Windows can't recognize the PCI card?

I recently installed a USB 2.0 PCI Host Card from CompUSA. I installed it properly, made sure it was secure, etc. When I restarted Windows it didn't locate the new hardware at startup nor when I ran a search for it.

I installed the drivers from the cd-rom that came with the card, but the card is still not working.
After several restarts and a couple of reinstalls, still windows cannot find this hardware.

I am running Windows XP SP2. My computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RX760.

If anyone has any ideas on getting this thing to work, I would love the feedback. Thank you.

Make sure you have all your updates from sony..motherboard, chipset etc

shut down...physically remove the PCI board...reboot and then shutdown and pop it back in.

Sometimes you have to install the driver before you install the board?

Go to the PCI boards vendor site and see if there is updated drivers??

Just thoughts

MLF

Well, since it's a usb card you would think windows would automatically recognize it, since those are pretty popular peices of hardware, which makes me think that the problem is a hardware problem, not a software problem. I would guess it's a bad PCI slot on your mobo, try another slot.

BTW, maybe you should use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out of the slots, dust creates alot of problems.

***EDIT

Just saw MF's response. He brings up some good points, but I would try using my method before doing all that work, if my method doesn't work, then MF's method might bring some results.

oh...forgot

what does device manager say??

does it find it...but not recognize it?? That would mean a driver issue.

If it cant see it...may be bios is not seeing it...try another slot??

Is the bios set to PNP OS?

Some PCI resources can be shared on some boards...and conflict ...specially with sound and video cards

I have seen some funky driver issues with SP2...may need a newer version from the vendor

MLF

Hey, thanks for the good replies.

morganlefay-
The device manager cannot find the device at all. And I have actually tried two different slots (the last two available). I also downloaded latest driver for the card manufacturer to no avail. And I'm not sure what PNP is.

I haven't been able to follow all your advice from your original post, but I will.

The Duck - The compressed air thing may be a good idea. My case has quite a bit of dust.

Well

Could just be a bad piece of hardware??

static frys alot of components???

I would return it....did you google it to see if other people have the same issue?

I recently just purchased a USB PCI card...installed in a 2K machine and it worked fine.

PNP is Plug and Play Operating System setting in the BIOS...some components need that enabled to be recognized by the PNP OS...eg windows ..or it manual configuration (PITA)

MLF

edit> As the duck suggested...dust bunnys are BAD..BAD ..BAD for your hardware!!!!

Yep, cleaned out the dust and followed your advice, morganlefay, in the first post. Haven't had any luck, but I do have somewhat of a "dumb" question:

The instruction manual for the card says I must have windows xp with SP1 or higher for the hardware to be recognized by the windows os. When I first installed the card and booted up I was running windows xp with no service packs. I've since installed SP2, but nothing changed. I'm wondering should I have gotten SP1 than gone to SP2? Does it matter at all?

SP2 has all patches and fixes included in SP1 ...so no..you do not have to install sp1 first......but sp2 does have alot of differences then sp1...which maybe your issue.

After applying sp2 ..I have had to update many a driver..on various oem machines..as the hardware just stopped working.

Not sure of sony bios..

Could be just a bad card...maybe try in another machine??

Or just return..contact sony??

Maybe your board shares pci slots....??

What other PCI devices do you have installed?



MLF

Out on a limb here...could be a resource conflict. Pick a device that IS functioning, uninstall it, shut down and physically remove it from the system. Put your USB card in its place and see if it detects and installs. If it does, then somewhere you have a devices that are already using the resources assigned to the pci slots in question or the slots are just fuxored. If it doesn't install, then you probably have a bad card.

Does the device manager show anything with a yellow exclamation mark (!)?
If so select it and remove it. Then reboot..

My mobo shows all my PCI cards right after counting memory.. And just before booting windows. It shows a table with memory, disks etc.. After that come the PCI cards. Does it show up there? If it doesn't then either the PCI slot is broken and/or the card..