USB problems

When moving files with long names to my USB flash drive it will say "the name of the file is too long, and you will have the option to automatically change it or chose an appropriate title. I transfer a lot of songs with long names and it looks odd when it is shortened on my mp3 player. The problem is before around a year ago i was able to put long "names" on the USB. I still have long named file existing from a long time ago on the USB, and they have not been forced to change the name. Is there a way to get it so it will accept longer names?

Just to clear things up, its not a Mp3 Player. Im putting the songs onto a flashdrive. I then open the flashdrive on another computer then put them on my mp3 from there, i do this for personal reasons. So this is why i am puzzled at why a normal USB flashdrive would suddenly shorten the names of all my files...=(

I know its not a hardware problem, because i tried my usb on another computer and long file names worked flawlessly.

I have recently found out my Windows Xp Pro key was not legit, so i got a legit one. I also found out there might be a possibility that Microsoft does not let you update for using USB's if your not legit, i am suspecting this because when i installed my Windows XP Pro (no service packs) from Win2k Pro, i automatically could not use USB's. So anyone have any ideas? I am almost desperate to fixing this situation, i have searched extremlly hard for a solution, even went to a computer shop and have found nothing. I have a lot of USB devices so this is quite a pain and i have to postpone buying future USB devices.

The problem is everytime, i want to access them i have to go to Disk Managment and Assign it a letter (unlike normal comps which automatically detect USB devices and let you access them easily. It is like the computer forgets the letters so i have to do it everytime manually. Also even when the letters are assigned the devices do not show on My Computer, they must be accessed through right clicking in Disk Management. I might wanna add that i have WinXp Pro, SP2. I have recently ugraded to SP2 (before that i never had any service packs). I thought SP2 would fix the problem, but it didnt.

I have 2 attached images. The first one is the error which comes up, and forces all long file names to be shortened, and the second image is the error which comes up when i try to format on my computer (formating, and normal file name lengths work on other comps, so i know there is somthing wrong with mine).

 

ANy suggestions?

 

you'll have to give these guys a few days to respond.

 

Was the USB device originally formated as FAT16?

When you added your test file from another machine, was it added to a newly created directory?

 

Have you considered a broken USB port? Try moving it to another one, preferably on a different hub.

 

Yes i have. I have been stupid enough to buy a PCI usb hub card...which did not even help one bit. Just a reminder, before i upgraded to WinXp Pro from Win2k Pro, USB 2.0 worked. Yes my USB thumb drive is FAT32 (it worked before when i had windows 2000 pro flawlessly). lol the guys at castlecops.com couldnt help me with this so you guys are my only hope....=(

 

You could reformat the drive.

If the drive is empty you wont lose anything.

Plug it in, once its recognized by explorer it will give you the option.

Might help.

 

I tried reformatting (had to be done on another computer, refer to the image provided in the first post), and have formatted but still doenst work on my comp. Ok to make it more simple. My main problem is USB 2.0 does not work on my comp. It gets detected but can only be opened through device manager. All USB's i test on my comp that dont work, always work on other comps. This is why i know nothing is defective. It must be a software problem.

 

What USB controllers are installed on your comp?

Go into device Manager and update the drivers.

 

I was just looking at your second image again.

Have you enabled the jump drive?

 

All drivers are updated to my knowledge. I have checked again to make sure, and they are.
In response to your other question, what is jumpdrive and how to i enable/disable it? USB's did work before i upgraded OS so whatever "jumpdrive" is should be default? Well im not sure. Explain it to me and ill have a look.

I have attached an image of all the USB controllers on my comp (i have tried devices in all of them). I am pretty sure all of my USB ports support 2.0.

 

I meant Flash drive as you call it. The USB device you are trying to use.

It says you have 2 USB devices attached to your comp already, are these the ones you are trying to use?

Right click on the icon of the drive you are trying and click Properties.

Near the bottom of the window there is a message that says use/enable this device, make sure it is enabled.

You have Intel controller and some VIA drivers and you say they are all updated so it should be ok.

What OS did you upgrade to?

 

The first two are the ones that came with my comp. I bought a PCI USB card which gave me an extra 4 ports, but i wasted my money on those cause they dont work lol...

Regarding the updating of the drivers...Do i go to the sites or somthing to find drivers? Because all i did was click update driver (tried on all controllers on the list) and let it automatically search for updates, and they all say im up to date and that no updates could be found for it.
I upgraded from Windows 2000 Pro (All devices i try to use now worked before when using Windows 2000).

I might want to add when i first upgraded to Windows XP Pro there WAS no service pack. After a while thinking that was the problem (concerning that people said you needed sp1), i installed Sp2 through a cd. Still no hope.

 

Also i tried the enabling method. Some are shaded some are enabled. The ones with the arrows in the image are shaded like the pic provided.

 

The one you want to use is the USB Mass Storage Device.

You don't have an arrow beside that one. Is it enabled?

You had 2 plugged in before, did you remove 1 of them?

Also the drive should show up in Explorer not just in the Device Manager.

 

oh i unpluged my ipod atm. My ipod doenst work but oddly enough charging it does >.< Btw drives can be physically accessed only through device manager, no other way. And i have to manually add a drive letter everytime i want to access a USB device.

 

Plug in the one you want and then restart the comp. Hopefully the found new hardware wizard will detect it on restart. if not you can add it manually.

When you plug it in does an icon come up in the taskbar down by the clock?

 

I just re-read your original post.

Your copy of XP Pro is now legit and registered, correct?

 

Im unsure about what you mean about registered =(. Yes i recently found out it was not legit. So i got a legit key, now it is legit (used keychanger).

Immediatly after i installed Windows XP Pro i tried to update it to SP2 but for some reason it kept on having a error on this certain file about half way through the download...So i had to do it by cd.

 

Any ideas people?

 

You need to upgrade to SP2, for usb 2.0 to work (if memory serves me).

The via chipset for the usb device is ENHANCED which is what you want for USB 2.0 to work correctly.

What error did you get wihen you attempt to install SP2?


Try downloading from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

Did you recomfirm activation with this new key?

Click START, then RUN, then type in:

cmd (press enter)

type in:

oobe/msoobe /a (press enter)

 

I got Sp2 through a burnt cd about 2 months ago

The error is explained in this thread (before i got sp2): http://www.castlecops.com/t148805-Windows_Update.html

Btw the command does not work for some reason...and i still dont know how to reconfirm or activate anything. All i did was put in the cd key in a cd key changer and done.

 

So, then you have sp2 installed?

If my suggestion does not work, try the following:

Clist, START, then RUN, then type in: CMD (Press enter).

cd\windows\system32\oobe (pess enter)

Type in:

oobe/msoobe /a (press enter)

Crazy info over there at Castle cops, especially the guy with 20,000 posts. :|

In addition, did you try to download the entire sp2 install?

Even if you already have sp2 installed, sometimes it is wise to re-install the sp2 update, via the FULL sp2 updater. Yes, all 200+ megabytes.

 

Lol castlecops, has its strengths and weaknesses. Well im not entirely sure about the installation, because the guy at the computer shop did it for me lol. Im gonna try to reinstall Sp2 directly from Microsoft website, lol might take a little while...

Also how do i "reinstall" sp2? Do i have to remove each update one by one? There has to be a faster way since almost all of them make you restart =(

Mine is C:\WINNT\system32\oobe
I cd'ed to the folder in cmd prompt, but when i enter the second command you listed it does not work =(

 

Errgh, forgot that you upgraded from 2k to xp.

Anyway, NO, you DO NOT need to uninstall anything. Just install the sp2 executable, from the link I gave you.

On a second notion, about the USB issues....Sometimes, totally removing all devices within device manager, that pertains to USB can fix the issue, after a reboot.

 

actually, I think I got a slash mark the wrong way. Try:

CLICK START, then RUN, then type in CMD (press enter)

cd\winnt\system32\oobe (press enter)
oobe\msoobe /a (press enter) (notice that I switched the FIRST slash mark)


or within the oobe directory:

msoobe /a (press enter).

 

It says windows is already activated...

 

Sp2 does not work

Ok so i downloaded SP2 from your link...restarted my comp, then at the "Windows Xp" loading screen it had an error about oobe not being able to work or somthing...

The update was very short compared to the cd that the computer shop installed on (30min). This one installed in about 10min.

 

lol it was a burnt copy of sp2 when u put it in the cd drive the setup was the same as installing windows and was really long. Also i may want to add strangely
when i boot my comp up and the screen with "Windows Xp" loading IT DOES NOT say Professional under WIndows XP which it is supposed to. Instead it just says Windows XP.

 

Its not "hacked" to my knowledge, just simply Windows XP Pro burned onto a cd.

Do you think i could partition my hardrive somhow? Then reinstall Windows XP Pro onto one partition?

 

Not using the same disc i used as before obviously.

 

If, on booting with that scrolling thing under "windows xp". Then you have sp2 installed.

SP2 removed the HOME and PRO under windows, for some odd reason.

It is still odd that you can't re-install sp2 though, since I've done this dozens of times in the past.

Hrmmm...

 

I can reinstall it. Its just that it had no affect with my USB.

Also i thought buying a PCI usb card would work but looks like it doenst.

 

Did it now, tried everything but still doesnt work...About 2 of the updates said they only work on Sp1...

 

Yes. Now i am planning to reinstall windows on a new partition.

I have a question about this though...

Ok, i have 28 gb on my hardrive. So i decide to split it roughly 14gb each. I then install Windows on the new partitions. My question is, after i have transfered all my stuff from my old partition to new one, then delete the old one, my total gb for the new one would go back to 28 right?

 

Also if you guys dont mind could you give me a list of the appropriate programs for this task?