Geek Tested:

Ask the Doctor: Universal Serial Bust

Posted 07/13/09 at 11:30:49 AM by The Maximum PC Staff

Ask the Doctor Logo I’m having a blue-screen problem on a T42p ThinkPad with 2GB of RAM running Windows XP Pro SP2. This is a corporate laptop issued to me as a mobile employee, so I have admin rights to it.

Every time I plug a USB device into either of the laptop’s two USB ports, it blue-screens. As long as the device is plugged in, the laptop loops through a boot process to a blue screen. Once I unplug the USB device, it behaves. Exceptions: If I put a USB power cable into the ports in the laptop for power only, there is no problem. I have a PCMCIA USB adapter too, and anything I plug into these USB ports works fine.

This PCMCIA USB adapter has a USB power cable, which I plug into the USB port in the laptop without incident. I have the PCMCIA USB adapter plugged into the PCMCIA slot, with a seven-port USB hub plugged into it running a printer, a wireless mouse, a keyboard, and a hard drive. I have a second hard drive’s data cable plugged into the USB hub, while its power cord is plugged into the laptop’s USB port, with no problem.

When I called the corporate help desk, they assumed I had a bad motherboard and sent me a replacement laptop. Same problem but worse. The new laptop, which was a 1GB machine, did not recover when the USB port was unplugged. I had to do disc recovery involving file and index cleanup to get it to behave. I went through this several times.

I used the same boot drive, which I had to transfer back and forth, on both laptops.

Fortunately, when I returned the hard drive to the old laptop, it worked the same as it had originally. I have returned the “new” replacement laptop since it did me no good, keeping the original laptop.

I’m to the point of reinstalling the OS, but I don’t have access to the corporate image without driving 90 miles, and at this point, I’m leery of just installing a different OS copy, with a different serial number.

—Joe Garza

All right, let’s try to isolate the issue. Since you blue-screen on two identical systems with the same hard drive and devices, this could be either a hardware or a software problem. First, unplug all your USB devices, including your PCMCIA adapter, and try plugging them in one at a time. Sounds like you’ve got a lot of devices going on; you might just be overloading your system, or you have a faulty device somewhere in the mix.

If your USB ports work while using a LiveCD, such as Knoppix, your issue is with Windows, not your hardware.

Still blue-screening? It could be a software issue. Try booting from a Linux Live CD (e.g., Knoppix or Ubuntu) and see if the USB ports work. If they do, it’s a Windows problem. If your company allows you to install XP’s Service Pack 3, do that. If not, reinstall your USB drivers using an XP install disc. If all else fails, you might need to go grab that corporate image. And if that doesn’t fix it, and you’re sure your plethora of USB devices isn’t overloading your machine, it might be time for a new machine.

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION Are flames shooting out of the back of your rig? First, grab a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. Once the pyrotechnic display has fizzled, email the doctor at doctor@maximumpc.com for advice on how to solve your technological woes.

COMMENTS:7

TAGS:

COMMENTS

the end of the story
Submitted by garzajoe on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 8:29pm

wow, i didn't know you cared...

long story short, i replaced the laptop. i tried most of the recommended solutions, and nothing worked.

in the end, it was all for nought. not too long after they sent me the new (T60) laptop, i had to return it as i was laid off.

obtw, the reason i tried to fix it myself instead of letting corporate have it is a) i'm getting paid to be the geek, and, in point of fact, i usually know more than the helpdesk... i'm sure you are all familiar with that experience. and b) if i can fix it, i don't have to wait for corporate.

re SP3, did you catch that part about the corporate image? if i was willing to blow off the corporate image, i would just go ahead and do a complete reinstall and avoid all the mess. FYI, on my personal box, it's SP3.

but, thanks for all your help, and interest.

joe

Login or register to post comments

XP SP2 ??!! service pack
Submitted by preacher1010 on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 4:36pm

XP SP2 ??!!

service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3 service pack 3

Login or register to post comments

It's Not Your Problem!
Submitted by periodhyphenund... on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 9:24am

Notify your Corporation that you will mail the Laptop (if necessary) with a few USB devices that do not work to your IT dept (At Company Expense) and inform them that they should restore an XP image to the laptop and get the USB Devices to work before shipping the computer back to you (At Company Expense) along with your USB Devices.

If they do get it to work correctly, have a working backup of your OS made (Preferrably at Company Expense) and Never again try to take personal responsibility for a Corporate IT Problem!

This of course assumes that the USB Devices work fine in another computer!

Whatever happens, just make sure that this is a Company Problem, Not YOUR Problem!

Login or register to post comments

Please let me know if the
Submitted by rtejada on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 11:38am

Please let me know if the above post helps your cause or gets you a pink slip.

Inquiring minds want to know!

Login or register to post comments

Spoiled
Submitted by Kazabet on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 11:21am

Wow... someone sure has a generous IT department. Why not ask for a foot rub while you're at it?

Login or register to post comments

Are you sure the corporate
Submitted by rtejada on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 8:20am

Are you sure the corporate image does not have an encryption tool which locks out USB devices?

IT departments have been disabling the use of USB devices on corporate assets to prevent theft and malware/virus threats.

Some software encryption software typically asked to reformat any device that gets attached, others can lock up the machine. You may want to confirm with your IT deparment if any such software is installed on the corporate image. It doesn't matter if you have Admin access either as the image would be protected with a password issued by the image creator. Some IT deparments even protect the Bios with a password to prevent a user from changing the boot device.

Since everything works when you add a PCMCIA adapter it leads me to believe they locked your onboard USB ports.

I've run into the same issue and have no problems when adding a PCMCIA adapter as well

Login or register to post comments

that was my first thought:
Submitted by jrocknyc on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 9:26am

that was my first thought: it's set up to prevent data theft by preventing any USB data usage.

Login or register to post comments