ADB fails to recognize devices, but Windows does. Possible causes?

Yes, another "adb devices return nothing". Seems I've found another problem case.

In my case, I'm running with prototype hardware, not commercial. That's no problem at the driver level, Windows picks up the provided driver. Device Manager shows the associated ADB device, with the correct vendor ID, product ID and serial number. Driver Provider is Google, Inc, version 1.0.9.0. So, that part is OK. (XP SP3, 32 bits btw)

However, even though Windows recognizes the device and its ADB interface, it's not listed under adb devices. _{Diagnostic output at end of post.}

Apparently, adb-server may need the vendor ID in .android/ADB_USB.INI, so I've killed it, added one line with the relevant vendor ID, in hex (i.e. 0xFFFF format) and restarted adb-se开发者_Go百科rver. The file says that this should be done via android update adb, but that doesn't work Since adb fails to detect the device, that's no surprise. But it seems a chicken-and-egg design failure in ADB: how do you add the vendor ID of a device you fail to detect?

Anyway, I can't get to my device this way. How do I tell adb-server to stop being deaf and just believe the OS list of compatible devices?

Diagnostic output of adb devices:

adb_query: host:devices
_adb_connect: host:version
socket_loopback_client: port 5037 type tcp => fd 100
writex: 100 0x22dcd7 4: 30303063  000c
writex: 100 ok
writex: 100 0x41d41d 12: 686f73743a76657273696f6e  host:version
writex: 100 ok
readx: 100 0x22dc57 4
readx: 100 ok: 4f4b4159  OKAY
readx: 100 0x22dd14 4
readx: 100 ok: 30303034  0004
readx: 100 0x22dd14 4
readx: 100 ok: 30303161  001a
adb_close: 100(lo-client:5037)
_adb_connect: host:devices
socket_loopback_client: port 5037 type tcp => fd 101
writex: 101 0x22dcd7 4: 30303063  000c
writex: 101 ok
writex: 101 0x22ee11 12: 686f73743a64657669636573  host:devices
writex: 101 ok
readx: 101 0x22dc57 4
readx: 101 ok: 4f4b4159  OKAY
readx: 101 0x22ddb7 4
readx: 101 ok: 30303030  0000
readx: 101 0x4c3f80 0
readx: 101 ok:
adb_close: 101(lo-client:5037)
List of devices attached

I also had this problem, all the classical solutions with adb start-server / kill-server did not worked for me.

I just had to... change the USB socket in which I plugged my cable.

Actually, it took some time to find that because Windows was correctly recognizing the device in the original socket. But not ADB. As Windows was recognizing the device, I had no real need to test other USB physical sockets. I should have.

So you can try to plug the cable in all your USB physical sockets directly available on your computer.

It did worked for me.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8, X10, X10mini xp drivers can be found on xda-developers, "the largest Internet community of smartphone/tablet enthusiasts and developers for the Android and Windows Phone platforms." I am not affiliated with this forum.

Complete X10 FLashTools XDA Thread for downloading the latest version (comes with drivers) can be found on this thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=920746