CCA-480A9187277C}

DCOM got error "The service database is locked. " attempting to start the service netman with arguments "" in order to run the server:
{BA126AD1-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}

Have no idea what these mean. Also do not know why the Ipodservice is trying to start, I uninstalled this. What a pain in the arse.

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Answer 8

Dec 26, 2005 2:14 PM in response to Dalob123

I had the same problem and solved it by uninstalling all the USB devices in Device Manager and rebooting. Windows reinstalled the USB devices and the iPod connected OK.

But this was just me, it may work for you.

Mike

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Answer 9

Dalob123 Author

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Dec 26, 2005 3:31 PM in response to DEATH OF WINDOWS

Thanks Mike,
I did uninstall the USB devices but not the Host Controllers. Rebooted and windows did find the drive and IPOD but still did not recognise them. Did you remove the Host Controllers as well??
Windows seems to know something is there but cannot identify them. When I force them in a Mass Storage Devices I still get the yellow exclaimation marks next to them.

DALOB

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Answer 10

Dalob123 Author

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Jan 1, 2006 12:27 AM in response to Dalob123

I got the following reply from Billyd at www.everythingusb.com

"Turn the PC off for awhile - about 30 minutes. Unplug it from the wall too. After the 30 minutes are up, open the case and remove the motherboard battery for a few seconds. Put it back in and reboot.

If you know how to get into BIOS setup, do that and disable Legacy USB. If you're overclocking, don't.

Next, try a Safe Mode cleanup:

http://tinyurl.com/2fwb"

After scouring the web for a solution and reinstalling my OS, the above solution worked. I have not reinstalled my IPOD yet, want to get everything back up and running, then ghost first. My external hd was recognised straight away and I my machine recognises my 256mb mp3 players.
Also found one of the ground connectors for my front usb was very loose. This may have caused the initial usb issue by connecting my ipod to this usb port. Will see how it goes.

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Answer 11

Dalob123 Author

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Jan 1, 2006 2:55 AM in response to Dalob123

IPOD installed and running with no problems.

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