USB 2.0 on Windows XP and 2000

How to:

• Fix common USB 2.0 problems
• Download files and drivers for USB 2.0

USB 2.0 on Windows XP and 2000

There are many reasons why problems with USB devices can occur. Keep in mind that USB Controllers are small pieces of hardware that allow your computer to operate USB connections. These Controllers need software drivers to operate properly. That's why your first step is to check that you have the latest USB 2.0 drivers on your system.

Start by opening Windows Explorer and right-clicking on My Computer. Click the Hardware tab, followed by the Device Manager Button. Towards the bottom of the list you should see a heading 'Universal Serial Bus Controllers.' Click the small plus sign next to it. This menu will expand to reveal one or more listings. To see if you have USB 2.0, look for a line that says 'USB2 Enhanced Controller.' The exact entry will vary slightly and don't confuse it with other entries that may simply list 'USB Universal Controller'. See the screenshot to the below for an example of how it may look. Note that there are no yellow exclamation points next to the entries - the yellow exclamations,, indicate a problem with the device.

If you do see a yellow exclamation next to any of the USB entries, especially the USB2 Enhanced Controller, then there is a problem affecting the USB 2.0 driver on your system. To fix the problem, right click on the entry and select Properties. Click on the 'Troubleshoot' button and follow the prompts. In most cases this will help find a solution. The alternative is to right-click and select 'Update driver' while your computer is connected to the Internet.

OK, what if you look down the USB list and there is no entry with 'USB2 Enhanced Controller'? This generally means that you do not have the USB 2.0 driver installed. There are two steps you need to follow. Firstly you must ensure that you have installed either Windows XP Service Pack 3 or Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. Technically, XP users only need Windows XP Service Pack 1, but this would be risky as it leaves your system exposed to numerous security threats fixed with Service Pack 2.

If needed, download and install the Service Pack, then restart your system. Go back to the Device Manager - as shown in the first paragraph - and check the status of your USB controllers. If the USB2 Enhanced Controller has appeared without the yellow symbol, you should be ready to use USB 2.0. If not, you will need the specific USB 2.0 driver for your system. There are only six manufacturers of USB 2.0 controllers: Acer Labs, Intel, NEC, SiS, VIA and nVidia (which may appear as 'Standard Controller'), but sometimes they are re-branded by other companies. In this case, you will need to find out which Controller is on your system and visit the manufacturers site for an update or special instructions. For example, if you have the Via USB Controller, you will need the Via USB 2.0 driver (you can download a copy here).

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