WinXP+pen drive problem

Hi Need help please.
Sony VIAO P4 1G ram
Bought a pen/jump drive (Memorex).
Plugged it in to USB 2.0 port and a 'found new hardware wizard' informs me that it needs a driver.
Tried all USB ports with same results.
I have a digital camera, a MOMO force feedback wheel, a USB printer, and they function correctly in the same ports.
The pen drive works correctly in three other computers.
I've googled so much seeking repairs that googles 'history' is dozens of links.
In device manager I seem to remember a mass storage icon in the USB section but it's no longer there.
WinXP no longer even recognizes the thumb drive when I insert it. It now seeks a driver for an 'unknown' device when I boot up and the 'unknown' device is presented in device manager with a 'problem' icon even though I cancel the wizard. Uninstall the 'device' and it comes back every reboot.
Following some directions about deleting some HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Enum/USB from PCBAnter web site caused no changes.
I've researched 'repairing' XP but have run into a dilema there in that I have an XP home upgrade disc that I purchased to upgrade my last computer from 98SE. When the hard drive failed on that machine I purchased this Sony and it came with XP already installed (different license key# than the purchased disc) so my understanding is that I can't use the disc for repair of this unit.
Sony's site, and other info I've gathered, say's that an 'inplace' repair using the built-in repair wizard will take the whole tamale back to the state of when it was new and wipe all current settings, docs, and files.
I shudder at the thought.
I have an Acronis image of the C: drive from a few weeks before this situation arose.
I purchased a powered USB hub thinking it may be a way to recognize the thumb. NADA !
I really think the problem lies in the registry but am uncertain how to repair just that part of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Any suggestions?
tia

 

What updates and service packs are you running There many USB updates,improvements and drivers with service packs 1+2,I was having a similar problem running USB 2.0 devices on my laptop which service pack 2 cleared up

 

Thnx for asking. I'd forgotten to mention that ALL updates are current.
Probably something 'duh' that is super easy to fix once it's discovered (hoping).
My research still leads me to believe it's some dword value(s) in the registry.
I've posted this query in a couple other help forums and will post any fix found here.

 

Hmm have a check in event viewer see if theres an error that relates to the drive

Control panel,admin tools,event viewer check application and system

 

USB plug and play including mass strorage devices dont need any registry tweaking at all its as good as flawless IMHO with the latest service packs,unless you have changed a registry entry manually it will always work

Have you disabled any windows services you can think of in the past ,also have you tried leaving the device connected and rebooting see if the driver is installed with windows

 

Yup..rebooted with thumb in place. Doesn't recognize it, although the new hardware wiz keeps asking me about a device driver for an 'unknown' device (which it does whether the thumb is in the port or not and then places it in device manager anyway with the exclamation mark which I uninstall and go on about my business. lol sometimes I feel like that Dr Watson dude with the magnifier glass).
I've borrowed a known to be good thumb drive from a bud and it also is not even recognized in any way.
The memorex site only has a driver for win98 which I even tried but it wouldn't load up due to incompatibility with xp.
I'm kinda familiar with my system (obviously not snapshot memory) and I remember there being a mass storage port listed with the USB's in device manager which is missing now.
I've altered my services from stock default but that was over a year ago with no changes recently. I have been back there with the magnifier ) and made sure any applicable service is either auto or manual/started.
Thank y'all for helping.
Been thinking maybe a new USB card into the mainboard but I keep throwing money at this box and it just sucks it up with no results.
All of the registry repair programs I've tried are cleaners rather than fixers.
This isn't that big of a deal cause I don't REALLY NEED a thumb drive but dang!!!!

 

obtw I didn't realize y'alls post count til now. Dudes!! I bow to you......
Truly wizards compared to this nooby.

 

Try this with usb pen removed restart and enter the bios and disable the usb controllers 'if you can',restart the computer and let windows load,turn off the computer go back into bios and enable them again,plug the usb drive in and let windows load with any luck it should load the usb drivers again and may correctly install the usb drive

This all depends on the freedom of your bios,its a longshot I'll check a few forums see if anything pops up

 

Metro could you post the exact model number of your computer or link to it on the sony site

http://www.sony.co.uk/view/View.act...ing&site=odw_en_GB&page=AllProductsInCategory

 

Hi all
Now I'm convinced that this is an HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/system/enum/usb problem.
I spent a few hours removing the 20G hard drive from my old computer, slaved it into this box, formatted it and did a fresh install of xp onto that HD using my old upgrade disc.
Voila!! the pen drive is recognized and is functional in that configuration.
Then when I reboot into my 'normal' xp on the 120G drive it no longer recognizes the thumb.
So here's another question: how would I go about taking the USB settings from the freshly installed xp's registry and putting them into my prefered system?
Or am I pissing into the wind?