Several users have reported that various USB devices (including digital cameras, hard drives, the PlayStation Portable [PSP] and others) are not recognized by Windows 7. In some cases, devices show a “Please Wait” message, but never interact properly with the computer. In other cases, hard drives appear as empty when they actually contain data, or other functionality is missing.
There are a number of potential fixes for this issue:
Switch USB ports A surprisingly effective fix is to simply switch the USB port to which your device is attached. For instance, if your computer has both front and back USB ports, try switching from the front to the back or vice versa. Otherwise, just connect the device to a different port from the one to which it is currently attached.
Disconnect and reconnect Although this fix is almost too obvious to mention, many users overlook it. Simply disconnect the USB device for a few seconds, then reconnect it, ensuring a secure, snug fit.
Uninstall third-party USB programs Go to the Control Panel and select “Add/Remove Programs.” Remove all third-party device drivers in the device manager, then restart your computer. Try reconnecting the problematic devices and check for resolution of the issue. If you need to re-add any third-party drivers, you can obtain them from the manufacturers’ websites.
Update drivers Make sure you have the latest drivers for each device. These can usually be obtained from the manufacturer website. As mentioned in the previous fix, you may want to try deleting all currently installed drivers before installing the fresh, new versions.
Delete the INFCACHE If you are running Windows Vista, you may want to try deleting the INFCACHE.1 file, which stores device-to-driver association information. To do this, open a Windows Explorer window and type c:\windows\inf then press return, and locate the file “INFCACHE.1,” then follow these steps:
- Right-click on INFCACHE.1 and select “Properties”
- Click on the “Security” tab, then click “Edit.”
- Click “Add,” then type the name you would like to give to the user group.
- Set the new group to “Full Control” then click OK.
- You can now delete the file INFCACHE.1
You should now restart your computer and check for proper operation of the device. You may need to re-download the device(s) driver from the manufacturer website.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Oct 16th, 2009. 2 Comments. 
Windows 7 may repeatedly, inexplicably pause or stall–either for several seconds or up to a minute or more. This problem can be caused by a variety of issues, including problematic drivers, bad RAM and more.
Here are a few fixes that have proven successful for a number of users experiencing this problem:
Check performance tools First, try the simplest fix. Navigate to: Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Performance Information and Tools > Advanced Tools. In some cases, this screen will display the problem files, which can sometimes be removed to eliminate the pauses.
Update BIOS A BIOS update may resolve the problem. Here are instructions for updating the BIOS on Intel motherboards, and here are instructions for other motherboards.
Check for bad RAM Faulty RAM is one of the more pernicious and elusive causes of frequent system pauses. See our guide for checking for bad RAM and eliminating the issues it causes.
Uninstall hardware drivers In some cases, this issue appears to be caused by installation of incompatible hardware drivers. Try uninstalling any recently installed third-party drivers then restarting. To do this, click the Start button then navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > Device Manager. Right-click any recently installed third-party items and select “Uninstall” then restart.
End processes Processes spawned by some third-party drivers can also hang the shutdown process. Try opening the task manager (control-alt-delete) and ending any processes related to third-party devices or other hardware connected to your computer, then re-attempt the shutdown.
Switch your antivirus software Antivirus software can be a performance boon, protecting your system against things that can slow it down, or a bust, actually slowing down your system itself. If you’re still using the antivirus software that shipped with your system, try switching to one of the many free alternatives and tweaking your antivirus settings. Some restrictions can severely impact performance and do not deliver an real security. For instance, although there is some risk involved, you can try excluding certain frequently used or memory-intensive processes from your antivirus protection list. Never do this for Web browsers or other network-connected applications.
avast!, AVG and NOD32 deliver solid mixes of performance and protection.
5. Check for unnecessary services Click the Start button, type services.msc and press return. Here you’ll find a bevy of services, processes and programs–some critical, some not. Disabling certain items, especially those that launch at startup, can provide a real speed boost, but don’t get trigger happy; disabling the wrong process can result in stability problems and other issues.
To disable a service, right-click it, then select properties and choose “Disable.” This article provides a decent rundown of services and their purposes. When in doubt, thoroughly inspect the description of a service.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Oct 16th, 2009. 4 Comments.
Several users have reported a problem in which Windows 7 freezes when waking from sleep/hibernation (usually after the computer has been left alone for some time, the display/monitor turns off, then the user tries to activate the system).
This problem can sometimes be solved by turning off the auto-hide function of the taskbar. To do this, right-click on the Start button then select “Properties.”
Click the taskbar tab, then uncheck the “Auto-hide the taskbar” box. Restart your computer and check for persistence of the issue.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Oct 16th, 2009. 11 Comments.
The Windows 7 roll-out, while smooth overall, hit a rough patch with some users. Problems run the gamut, from minor networking issues and gaming hiccups, to more serious boot failures and BSODs. Here’s a look at the top 7 annoyances plaguing early Windows 7 adopters, and the associated fixes.
1. Installation Fails
You won’t get much further on this list, or with Windows 7 in general, if the installation fails. Several users have experienced a problem in which the installer gives the error message “Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information.” Generally this error occurs in situations in which multiple disks are connected to the system. In order to eliminate this issue, disconnect any disks that are formatted as “dynamic disks.”
Meanwhile, some users have encountered an issue in which Windows 7 installation fails at the very end of the process, with the system rebooting automatically as soon as the Windows 7 splash screen appears. The system then displays a message indicating that it was not shut down properly.
This issue is, in most cases, due to a graphics card driver issue. One potential remedy is as follows:
- Turn your system off
- Disconnect your monitor from the DVI port and instead connect it to the VGA port on your system (this will require a different cable)
- Turn your system back on and reinstall Windows 7–the process should complete properly
- Disable Windows Update automatic update (in control panel>System>Automatic updates)
- Go to your motherboard or graphics card manufacturer’s website and download the latest Windows Vista driver(s); install the driver(s).
- Turn your system off and connect your monitor via the DVI port again
2. BSODs
Yup, they still exist in Windows 7. The most common cause of blue screens of death (BSOD) at startup, under Windows 7, is an antivirus software conflict. In some cases, this problem may be caused by a conflict with the Kaspersky Antivirus package. Follow these steps to disable the software.
Some users are also experiencing crashes or blue screens of death (BSODs) under Windows 7 when attempting to wake systems from sleep (hibernation). The first response to this issue is generally to disable sleep mode, but there is another fix.
Enter your system’s BIOS mode. This is accomplished by pressing a specific key repeatedly as soon as your computer is turned on (or right after it is restarted). For many computers, the key is F8, but it may be F1, F2, F10, the Delete (del) key or the Escape (ESC) key. Consult your computer or motherboard’s manual or try different keys until you find the right one. Next check your HDD or storage settings. Turn off SATA and reboot normally.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Oct 27th, 2009. Comment.