If I plug a usb device in AFTER Windows boots, it autodetects the usb device.



If I have a usb device plugged in BEFORE windows boots, it doesn't detect the device.
I then have to right click on My Computer, go to Device Manager and Click Refresh, and OK. Then it detects any USB items I have connected.


Is there a quicker/easier way of refreshing System Devices in Win9x?

I have a USB modem that Windows 98 doesn't autodetect on startup and am sick of having to go trawling through menus to enable it.


So can I make a desktop shortcut that will refresh my System Devices (maybe better still I could put it in my Startup folder?)



P.S. I have a PCI USB2 card.

It should auto detect it.....

Have you tried deleting the modem from System Devices and letting windows reinstall it? Or reinstalling drivers manually? Have you been to Modem mfg's website to seek an answer or see if there's a driver update? Is windows properly recognizing your PCI card?

Try:
rundll sysdm.cpl,DMREDETECT
or
rundll sysdm.cpl,DMRUNDETECTION

Windows recognises my PCI card fine, it just doesn't detect any of the USB devices pluged into it on startup.

If I plug a device into it after Windows starts up it detects it automatically like it should.

(I just had a thought. I wonder if dial booting between Win98 and Win2k has anything to do with it?)



I tried putting these commands into a batch file and a shortcut but neither approach worked.

Am I doing something wrong?

Dual booting between Win98 and Win2k should not be a problem, provided you installed the driver for the PCI USB2 card properly in both systems.

I also use a PCI USB2 card (NEC chipset), and have USB broadband modem and USB webcam connected all the time with no problem at all.

I understood in your case, that any USB device plugged before boot up will not be detected, that includes a simple USB thumb drive for example. If that is the case, the possible explanation is that the hardware detection process took place before the PCI USB2 card driver is fully loaded into the system during the boot up process. I would suggest that you try to get the most recent driver for your PCI USB2 card. BTW, what chipset is in your PCI USB2 card?

If that does not help, you may consider doing the "Cleanup Windows Device Manager in SAFE MODE" as it is described here:

http://www.usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup%20Dev...Safe%20Mode.htm

You must pay attention though, that completely removing USB creates problems for users who have both USB keyboard and mouse connected. When you reboot to Windows Standard Mode, NO input device is recognized making it impossible to continue. To prevent this from happening, you must have PS/2 input device, at least until you have completed the cleanup.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help. (boy I love this forum)

Luckily I have a PS/2 keyboard and mouse.

As for chipset, its a VIA TECH VT6212, PCI card.

Your USB connected modem may have an external power supply. You could try switching it on after the boot process has finished. Might be an easier task then trying to refresh the device manager list.