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Environment

4 computers: Desktop A, Desktop B, Laptop A, Laptop B
Software (same across all computers): Office 2013, Sage 50 Simply Accounting, Sage Act CRM, Adobe XI Reader, FortiClient 5.x, Meraki Systems Manager (MDM)
OS: Desktop A/B & Laptop B are running Windows 7 x64 Professional, Laptop A Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
Hardware: Desktops are custom built and identical, w/Gigabyte motherboards, 8GB RAM, Core i3. Laptop A is Asus K53E, Laptop B is Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E540,
USB: Desktops A/B and Laptop B have USB 2.0 + 3.0 ports. Laptop A only has USB 2.0
Note: all devices stay in the office at all times, and are left powered on 24/7

Problem

A customer has 4 computers, after a few weeks of use, the brand new desktops A/B experienced usb "issues". The below error would appear when you plug in USB flash drives:

(Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)

During this time Laptop A experienced no such issues. If the desktop is restarted, the USB device would function as normal (can be unplugged/plugged back in unlimited number of times) for the rest of the day (approx. 24 hours) until the same error would appear the next morning. The only way to clear the error and use the usb device is to reboot.

3-4 Months later (issue still exists), Laptop A was reformatted (for reasons not related to usb issue). In the first few weeks of use the laptop functioned normally, but after it experienced the same issues as the 2 desktops.

1-2 Months later (issue still exists), a new Laptop was purchased (Laptop B) with a factory Windows 7 image. In the first few weeks of use the laptop functioned normally, but after it experienced the same issues as the 2 desktops and other laptop. Desktop A was removed from the office and brought to a different office for testing, (without changing anything) and it has worked normally for 2 weeks straight with no usb issues.

Timeline (approximation)

Week 1: New desktops are installed in the office - (now total of 3 computers in office)

Week 4: Desktops experienced usb error (code 38))

Week 16: Laptop A was reformatted)

Week 18: Laptop A experienced same usb error)

Week 22: Laptop B was purchased - (now total of 4 computers in office))

Week 24: Laptop B experienced same usb error)

Week 24: Desktop A removed from office)

Week 28: Desktop B and Laptop A/B still experience same usb error, while Desktop A is functional (outside of office)

Process of elimination

• cannot be hardware, as it has happened to 3 distinct devices


• not an issue with OS image, 3 different installation mediums used


• not an issue with brand/type of flash drive, both USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices have been tried, along with brand new out-of-box devices. Issue occurs on both USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports on the computers

What it could be?

• the software that was installed onto the computers?


• virus/spyware/malware etc. ?


• ...and why does Desktop A work, when nothing was done to it?

Next steps/actions

• bring Desktop A back to office, wait and see what happens


• bring new laptop into office, with bare Windows 7 and no software installed, just networked

Any thoughts on WTF is going on???

I just had the same issue on Windows 10. It probably won't help with Windows 7, but may with Windows 8+. Windows 10 has a faster boot sequence which takes some shortcuts.

After uninstalling, rebooting and tearing my hair out for a while, I decided to take it at its word and held down on the Shift key while clicking on shutdown to do a complete power off instead of the normal hybrid. Once I did that, the device loaded just fine. I haven't done testing to see if it will continue to load, but that is what did it for me.