XP USB Failure with Sony DSC-S50 & Easy Disk Memory Drive

[sumando]

I have a Sony Cybershot DSC-S50 digital camera which works flawlessly on my Dell 450 running Windows ME. I can upload pictures with ease. When I plug it into my Compaq Presario 8000T (running WinXP Home, Service Pack 1 installed), it gets "confused" and hangs the window when I try to access the camera's memory stick via the virtual drive accessible through "My Computer". Sometimes I can see the cameraÂ’s folder/directory structure and sometimes not.

Sometimes it recognizes and presents the drive, and sometimes not. If I shut off the camera and restart, it gets confused and thinks the camera is not there when it is, and thinks it is when it is not.

I've updated the Compaq ROM BIOS to v3.04 (686Y2 System ROM was v2.11) but that didn't change a thing.

The good news is that if I restart the computer with the camera on, everything works perfectly. But if I shut the camera down and attempt to restart the camera while the system is running, everything hangs.

I've uninstalled the USB drivers and reinstalled many times, but no change is apparent from that strategy.

To add to my misery, I get the same response when I plug in an Easy Disk USB memory drive. It also works flawlessly in anyoneÂ’s computer but my Compaq, so IÂ’m pretty sure this is all about either Compaq, XP, or both.

Oh by the way, I also have an Intel Pro Camera running just fine on the Compaq, and it works just fine. IÂ’ve taken it off the system and tried just the USB drive or the Sony Camera alone, but no joy.

Also, IÂ’ve plugged BOTH the USB Easy Disk and Sony Camera in with the Intel Camera, rebooted, and all devices worked just fine.

Any ideas? I've about given up.

And if you are in to humor, here is what Compaq technical support said:

“I am in the position to inform you that we do not have test data on
installing and using any third party hardware or software in Presario
line of computers.”

 

[Seloce]

yeah, isn't that funny? that's called the "blowing smoke up their ass" tech support method.

have you done all your windows updates?

is the hot-swappable device option disabled? I currently can't find it now...I'm on a Win2k box that doesn't use any. normally it's a little icon in your system tray that allows you to disconnect devices that are attached to your computer. that is exactly the thing that allows you to plug something in while the computer is on and allows it to work.

 

[sumando]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to this. The hot swappable option you are talking about is the littly thingy that pops up in the systray when a new device is inserted?

It comes and stays after I start the camera, and offers the option to "safely remove" the hardware if I hove over it.

Is that what you are referring to?

If it is, then it's enabled.

My colleague at work suggested that perhaps the USB enumeration was off its feedbag (happens in Win ME). I am going to try removing the Intel cam from the usb and uninstalling ALL USB DEVICES, then rebooting. Then I'll try the Sony cam and see if that changes anything.

Anyone else want me to run any other experiments? It can't get any worse than non-functional. Or can it?

 

[sumando]

Well, I finally found the solution to my problem. Turns out that my McAfee Viruscan was interfering with the installation of the "Generic Drive" driver when the memory device was plugged in.

Each time I plugged in the camera or usb memory device, McAfee would think it was a floppy and attempt to scan it. I think each was waiting on the other to respond, so nothing was happening, or McAffee was looking for a boot record which of course doesn't exist.

Regardless, the fix was simple. Go to configure in McAfee Console and deselect Scan Floppies on access.

I should know better. The first thing you should always do when things don't work as expected is to disable the viruschecker and try again. Duh.

Anyway -- I'm happy. Thanks to everyone for reading my problems, even if you didn't come up with anything. Hopefully, this message will help others with similar problems.

 

[Ecniv]

Good troubleshooting friend, wish I had been here to point you to that quicker, but you did good. Hope you stick around to help people out, as you seem to know what your doing.