I have a relatively new Compaq desktop with USB 2.0 ports running XP SP2. The entry in the Device Manager is Intel 82801EB USB2 Enhanced Host Controller 24DD. The problem is whenever I plug in a hard disk-based iPod, an iPod shuffle, or any thumb drive, the Found New Hardware Wizard always comes up. XP cannot find the drivers, I can't find them manually in c:\windows\inf, in the i386 folder, anywhere. Choosing USB mass storage device doesn't work either. I've tried doing Google searches and on driverguide.com for updated drivers, with no luck. On the iPods, all software is installed and up to date. On any thumb drive, those don't come with drivers. What I've tried: 1. Deleting all USB entries in the Device Manager in Safe Mode and restarting. 2. Doing #1 and starting up with the device connected. 3. Disabling power management on the USB root hub entries. I know the hard disk based iPods work because the machine also has FireWire, and they work on that. However, I'm most concerned about getting the iPod shuffle and the thumb drives working, as they're only USB. The only other thing I can think of is to uninstall SP2 and try again. Any other suggestions? This is driving me nuts! Thanks.

The I-pod must have the proper driver files installed as it is a totally different format and windows will not see it. Try to uninstall the drivers for the I-Pod in add/remove section of control panel. Then go to C:/programs and remove the files and folder for the I-Pod and do a search for any other I-Pod files that may be stuck in your system. Once you are sure it is all removed then reboot and see if it pops back up because of some hidden aspect that you didn't get to. If nothing then proceed to reinstalling the drivers just as it says to in the installation manual. ****note***** windows has an issue about installing things and issueing a "letter" ID for anything over "G" or "H" designation. So if you have multiple partitions and drives that use the letters D,E,F,G then I suggest that you go into disc management and re designate different drive "letters"> I start with "Z" and work backwards.This frees up the ID designation files so that there are less conflicts when installing peripherials. This may also be what your problem with the flash drive may be. IN THE MATTERS OF STYLE, swim with the current; in matters of principle, STAND LIKE A ROCK