# IPHONE NOT RECOGNISED IN WINDOWS XP - HELP



## techiephobie

Hi,

My iphone suddenly was not recognised by Windows XP (i think it was after I had upgraded the iTunes after an Apple prompt some time ago)... I tried plugging the USB wire into the other USB ports but there is still no recognition by Windows whatsoever - it does not appear in My Computer either. So I did not bother about it for some time not having the time or inclination to faff around and just left it like that...however, I have some time to do something about it now - but am pulling out hair :upset: as to what to do...I am trying to follow the Apple instructions on the Apple website - I am on the stage where they are asking me to re-install iTunes - as per the instructions, I am to uninstall all the Apple stuff in the precise order they have stated (iTunes, then QuickTime, then Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour, Apple Application Support [iTunes 9 or later]). 

So in trying to do this via Control Panel - Add or Remove Programs - Itunes - Uninstall, I uninstalled the iTunes successfully just now, but came across something in the Add-Remove Programs list - the *iPhone configuration facility* - so now *am wondering if I am supposed to remove it also and should I remove it now before proceeding to remove QuickTime etc as per their list??? * :4-dontkno I am not supposed to re-start my computer until I have uninstalled all the Apple stuff they have listed in their order so I have left myself a bit stuck here...really hoping someone can bob in some comments to help me out here...my sincere thanks in advance...


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## Go The Power

Hello and welcome

iTunes has new version available now *10.5* download and update to that and see if that helps. 

iTunes 10.5


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## techiephobie

Ok, the update on my shenanigans with iTunes, my PC and iPhone: in the end, I did not remove the iPhone configuration utility from the Add-Remove Programs list in Control Panel. I uninstalled iTunes and all the other Apple stuff as per the instructions on their site - and - nothing. The Apple iPhone USB was still not recognised by my PC. 

I saw this message here to try to update to iTunes 10.5 - and that gave me motivation to try again (I was way past the pulling-out-hair stage!). Don't know if it was due to getting the 10.5, but anyway, I found out that in my computer's Device Manager-USB stuff, the Apple USB thing was showing up (this time - previously, I am sure it had not shown up at all) with an exclamation mark, so I followed the instructions to sort that out - and voila! It worked!! (Whoop for joy) So it looks like it was an Apple USB Driver update issue maybe...

Then I decided to update the iPhone to the latest IOS 5 - ooooh myyyy - it backed up for agesss and then the download of the new IOS was fast enough but the processing stage took long, at the end of which, it started backing up my iPhone again - for absolutely agesss again, at the end of which, it informed me, it had failed (!) (how cheeky of it) and started restoring my phone to factory settings!! I chose restore to previous back up and it remained in Restore mode for about six hours at least. (I ran out of biscuits - well, better than munching nails - by the time it was done). 

At the end of all this, when I followed through the motions of what you are prompted to do on the phone after restoring, with heavy heart (who wants to sit there with IOS 4 point something when you have been relieved and happy to get that USB working, then excited enough to think that you will be getting the new hyped IOS 5 but to then know that you will not be getting it after all - on top of that to know that you have wiped your phone [factory settings is such a spartan and clinical concept to face, for the full of lifely applications iPhone]), ..........I couldn't believe it when the Home Screen came to life again - it had given me the new IOS 5! 

Wow - couldn't believe it. But it had that new Newsstand application icon on it! So somehow I was lucky after all those biscuit munching six hours. 

It has wiped out my contacts though - but that doesn't matter as I have a back up of the numbers and people in my PC separately. However, it kept all my photos intact! (Happy, happy!). On first looks, it seemed to have taken all my previous applications away too - but they seem to be in this new 'iCloud' thing, which I am figuring out...(always something to figure out...sigh)... 

Anyway, wanted to thank 'Go The Power' above for the post about suggesting to try 10.5 - it motivated me to keep going to find a way to discover the USB issue.


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## faction

I had this issue where iTunes would not recognize my iPhone on XP with the latest version installed. As it turns out, the Apple USB Driver did not install correctly. See this support article under section 3 - For Windows XP:
iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows

The screenshot shows the "Apple Mobile Device USB Driver" installed under *Universal Serial Bus controllers*. However, the driver was installed incorrectly and I found it listed under "*Imaging Devices*". I right-clicked on the driver and selected "*Update Driver*". I allowed it to install automatically and once it was updated, it was now displayed correctly under *Universal Serial Bus controllers* and instantly showed up in iTunes.

Hopefully someone finds this useful and it alleviates their frustration.


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## ssomeonelikeyou

Sometimes even something as simple as buying a new USB cable and putting the device in DFU mode to restore it would work.


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