USB Mass Storage FlashDrive not showing W7P64 in ThinkPad E540 laptop. Correction upon boot or restart USB mass storage devices are recognized. But upon ejection next insertion never recognized until next boot or restart. Tried different ports & drives same thing. USB mouse dongle & USB BT 5.0 are recognized though. Although BT 5.0 driver got corrupted while attempting a fix. Will deal with that later. So it's affecting mass storage only it appears. This message in Device Manager Properties: "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. Code 38" Help appreciated.
Some possible solutions. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-code-38/b7cc78e7-f4aa-4b8e-9a83-f6beaad6e60e https://blog.darrenjrobinson.com/re...emory-usb-composite-device-has-error-code-38/
On Windows 7, I had a similar issue. I used NirSoft USBDeview to uninstall the USB device to fix the issue. N.B. The same issue reoccurred on later instances, but USBDeview was able to fix it each time. https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html Also about USBDeview, see: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/usbdeview-review-download https://www.raymond.cc/blog/find-out-what-usb-device-has-been-used-on-your-computer/ Ah, now I see that you used USBDeview before, as you mentioned in the Problem Ejecting USB Mass Storage Device thread. I hope it works for your current issue.
Still no joy. After uninstall. Windows installs driver & USB mass storage works the 1st time & only the 1st time.
to proceed with https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-cannot-load-the-device-driver-for-this-hardware-code-38 - is the used driver signed? - any stupid antivirus blocking? at least driver error, not windows.
You may have already done these. https://appuals.com/fix-windows-can...the-device-driver-is-still-in-memory-code-38/
Tried all but solution 5. I'd have to take extensive notes for solution 5. When I have the energy I'll try #5. Thank you aztony.
Well I restored a 2 week old image. Not too painful about 3 hours. I'm positive the installing of a BT 5.0 dongle & driver screwed this up. Had to disable the hardware BT 4.0 too. Back to normal. I sure would like to use my BT 5.0 earbuds (not backwards compatible) with this laptop though. Well in the next coming days I'll take a fresh image & maybe try again.
Problem is back. This is what I get Control Panel - Hardware and Sound - Devices and Printers. Rt click on Flash Drive - Troubleshoot - View Details - Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. [Code 38]
Do you have Fast Boot disabled? Does it still happen if you make a new user account, as a test, boot into it and see if the same thing happens there? (Just thinking of other things for you to try)
I can't find anything about W7 & fast boot. I do appreciate your thoughts. I don't think I'm willing to make a new user acct.
I overlooked the fact you were using Win 7... sorry. So you may have seen this thread here perhaps (a Win 10 thread ) https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/can-only-plug-in-usb-drive-once-per-reboot.3748916/ Post number 17 might apply to you as you use BitDefender I believe.
stapp TY. But I'm ride or die with Bitdefender. I'll contact their wonderful support & let them know. If I have to I'll reboot every fn time. LOL. Bitdefender is that important to my pc. Nothing better for fly by infections ime.
It seems fixed sort of. No error in Device Manager under USB Mass Storage. Windows is installing a SanDisk USB Driver when I insert a SanDisk Flash Drive at 1st. Then I plug & unplug the SanDisk it just works. When I plug in a Patriot Flash Drive Windows installs another driver. And I can plug & unplug the Patriot it just works. I wish I could tell you all how I got to this to me acceptable fix. But I used 3-4 driver updaters & 2-3 other driver related programs. I will update this topic later.
