Crash on installing driver

Funny thing is (depending on your sense of humor) that when I am in the Arduino IDE,
if I unplug the device, the port option is greyed out. If I plug it in I see the com3 option
and am able to select it. Then I get the avrdude err when I attempt to upload. So that's
kind of one indicator that it is seeing the port, but maybe not the device.

OK so I go to device manager, click on Com3, select driver from disk and under arduino
drivers I select the 'arduino uno.inf' file. After a while, all hell breaks loose and I get a
bluescreen crash with usbhub.sys error message address FFFFF88006628A423. So that
happened 2 or 3 and as I am pretty bloodyminded I kept on trying. Now I get the blue-
screen simply on plugging in the USB/Arduino without even trying to mess with drivers.

When I follow the steps and go to control panel to install the Arduino driver
as Arduino.inf under Arduino\drivers\ I consistently get a bluescreen crash.

This on many attempts with numerous uninstall and reinstall IDE, even on
several different computers all running Windows 7. What can I do about it?

Please do not cross-post. Please do not hijack.

First hit from Google...
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-hardware/usbhubsys-causing-bsod/894c6305-173b-4d72-869b-0f849db249cb

Second hit from Google...
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-hardware/my-usbhubsys-file-is-corrupted-and-i-need-to/0a78ac4e-0dd1-4d62-8e6f-c7a9173d6d1c

Not sure what you mean by hijacking.
Concerning the cross post, I figured we were straying sufficiently
off the subject to warrant a new thread. What does one do in that case?

The references you directed me to are way beyond my capabilities.
As the same error occurs on several computers, I don't think it would
be a problem stemming from corrupted files or damaged drivers.
I'm starting to worry about a possible damaged Arduino. The green
led at pwr shines green, but also the adjacent one at led blinks red.

Surely I must be able to start using the Arduino without reinstalling
all my serial drivers and hunting down obscure files for unused devices.

madhaka:
Not sure what you mean by hijacking.

The first post was originally on a very unrelated thread. Hijacking.

Concerning the cross post, I figured we were straying sufficiently off the subject to warrant a new thread.

You posted twice about a blue screen of death on two separate threads. Cross-posting.

As the same error occurs on several computers, I don't think it would be a problem stemming from corrupted files or damaged drivers.

Unless the "several computers" are from the same vendor who has installed an OEM version of Windows containing a buggy driver.

I'm starting to worry about a possible damaged Arduino.

That's one other possibility. The third possibility is the USB cable.

Right.
Tested with two Vaios with Windows 7 and also two USB cables. Same behavior.
Ordered a new Arduino, but that will take a long time as I am out of country.

Do you think that the fact that Com3 shows in the port options means that
it is seeing the connected port but not recognizing the device.

Do you think that the fact that the red led is blinking regularly means that we
may have a problem with the Arduino Nano. The green pwr led is on steadily.

When I reinstall the Arduino IDE it recognizes the Arduino by
name and the OS says it is installing the appropriate driver.
The tools menu shows com3 active, but I
still get the avrdude: stk_500 getsync error.
What else should I be trying?

In Reply #5 you state the blue screen of death still occurs but Reply #6 implies that it is not. Are you still pursuing the blue screen of death?

OK
If I reinstall the IDE, I don't immediately get bluescreen crash.
The tools menu shows comport as com3, but does not sat Arduino
The board option reads Nano. When I upload a sketch I get the
averdude: stk_500 getsynk error message.

If, as recommended on the website, I go to the device manager and
try to install the arduino.inf file, then I get the blue screen of death.

Thank you for your patience

Disconnect the board from the computer. Navigate to Device Manager. Is COM3 listed under Ports?

Connect the board to the computer. Is COM3 added under Ports?

Device disconnected; no ports listed.
Device connected Com3 listed under ports.
If I then run the IDE and upload a sketch,
I get the avrdude: stk500_getsync(): error

Attached is photo of blinking led whenever
the device is connected. Tested with 5 cables,
3 different Vaios and 2 versions of Windows 7.

Has the board ever worked?

This is my initial test to see if it's alive.
I haven't gotten past this point yet.

Mantis, my colleague at UVIC robotics tells me that I should be
installing the FTDI driver; and I am getting the BSOD on attempting
to install the arduino.inf file as a driver as website seems to indicate.
Should I be opting for FTID in device management\arduino\drivers
and if so which one. Mine is an Atmega 328 Arduino Nano.

madhaka:
Mantis, my colleague at UVIC robotics tells me that I should be installing the FTDI driver...

Mantis is correct. You need to install the FTDI drivers.

...and I am getting the BSOD on attempting to install the arduino.inf file as a driver as website seems to indicate.

The drivers you need to install are in the FTDI USB Drivers directory; not the arduino.inf file.

You can get the latest drivers from here...
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

Looks like we may be closing in

In the FTDI drivers file I see 3 folders
amd64, i386 and static and 2 files
ftdi bus and ftdi port
Which should I be going for?

Pardon the noobness. I'm a mathematical
models guy, not a hardware and firmware
person, although I am thrilled to discover.

I have no idea. It's been ... let's say significantly more than a year ... since I did anything with an FTDI chip.

Well I get com3 under ports in the device manager and in the IDE.
But it never identifies the Arduino by name. If I click on properties
the driver is identified as FTDI. Is that good enough, or should I
battle it out until it says Arduino?

I do get a little red flash on the Rx led when I send a line through
the monitor. Does that mean that the port is communicating?
Also, is the driver for the Arduino uno the same as for the Nano?

Result of a loop-back test...

Connected RST to GND
Bridges Rx with Tx
Connected Nano to USB port
Ran IDE/serial monitor
Typed 'test', clicked 'send'.
Rx and Tx flash very briefly.
No feedback on screen.
What does that say?

@madhaka, would you please stop trying to hijack @Ryanmackie's thread.

Wait. If it is the same problem, and I run the recommended
procedure and report on the results as prescribed; how can
that be construed as anything but joining in the discussion?

And what does it mean if I run the test as prescribed and
get a short blink on Rx and Tx, but no feedback on screen?