Article ID: 915061
Article Last Modified on 5/30/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
- Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
SYMPTOMS
On a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer, you connect an external media device that contains pictures or video files. However, Windows XP does not automatically detect the external media device.
Note Examples of an external media device include a universal serial bus (USB) memory stick and a USB hard disk drive.
CAUSE
This issue is triggered by a memory leak in the Shell Hardware Detection Service.
WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.
Method 1
Use Windows Explorer to access the contents of the removable media device.
Method 2
Apply the software update that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
888083 The "Write these files to CD" option is not available in Windows Explorer after a Group Policy setting is applied in Windows XP
This update adds a retry option to the Shell Hardware Detection Service code.
Method 3
Restart the computer. By restarting the computer, you reset the Shell Hardware Detection Service and re-enable the Autoplay feature.
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