wk2292@hotmail.com wrote:
The BIOS influences the lowest layers of operation. But other parts
are covered by the OS.
The following is not intended to cure your problem (as there aren't a
lot of details to go on, like exact model numbers for the devices
and such):
You can observe the enumeration of a plugged in USB device with this.
It handles more than just "video class devices" and can be used for
general purpose USB debugging. The tool displays what the device is
declaring in its config information.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device...VCViewdwn.mspx
Devices have classes, and presumably that is how Windows decides what
built-in drivers to use, to further probe the device for information.
For example, video devices, like webcams, have a pretty complicated
enumeration and a ton of features. This page lists some of the classes
of devices. The "Mass Storage" one should be a familiar one, and
that is the one used for your MyBook.
http://www.usb.org/developers/defined_class
Now, USB has evolved after your original release of Windows was created.
That means it is possible, that support for certain classes was
added by means of WinXP Service Packs or other updates. Using
Windows Update would be one way to acquire all of that stuff.
Starting with a WinXP SP2 installer disk, to install the OS,
would cur down on the volume of stuff to be acquired from
Windows Update (if you were on dialup perhaps).
As an example, here is support for a certain class of USB devices.
I cannot tell from this, whether it first came out in SP2 or
was a separate download. I'm only using this to illustrate
how some things may get added to an OS, after the original
OS was released.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828756/en-us
If I knew of a way, to display a table of "base class" versus
OS support for it, I would have given it to you by now :-)
For blind coverage, bringing the OS up to date with Windows
Update, is about the best you can do.
There is a table here (Table 2), of USB class versus OS supporting it,
but the lazy buggers didn't write the Service Pack necessary
to get it, next to the OS.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system...FAQ_intro.mspx
Paul