Microsoft WPD FileSystem Volume Driver Vista Issue

I've perused the Internet and have found many people suffering from a malady having to do with Vista's inability to handle many USB devices. Either the device won't work or the Device Manager will have a yellow flag by one (sometimes more) entries labeled as Microsoft WPD FileSystem Volume Driver. There are several popular fixes. I've tried all of them and suspect that, besides the Vista problem, I have a hardware problem.

Every time I put in a USB memory stick, I can read and write to the device fine, but I still get the flagged entries. I also have a TEAC 13-in-1 card reader that, when connected, often will not let my machine boot (hence the hardware issue). I'll turn on my computer, come back a half hour later and the screen is still black. When it does boot up, I have anywhere from 4 to 6 flagged Microsoft WPD FileSystem Volume Driver entries listed in the Device Manager. Trying to access any of these drives hangs up my system and usually crashes Explorer (I know, hard to believe!). I have a firmware update and driver update, but don't know whether I want to go through the hassle of trying to fix it when I can just buy a USB card reader for almost nothing.

My question is, why doesn't Microsoft just fix this problem? It's been around since 2006, there abouts. It's all over the Internet and people are bitterly griping about it and who wants to go through the hassle of disabling drives and so forth and assigning drive numbers or letters?

Couldn't Microsoft just release some updated drivers or design a patch of some kind? What is it about the company that makes them sit on their collective a$$es and leave their customers in agony? If only a few people were having these problems, I could better understand their "go to hell" attitude, but I'd like to see this problem resolved. Any time a consumer has to edit the registry or go to Computer Management, something is wrong.

(Another common problem is that sound systems just stop working or don't work with some programs. I recently bought Dragon Naturally Speaking, but after 30 minutes on the phone, I got the technical person to admit that it was a Vista problem. Her solution was to buy a USB sound card and plug it in to my system. It cost me $7 for a cheap card from Deal Extreme in China, but it worked. So why doesn't my integrated sound system work?)

Microsoft ought to offer huge discounts to Vista users for their new OS.

First you should fill out your system specs.
Is this an external card reader?
Did you find firmware and software updates?
Run sfc /scannow?
SP2 installed?

Thanks for your reply and sorry I didn't respond before now, but my system's given me nothing but trouble since attaching the card reader. Even after detaching it, I couldn't boot for days. Now I've reattached it, and everything else in my system. I finally got it to boot and flashed new firmware and that fixed the problem, though the card reader still doesn't work well with 16 gb cards.

The card reader is an internal one connected to the motherboard. SP2 is installed and I guess I'll have to wait for another firmware fix to read the 16 gb cards (directory reads as empty). Luckily I found a USB card reader that does work.

My system is a Dell, my first and my last. I used to build my own computers, but have physical limitations now. Thanks for your input, though!

Here's a driver for the 13-1.
Dell drivers download
And I hate Dell, too. I always build my own computers for home. But for work, we HAVE to buy Dell.

We were also forced to buy Dells untill their service degredated to a point where no one could get decent support. Those were the last dells we ever bought

ken

we made our own, then force to buy gateway, then forced to buy dell.

A few years ago I went over the handlebars of my bicycle and banged myself up pretty bad. I've never completely recovered from it and can no longer build my own systems as I did formerly. So I bought Dell.

Even if one buys a Dell that has a chronic problem, after your time has run out, you must pay for support. After my accident, my system sat for months without being used. When I finally got back to it, the bloody thing wouldn't boot. I noticed that one of the cables running to my primary hard disk was smashed up against the side of the case. I replaced it and set the disk back a little further and it worked fine. I also noticed that the Teac card reader had never been plugged in by the factory. After getting a flashlight, I found that the cable had been stuffed over the DVD drive. I plugged it in just a few weeks ago and, as stated in this post, again my system wouldn't boot. I think whoever put together my system just decided to unplug it and ship it. That the data cable to my disk drive was bent at an unholy angle that eventually caused problems showed that the case design and the people who put the bloody things together just did so in a sloppy manner.

I'll never buy another Dell.

Thanks again for everyone's comments!

Do you still have incompatibility with card reader? If yes, could you borrow another - different - reader to test?

No, once I upgraded the firmware, it seems to work. I have a few cameras that take SDHC cards, but the Teac Dell sold me cannot read my 16GB cards. I just bought a USB external card reader, which is the way to go. That works fine.

My computer does have the unusual habit of not picking up on my keyboard, though. It's plugged in, but often I have to take it out and put it back in for it to work. Don't know if this is a Vista issue or a Dell issue. In a fair world, Microsoft would give Vista owners a FREE copy of Windows 7 and a certificate of formal apology.

My recycle bin also just vanished one day and, of course, it's no big deal as I can work around it, but it's just the principle of the thing.

Thanks, though.

Glad to hear at least the firmware worked. Good luck!