USB error message

I keep getting a window popping up on my Vista laptop telling me that "One
of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and Windows
does not recognise it."

If I click on the window for more information I get another window stating
that "The location of the device is shown in bold type".

There is then a tree headed 'USB Root Hub (6 ports) and the 'problem' port
is number four - which puzzles me because my laptop only has two USB ports.

Only one of my two USB ports is in use - with a Logitech 'nano' wireless
mouse receiver. The mouse is working perfectly.

Any suggestions?

--
Kev

"Ret." <> wrote in message
news:53P6o.96624$tB1.67987@hurricane...
>I keep getting a window popping up on my Vista laptop telling me that "One
> of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and Windows
> does not recognise it."
>
> If I click on the window for more information I get another window stating
> that "The location of the device is shown in bold type".
>
> There is then a tree headed 'USB Root Hub (6 ports) and the 'problem' port
> is number four - which puzzles me because my laptop only has two USB
> ports.
>
> Only one of my two USB ports is in use - with a Logitech 'nano' wireless
> mouse receiver. The mouse is working perfectly.
>
> Any suggestions?

Lots of internal devices are connected via USB these days. Examples often
found on laptops are wireless network ports, internal cameras, sound
devices,
touch pads, bluetooth ports etc.
If you look at Device Manager, View, Devices by Connection, you can
expand the devices marked [+] and will see how the USB Root hubs are
organised and what is connected to them. Hopefully you will be able to
figure
out what internal device isn't working, even if you have to check the manual
to see what devices that lappy has that you obviously don't use.

HTH,
--
Rob

Rob wrote:
> "Ret." <> wrote in message
> news:53P6o.96624$tB1.67987@hurricane...
>> I keep getting a window popping up on my Vista laptop telling me
>> that "One of the USB devices attached to this computer has
>> malfunctioned and Windows does not recognise it."
>>
>> If I click on the window for more information I get another window
>> stating that "The location of the device is shown in bold type".
>>
>> There is then a tree headed 'USB Root Hub (6 ports) and the
>> 'problem' port is number four - which puzzles me because my laptop
>> only has two USB ports.
>>
>> Only one of my two USB ports is in use - with a Logitech 'nano'
>> wireless mouse receiver. The mouse is working perfectly.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> Lots of internal devices are connected via USB these days. Examples
> often found on laptops are wireless network ports, internal cameras,
> sound devices,
> touch pads, bluetooth ports etc.
> If you look at Device Manager, View, Devices by Connection, you can
> expand the devices marked [+] and will see how the USB Root hubs are
> organised and what is connected to them. Hopefully you will be able
> to figure
> out what internal device isn't working, even if you have to check the
> manual to see what devices that lappy has that you obviously don't
> use.

Thanks for that. It looks as though the problem was with the fingerprint
reader that is built into the laptop mouse pad. It is still working
perfectly and, oddly, I have had no further error windows since I posted my
query.

I'm glad it's still working ok because I have it linked to 'Omnipass' which
is programmed with all my passwords for secure web-sites. On opening such
web-sites I merely have to swipe my finger across the reader to gain access.
Brilliant system.

Thanks again for your suggestion.

--
Kev