Reboot Needed After USB device plugged in

I am using Win XP SP3 on a Pentium M based laptop.

I have just noticed that all of a sudden plugging in a new USB device
requires the computer to reboot before I can use the device.

For example, I just bought a new USB flash drive. When I plugged it in for
the first time, the driver is found, it is installed and then I get a
requester informing that the driver's installed by may not function
properly until the computer is rebooted. And indeed: until the reboot, the
drive is not visible to windows.

Once the reboot is done, the device starts working properly when plugged
in.

This has happened with three such new devices (presentation controller etc.
another flash drive). It would never happen before: in the past I was able
to start using a new flash drive immediately.

The only difference is that I have installed SP3 in the last few weeks. Is
anyone else seeing the same behaviour, and is there a way of fixing it?

Thanks.

Wigster wrote:
> I am using Win XP SP3 on a Pentium M based laptop.
>
> I have just noticed that all of a sudden plugging in a new USB
> device requires the computer to reboot before I can use the device.
>
> For example, I just bought a new USB flash drive. When I plugged it
> in for the first time, the driver is found, it is installed and
> then I get a requester informing that the driver's installed by may
> not function properly until the computer is rebooted. And indeed:
> until the reboot, the drive is not visible to windows.
>
> Once the reboot is done, the device starts working properly when
> plugged in.
>
> This has happened with three such new devices (presentation
> controller etc. another flash drive). It would never happen before:
> in the past I was able to start using a new flash drive immediately.
>
> The only difference is that I have installed SP3 in the last few
> weeks. Is anyone else seeing the same behaviour, and is there a way
> of fixing it?

Just to verify - these *new* USB devices *are* new to the laptop? Never
plugged in before?

Once you have rebooted - do you have to reboot again if you plug in the same
device some time later? (Assuming you unplug it, etc.)

Are the USB drives anything 'special'? Like U3, etc? Can you give us the
make/model of the presenter remote and the USB drives?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in
news:#sbbxcjzIHA.5816@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:


> Just to verify - these *new* USB devices *are* new to the laptop?
> Never plugged in before?

Yes, they were new to the laptop. Once the reboot had occurred, they
were working perfectly as expected. My old USB devices do not require a
reboot, so it is definitely something to do with having installed new
drivers.


> Once you have rebooted - do you have to reboot again if you plug in
> the same device some time later? (Assuming you unplug it, etc.)

No, it is detected and installed fine without a reboot.
>
> Are the USB drives anything 'special'? Like U3, etc? Can you give us
> the make/model of the presenter remote and the USB drives?

Unfortunately, they were a friend's and I don't have access to them
anymore. However, one was a completely standard boring USB key, the
other also a standard presenter.

As a test, I just plugged in a friend's USB headset, made by Logitech (I
think think the model number is A-00009) and the same story: the headset
is detected, drivers are found and installed and then the Found New
Hardware wizard informs that drivers have been installed but a reboot
may be required before the device works properly and a "System Setting
Change" requester appears, telling me that

"Windows has finished installing new devices. The software that supports
your device requires that you restart you computer. You must restart
your computer before the new setting will take effect. Do you want to
restart your computer now?"

This seems to suggest that you would get the same behaviour with any new
USB device.