ray

APK PS. I have one USB on the laptop, though use a port replicator which has two. I have switched between both - laptop and 2x in port replicator. Also use a cordless mouse plugged into port replicator. ... just in case this is important. Thx/Ray

Dear APK Apologies for the delay (flu) ... but still no joy. To clarify exactly: 1 My Dell Inspiron has an interchangable CD-ROM / Floppy disk both of which work 100%. These slot into the machine (and I also have a cable for the floppy to be connected at the back - not usb though). On this - yes - the correct drivers are also on the HP software CD, but I cannot get windows to fetch these and use them - it always reverts to windows/usb.inf. I even copied them over to the drivers file manually but to no effect. 2 I have followed each of your instructions. I have downloaded W98 drivers from the HP site, got the machine to read them in the correct folders (this for definate after your help). 3 Yesterday, I upgraded the BIOS to "A14" - which works but still no mention in it of the USB port. 4 I have again removed all software / drivers and reloaded. 5 APK, another piece of info ... on right clicking the (!)USB Root Hub I get the following error messgare: The NTKERN.VXD device loaders for this device could not load the drivers. This is a file in VMM32.VXD [ a file i deleted in frustration and found it is integral to windows ... though used rescue disks to repair] Thats where I am ... again thanks. Regards/Ray

apk, hi i have tried everything you have suggested ... i downloaded the drivers from the hp site - but i cannot get the device manager to read them - it reverts to USB.inf constantly. When i use the windows update driver - i get to a point just as i identify the folder with the drivers where an error say, on selecting them, that there is no system info. A few things: 1 I have rechecked the BIOS again and there definately in no mention of a USB port - under system devices (hv digital photo to prove it!) ... on the HP site there is mention, in the trouble shooting bit ... of old BIOS versions w/out USB - and mentions upgrading this. Should I talk to Dell about this - have i got a duff bios from them (the laptop is two years old). 2 The cd-rom and floppy are interchangeable ... and the hp software has its' own program - where you can explore a cd in what should be the cd-writer - but it attaches itself still to the cd-rom, as mentioned before. 3 On running the hp programs that come with the driver, there is one which says (or did say earlier but some dll error has just happened) that the usb port is recognised ... but not by anyother program on my laptop. Any further ideas? Thanks again Ray

hi apk: there are two usb ports on the port replicator, one on the side of the inspiron 3500. Under device manager, the usb reads: intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller ... and below is USB Root Hub with a error (exclamation icon) attached. Deleting/Reinstalling software, drivers etc has not corrected this. I have checked the BIOS and there seems to be no mention of the USB anywhere - and no option to enable/disable. HP said, on the phone, that it should be there - also, though Dell said that it (the USB option) would appear only when a plug and play USB hardware item was attached to the laptop. Hence the feeling of being in the middle. I have no other USB hardware units working - nor have had since I bought the laptop - it is only now that I want to use it. Additionally, I bought a $16 usb mouse to see if that would kick start the USB softward - but to no avail. Again, thanks and any way forward really really appreciated. Regards/Ray

hi The usb port on my 2 year old dell inspiron 3500 totally fails to operate ... i have just tried to start using it for the first time (bought a hp cdr). hp and dell have done their best to fix via phone .. removing/reinstalling drivers and software. the hp software automatically aligns itself to my cd-rom, not the cdr, and trying to use the hp drivers off the supplied software is not allowed by windows. Is this a common problem? Have Dell Inspirons had a bug in the hardware? Can anyone pls advise me@ my email is nightlynx ay hotmail, by the way. thx Ray