Configuring USB CD Burners

If the USB CD Burner still fails after reading the USB troubleshooting guide and using another port or any of the ports fail the next process would be configuring the computer correctly. Don’t forget Windows 95 & NT4 does not support USB, even if the platform has been converted to accept USB devices.

USB Ports & Data Transfer

When solving problems with an external device such as a USB CD Burner your best checking the ports as USB can be somewhat an easy cause of conflicts on computers, if used incorrectly. By now you should only have the USB Burner connected to a USB port, all other external devices should be totally disconnected.

Make sure to figure out if the same CD Burning problem happens when the CD Burner is connected to a different USB port. If you computer has four USB ports, 2 on front and 2 on back, always use the back USB port which is connected directly onto the motherboard - front USB ports use a cable to connect to the motherboard.

If another USB device works fine then the USB ports maybe OK. In saying this a USB port can still be failing for a device that requires maximum data transfer rates such as a USB CD Burner but appear fine with low end devices such as USB printers or USB keyboards. If you dont have the technical background to test this then you may require assistance from your OEM Support.

Configure USB Ports

Go into the BIOS and make sure USB or Plug & Play is enabled. Re-Start the computer and log into Windows, now go into the Device Manager and make sure the Universal Serial Bus Controllers are listed, usually at the bottom of the list, but also make sure there isn't an error.

If there are any errors with the controller right click on it and uninstall. Re-Start the computer, Windows should find the port and either install the drivers or request for the location – the Windows Install disc maybe needed. If the port is no longer conflicting attach the CD Burner and test again. If there is any signs of failure with the drive, port or USB controller download the latest Chipset drivers from the manufacture such as Intel, VIA among other.

USB and Windows Registry

Make sure the Windows CD is available or the *. Cabs files are on the hard drive.

Go into the Registry by click Start/run, type in regedit and OK.

Once in the registry follow the path H_Key_Local_Machine/Enum/ - delete the USB folder and close the registry.

Now go into the Device Manager and uninstall the USB controller, reboot the computer and install the USB Controller drivers on start-up.

Once the USB controllers have been reinstalled and updated shut down the computer, connect the USB Cable to the CD Burner and then to the USB port on the “back” of the computer.

A driver Disk will have been supplied with the CD Burner or should be available to down load from the manufacture.

Power on the computer and log into Windows. On reboot, with the CD Burner attached, Windows should find ‘new hardware’ and request for the drivers to be installed. Install the CD Burner USB Drivers that you have on CD or have downloaded from the manufacture.

We are assuming at this point that the CD Burner Software guide has been followed and the system is stable, if not do not install the CD Burner.

Once the system is stable and the CD Burner drivers are installed, test the drive by inserting a disc and exploring it via Windows, try a 2nd Disc if needed.

Now install the CD Burner software and restart the system once completed.

Once you eliminate the USB Hardware as a cause of the problem its best moving on and look at the CD Burner Software