Unknown Devices/USB Mouse Lost

[FZWG]

Appreciate some assistance.

Trying to help someone with a Gateway PC running WMe. It is one of those very compact desktops with 3 USB ports in back, sound card input/output/mike, modem telephone line jack, and video connector. Not even a printer port on it.

USB Mouse does not want to work.

The individual has downloaded software from the Gateway site, but the issue prevails.

In Device Manager (Safe Mode or not), there is a listing for (+)Other Devices with an Unknown Device under it.

In the (+) Universal Serial Bus Controllers, the following appear:

USB Controllers
Generic USB Hub
Generic USB Hub
Intel 82801AA USB
Unknown Device
USB Composite Device
USB Hub

Attempts to remove the Unknown devices from Device Manager proved futile, and the mouse still does not work.

Any thoughts?

[PostCode]

You might try removing all devices, including the USB controllers tehmselves. Allow ME to redect the controllers and reinstall the drivers for them at the next bootup.

Also, you might want to install the chipset drivers for the motherboard in question. We would need more details about the particular model of Gateway PC though. You might also check Gateways website for any USB drivers that may be availalbe for that particular system as well.

Whs anything recently do to the system before this started happening? A new piece of hardware or software installed?

[Kysersosa]

I have seen this before being as tho I work mainly with Cable Modems. Try updating the "USB Composite Device" I have found that windows 98 1st Ed. Win98Se, and sometimes WinME "lose" drivers and whatnot for some ungodly reason :/
The Composite Device is in fact 9/10 times a "place-holder" to keep Win(insert year here) from crashing..

Give this a try :thumb:

[FZWG]

Thanks for the replies.

After all sorts of attempts removing entries from Device Manager (including USB Composite Device), downloading and installing USB drivers from the Gateway website, the Intel chipset driver, etc., the mouse still did not work.

Opted to disable IRQ 12 (PS/2 Mouse) and let the system use it.