USB Device "disabled"

Hi All,

I have USB credit card reader plugged into a Windows XP SP2 machine.
The card reader has an LED that should be on all the time indicating
the reader is ready to be used. However if the reader isn't used for a
day or so, the LED goes out and the reader will not read. The device
still shows up in the device manager (under COM Ports) and if unplug
the USB cord and plug it back in the LED comes back on immediately and
it is ready to use.

I have several other machines that use the same model card reader that
work fine. I've swapped the reader and get the same issue. Is there a
setting in Windows that can be set to keep USB devices "alive"?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

On Mar 24, 9:41*am, Looch <lucianoj2...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I have USB credit card reader plugged into a Windows XP SP2 machine.
> The card reader has an LED that should be on all the time indicating
> the reader is ready to be used. However if the reader isn't used for a
> day or so, the LED goes out and the reader will not read. The device
> still shows up in the device manager (under COM Ports) and if unplug
> the USB cord and plug it back in the LED comes back on immediately and
> it is ready to use.
>
> I have several other machines that use the same model card reader that
> work fine. I've swapped the reader and get the same issue. Is there a
> setting in Windows that can be set to keep USB devices "alive"?
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Look at the USB ports and turn off "Allow the computer to turn off
this device to save power..." XP seems to always detects and powers
off the device connected at the wrong time.

I'll definitely look at that.