PC not "seeing" devices

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Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Just after advice...

Our PC has a load of USB ports, but I am having inconsistency with what the PC will see. Plugging in my phone, Garmin, vivosports and devices, although they always connect and charge, they are not coming up as a visible drive so can't do anything with them. Problem is sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Tonight I have plugged in my kids vivosport and despite everything, the PC won't see it. It charges it, and always connects, but won't let me open the files and transfer to Strava. This ties in with intermittent issues we have had since I had it built where I have to piss about with different leads and ports and hope at some point a device is seen. They always connect and charge, but it's random.

Is there a setting or something simple I am missing? And I have never known the vivosport to fail - its the same designated lead we have always had to transfer activities to the PC.

LunarOne

5,172 posts

137 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
USB has always been a bit hit and miss like that, and it's usually down to the drivers of the USB chipset in your machine and the drivers that your devices need.

There's a great bit of software called USBDeview that will show you what hardware the computer can "see" in far more detail than the Windows device manager can. Might be helpful.

https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.htm...

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Right, will have a look.

Kids have a Vivosport each and a lead each. I have plugged in all of them and the PC won' see any of them at all. They all charge, but now are useless and the computer refuses to see them.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Can I run that link to solve this? I am a little unsure what I was looking at even in device manager. I have never had this issue and its seriously annoying.

grumbledoak

31,532 posts

233 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Windows 10 ?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/win...

Mind, there is no shortage of other matches for "garmin vivosport not showing on pc"


Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Yes 10, cheers for link. Think we are on 10 pro.

We have express and always have, never been an issue. Its all up to date too. It is literally a visibility thing but I have noticed it with other devices. I can get around those by fiddling but the vivosports are dead to the computer - no port or lead allows access.

Griffith4ever

4,247 posts

35 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Grab a USB key/mem stick. Test it in each port. If its detected every time, the problem is with your other device. If not, its your hardware.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
I've been through all the setup options on Garmin express, and just like the PC folders, the PC refuses to see it.

xeny

4,308 posts

78 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Armchair_Expert said:
Can I run that link to solve this? I am a little unsure what I was looking at even in device manager. I have never had this issue and its seriously annoying.
Do you have any scary yellow exclamation marks or question marks in device manager?

SimpleSimonSays

77 posts

99 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
A dodgy cable? Some are only for charging devices and don’t have all the wires in for data transfer. Don’t ask how much time I wasted with this…

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
SimpleSimonSays said:
A dodgy cable? Some are only for charging devices and don’t have all the wires in for data transfer. Don’t ask how much time I wasted with this…
Which makes sense.... but why is it it always works 50% of the time?

Cables changed, things seem to be working. Other than the Vivosports. Which are basic hardware.

I don't understand why they won't work. I've asked my tech guy who built my PC - I will share his responses.


Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Damn. Already deleted.

Basically said its a bespoke build, and may be an issue with drivers, and that the vivos should work on an off shelf "main brand" computer. But he can't be sure.

I just don't get how a device can charge and link - but not open up on the PC. Never seen that before.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Griffith4ever said:
Grab a USB key/mem stick. Test it in each port. If its detected every time, the problem is with your other device. If not, its your hardware.
Detection always there - the opening up is the issue. But can try with data files - same port / cable allows full access.


But vivosports both fail.

Digger

14,660 posts

191 months

Saturday 18th March 2023
quotequote all
Are you installing any relevant Windows apps for the devices if required for Windows?

Heartworm

1,923 posts

161 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
What cable are you using, is it a Garmin cable?

Poor quality cables can do this, particularly if they are long.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
Plugged Vivo in - it creates this:

Been through the update options - nothing works.


xeny

4,308 posts

78 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
OK, could you please select the details tab, select "Hardware Ids" and screenshot what it shows there? We at the very least can find out what it is.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
This is in details:





If I click on the events tab it just says "null" and root USB.

Armchair_Expert

Original Poster:

18,302 posts

206 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
I just can't get my head round how a desktop computer cannot open up the files on what is a popular and well known device. I only need to access the raw file to manually upload it to Strava, I don't even need Garmin Express at all. It seems a ridiculous issue to have.

TonyRPH

12,971 posts

168 months

Sunday 19th March 2023
quotequote all
For what it's worth - my O/H has a Nike+ Sport watch and this doesn't work properly in USB3 ports (the ones with the blue insert) - it charges but won't communicate with the software.

Does your PC have any USB1.1/2 ports? (they have a black insert).