Arduino Uno not recognized as port, only unknown device.

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

Hi, I'm having some trouble with my Arduino Uno board on a windows XP laptop.

I got it working at first and uploaded the "Blink" sketch successfully, but later it disappeared from the COM9 port i was using. When i connect the board it's on and runs the Blink sketch, but in the device manager it only shows up as an unknown device under USB controllers, not Ports(COM&LPT).

I have tried to update drivers for the unknown device with all options through the device manager. The automatic didn't find any drivers. When choosing from a list I browse to ...Programs\arduino\drivers and the guide can't find any "better drivers".
When choosing from specific drivers I can only find "Unknown device" even if I uncheck the compatible drivers box. I've tried clicking on "disk" here and browse to ...programs\arduino\drivers and selecting the arduino file there. none of this got me anywhere.

I have tried running dpinst -x86 without problem but the board is still "unknown device".
I have tried installing the drivers from FDTI, no problem in installation but it didn't help.

Does anyone know what the problem is?
alternatively, i tried to run it on my home computer which has windows 7 64bit. but i couldn't get the drivers right there, i couldn't run dpinst -x86 since it was for 32 bit and i couldn't find Ports(COM&LPT) at all in device manager. As a plan B i can use my home computer if i get that working.

2

Can you post a link to the board you have? So that we can see what board it is and what usb to serial converter is on it.

3

It is an Arduino Uno, board model Uno R3 SMD edition. Bought from germany.

4

The Uno R3 (SMD or otherwise) does not use an FTDI chip, it has an Atmel USB to serial converter.

What version of the IDE have you installed?

5

The latest available on the site, 1.0.6.

6

OK. When you try to update the drivers, have you tried:

In device manager select the unknown device, update driver, select all devices, com and LTP, select Arduino, and see what you can find in there?

7

Yes. On other devices i can get a list of manufacturers to choose drivers from, Arduino LLC included. But on the unknown device this list doesn't appear. Only a list of models with a single entry: unknown device.

8

I am not on a windows machine at the moment, but you want to select an Uno R3 if it is in the list.