USB Device not recognized Vista

I was doing a backup of a Blackberry using Blackberry Desktop manager on a Sony laptop running Windows Vista. The Blackberry backup froze so I disconnected it and rebooted. After rebooting, I continuously get a message popping up from the system tray saying "USB Device Not Recognized" and if I click for details there is a device listed called "unknown device". I have NO USB devices plugged in.

Interestingly, I can plug in the Blackberry via USB and backup, sync, etc. However, when I try to plug in either my iPad or my iPhone, they do not show up in iTunes and I hear the tone that sounds like it was not successfully recognized by the OS. Here is what I have tried so far:

1. I can go to Device Manager and see the "unknown" USB device listed. I can remove it but it will come back and the system tray error message will still keep coming up

2. I have removed all of the USB devices (refreshing the USB stack is what a support thread called it) in Device Manager and rebooted

3. I have reinstalled iTunes

4. I have done a system restore to a time before the problem occurred.

None of the above has changed or improved the issue.

Can you help me?

 

You cannot normally see USB devices that have been disconnected. Download this utility. In an admin account run it and delete the blackberry device if it is listed.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/USBDeview_d6115.html

http://www.majorgeeks.com/screenshots/u/usbdeview.gif

 

Thank you for the reply, tgell.

There are about 50 devices listed in this utility. There are about a dozen Blackberry devices. Is it safe to remove all of them? Is it safe to remove every device on this list and they will just be re-added when I plug something in?

I tried removing the blackberry device that looks like the one I was using but the "unknown device" is still there and I still can't plug in my iPad or iPhone.

 

Yes, they will be added when you plug the device back in. It is okay to delete all of the blackberry items. Do they all show as not connected? The other devices can be deleted as long as they show as vendor specific. Things like ipad or such. Just don't delete thing like Mass storage driver. But first, start by deleting all blackberry devices. Does this solve the problem?

I would also create a restore point before you do this.

Edit: Before you delete the blackberries, did you install software for the device?

 

I removed all 9 Blackberry devices but the problem persists. I still have 59 USB devices listed in USBDeview. Seems like a lot. About 15 are Apple related. Should I uninstall all of those next?

Yes, the blackberry desktop manager software is installed on the computer. Also, just to remind you, the Blackberry is what caused the computer to crash and this problem started immediately after that, but I can still connect and sync the Blackberry properly...it is the iPhone and iPad that I cannot connect.

 

Delete all the Apple related devices and see if it solves the problem. What are the other devices related to? USB devices that were once attached to the computer?

 

That fixed it! Thank you tgell for walking me through this. Ahhh, so nice to have a working computer again.

 

Good Work. Glad you got it sorted and thank your for the feedback.