# MP3 USB Device not recognized/malfunction



## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been here...

Anyway, I just picked up a little Samsung YP-F1ZW mp3 player. I've downloaded and installed all the latest drivers and firmware from samsung.com. When I plug this device into any of my 3 USB ports, I get the bubble message:

"USB Device Not Recognized
One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it. For assistance in solving this problem, click this message."

I click the message and it brings me to a window that lists any devices that it finds that aren't working properly. There was only 1 time that there was actually something in the list, something like "Uknown device". However, all other times, the list in the window is blank.

When I open the Device Manager to see if there are any little yellow exclamations beside any USB ports, I can't find anything. There are no "!"s anywhere, and the Device Manager keeps refreshing every 1-2 seconds...so it's impossible to left/right click any of the USB items in the list.

I'm wondering if things are screwy because of the type of connection the mp3 player has. The other end of the USB cable plugs into the headphone jack. I've never seen these before, and it seems a little sketchy to me...

Hope I've given enough details...thanks in advance to anyone who wants to help me tackle this beast!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Create a file with NOTEPAD containing the following lines and save it as FIX.REG
-------------------------- Use text after this line --------------------------------
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment]

"DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES"="1"
-------------------------- Use text before this line --------------------------------

Double click on FIX.REG and say yes to the Merge Into Registry question.

Unplug ALL USB devices.
Open Device Manager.
View, Show Hidden Devices.
Uninstall all devices under USB Controllers.
Uninstall all devices under Disk Drives that you know are not present.
Uninstall all devices under Storage Volumes. Say no to any reboot prompts until you are finished. Also, if a Storage Volume doesn't uninstall, ignore it and move to the next one.
If you have a yellow ? with unknown devices, uninstall all of the entries there as well.

When this is done, reboot TWICE.

Reconnect the USB devices and see if they're recognized properly.

NOTE: If you have a USB keyboard and/or mouse, you'll have to modify the instructions and leave enough parts for those to function. I don't have one yet, so I haven't had time to modify the instructions.


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## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

Damn...sorry man, but this didn't do anything. I even tried reinstalling the samsung drivers for the mp3 player again after doing everything you instructed me to do. Still, I'm getting nowhere...unknown device, malfunction, frantic device manager list, and so on.

What really sucks is that I've installed the software on two other computers and have had no trouble with the device whatsoever. I was able to charge it up, transfer mp3s to and from the player, create new folders, etc.

Anything else I could try? What does this mean? By what you've told me to do, it looks like I've totally reinstalled my USB ports...but I don't know about their drivers. Should I find new drivers for the actual ports themselves? This is so frustrating...

Thank you for any help!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

There are no "different" drivers for the ports. Have you re-installed the motherboard drivers?


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

we had a similar usb problem awhile back...after about a hundred posts trying everything under the sun...the fix was reinstalling windows..this should be the last resort...johnwill has a bag of tricks to try first...but if all alse fails you might want use the reinstall as a fallback position


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think my bag is empty.


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

JohnWill said:


> I think my bag is empty.


as long as it isn't your sack thats empty.. 

scarface said 
" I'm wondering if things are screwy because of the type of connection the mp3 player has. The other end of the USB cable plugs into the headphone jack. I've never seen these before, and it seems a little sketchy to me..."..

.can you try a USB to USB connection or is the headphone jack for the MP3 player end


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Headphone jack? That is pretty odd, hard to imagine how that works...


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## happyrck (Feb 17, 2006)

JohnWill said:


> Headphone jack? That is pretty odd, hard to imagine how that works...


yep ...thats what I thought


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## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

Yeah, I've never seen these ever. It is set up like a stereo 1/8 jack, but it has 3 sections to it instead of just 2 (3 plastic divider pieces that divide the jack into left, right, and I guess data). The other end is just USB.

Anyway, that totally sucks that I need a fresh install of windows (AGAIN...). I guess the only thing my bag is full of is bull****! 

Wait, would I be able to just pop in my windows xp CD and tell it to search for any missing/damaged files or drivers? I just reformatted my hard drive a couple of months ago...what a pain.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You can do an XP repair installation, here's the process:

All you do is boot from the CD. When it asks if you want to repair and to press "R", don't. Continue with the installation just like you were installing for the first time.

You will then get a license agreement and it will ask you to press F8 to agree. Right after that screen, you will see a list of Windows installations that setup found. It will ask if you want to repair it. Read the directions on that page!!!

Then, you will actually press "R" this time and XP will re-install.

When done, you will be back to your familiar desktop with everything looking just like it did before. But all your Windows Updates are gone and you will need to get those again.


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## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

So I did the windows xp repair install...what a waste of time that was. I had to reinstall sp2 and all the other crap, and still receive the same error when connecting the mp3 player.

Does this mean that a total hard disk format wouldn't do the trick either? Or does windows install itself differently on a fresh hard disk?

Or, you mentioned something about the motherboard drivers...Do I have to format my pc to update those?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

No, you can simply reload the MB drivers for your machine.


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## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

Well, I totally reformatted the hard disk in my notebook, reinstalled windows xp, upgraded the motherboard/bios firmware...and I'm back to the same "device malfunctioned" message... Every thing else I plug into any of the ports works perfectly...My external hard disk, external dvd writer, camera, printers...but no mp3 player.

I think I'll try a powered PCI usb card...I was reading somewhere that maybe the device isn't getting enough power...? Anyway, if that doesn't work, I might just go out and buy a desktop pc and not look at this notebook for a while...


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You seem to be going to a lot of trouble to get one cheap MP3 player to work! I'd buy a different player, rather than replace the whole universe around it.


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## Scarface (Sep 15, 2004)

Yeah, I am going through a lot of trouble...
Now when I plug in the device ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happens. There us no error message or anything, no lights, no action. Nothing. So I think my mp3 player is dead.

I called Samsung and they said to exchange it at the retailer, and if they won't do an exchange, Samsung said they'd replace it with a 'refurbished' one. Thank you Samsung...


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