@MsELizardBeth It would be good to determine whether the issue is hardware (machine, cable, USB port on PC) or software (USB driver or something else on PC end).
Has it ever worked? Have you tried other USB cables and a different USB port on your computer? Do you have access to another computer upon which to try it?
XP Mode should definitely help. I have used this method a lot on workstations at my office. May take a little time to setup, then a little more getting used to it. Not difficult once all that is out of the way.
@MsELizardBeth If the cable and port are okay, how did you install the software? Did you do that first, then attach the machine?
If you didn't, try removing that software from your computer, detach the USB and sewing machine from the computer, reboot, re-install the software, then attach the sewing machine and turning it on.
@lisaviolet installed then plugged in. Uninstalled, plugged in first, then installed. Uninstalled, turned off computer, plugged machine in and turned on, then turned on computer, then installed.
@MsELizardBeth Let's try something else then. Disconnect the machine from your computer. Uninstall the software. Open up Device Manager (pop open the menu and type device, and select device manager). Under USB, find your device, and right-click on it and hit uninstall (if it asks about removing the driver, say yes- I'm guessing you have the original CD). Reboot your computer then, and attach your machine's USB cable to the computer. It'll probably ask for the driver then- point it to the one you downloaded.
Note: Not compatible with 64 bit or Windows 7 computers!
One of the reasons I won't update to win 10 is that even though I don't use it any longer, I still have the XP virtual machine on my computer. It was a yuuuge help when I first changed over from XP to Win 7.
@lisaviolet If you wanted to, you can probably extract the XP mode image, and use it in VMWare Player. Just a suggestion in case you did want to move to Windows 10 at some point.
The simplest solution is to get a working Windows XP machine and use it for the sewing machine. I have an XP machine, a Vista machine (don't ask), a couple of Win 7 machines, any number of Androids... I did take the Win 98 machine in to Best Buy for recycling. The hard drive is sitting on my coffee table, and I'll get to it real soon now.
If you still have a Windows xp cd around anywhere (or know someone who does), use virtualbox or vmware player to set yourself up an xp virtual machine. Xp mode was only available in win7 Pro iirc, but you can do the same thing for free with one of those solutions. Then just make sure you give the virtual machine access to your usb port and install the software on it.
If I read it correctly, you can do this: set up your vm with that image, install the software and get it working right, and then save a snapshot of the machine. Use it for 90 days and then when it expires, restore the snapshot and continue for another 90 days.
A little bit more hassle than a straight xp vm but super easy if you don't have xp laying around.
Just save or back up your design files somewhere outside the virtual machine.
@MsELizardBeth Any luck yet? I think with all of the options presented here, you can get it to work. If you'd like a breakdown of the options (which would roughly be getting the driver to work on your system, getting XP on your current system, and getting an XP machine), I can do that for you (or someone else can I imagine). I'd really like to see this working for you.
This one? http://www.tricosew.com/white_sewing_machines/white_4400_embroidery.html
If so, Singer apparently no longer sells it. I was able to find a badly scanned manual for it here: http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/880_white-4400-emb-a-x.pdf
And what purports to be a USB driver for it here: http://www.esodbyg7.com/white-usb-driver-2008-1217.zip
What problem(s) are you having?
@MsELizardBeth also this: http://www.eanswer.com/software/5u248-white-home-embroidery-machine-model-4400-computer.html
@baqui63 usb device not recognized/ has malfunctioned, when i open the app it tells me the device isn't plugged into the machine
@baqui63 i have the disc and tried this too
@MsELizardBeth It would be good to determine whether the issue is hardware (machine, cable, USB port on PC) or software (USB driver or something else on PC end).
Has it ever worked? Have you tried other USB cables and a different USB port on your computer? Do you have access to another computer upon which to try it?
i found the user manual: http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/880_white-4400-emb-a-x.pdf
looks like the drivers are for Windows XP/2000. can you describe the issue you're having? are you getting any specific errors?
you could try running the software in compatibility mode. here's an article on running programs in Windows XP mode on Windows 7:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/install-and-use-windows-xp-mode-in-windows-7
@carl669 yeah, it seems to only be the first 57 pages of the manual for some reason
I found the same 57 pages in like 12 sites
@MsELizardBeth most likely it's the usb drivers that windows 7 doesn't like. give the windows XP mode thing a shot.
XP Mode should definitely help. I have used this method a lot on workstations at my office. May take a little time to setup, then a little more getting used to it. Not difficult once all that is out of the way.
Is it plugged in?
@TaRDy it isn't now. It was
@MsELizardBeth Does Windows see there is an actual USB device plugged in?
If you have the download listed above, this page walks you through the steps:
http://www.justanswer.com/software/5u248-white-home-embroidery-machine-model-4400-computer.html
(Can't tell you anything about using the site itself for questions).
There's other ways to make this work, but none of them are as simple as this.
@dashcloud windows says to get a new device because it's not functioning properly
@MsELizardBeth Have you tried plugging something different into that USB port on the computer? Tried a different USB cable?
@MsELizardBeth If the cable and port are okay, how did you install the software? Did you do that first, then attach the machine?
If you didn't, try removing that software from your computer, detach the USB and sewing machine from the computer, reboot, re-install the software, then attach the sewing machine and turning it on.
@lisaviolet installed then plugged in. Uninstalled, plugged in first, then installed. Uninstalled, turned off computer, plugged machine in and turned on, then turned on computer, then installed.
@lisaviolet yeah, I have a 28inch cutter/plotter that I plug into it all the time.
@MsELizardBeth Let's try something else then.
Disconnect the machine from your computer.
Uninstall the software.
Open up Device Manager (pop open the menu and type device, and select device manager).
Under USB, find your device, and right-click on it and hit uninstall (if it asks about removing the driver, say yes- I'm guessing you have the original CD).
Reboot your computer then, and attach your machine's USB cable to the computer.
It'll probably ask for the driver then- point it to the one you downloaded.
http://www.allbrands.com/products/9631-white-4400-4x4-embroidery-machine-usb-digitizing-w
Note: Not compatible with 64 bit or Windows 7 computers!
One of the reasons I won't update to win 10 is that even though I don't use it any longer, I still have the XP virtual machine on my computer. It was a yuuuge help when I first changed over from XP to Win 7.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/install-and-use-windows-xp-mode-in-windows-7
@lisaviolet If you wanted to, you can probably extract the XP mode image, and use it in VMWare Player. Just a suggestion in case you did want to move to Windows 10 at some point.
The simplest solution is to get a working Windows XP machine and use it for the sewing machine. I have an XP machine, a Vista machine (don't ask), a couple of Win 7 machines, any number of Androids... I did take the Win 98 machine in to Best Buy for recycling. The hard drive is sitting on my coffee table, and I'll get to it real soon now.
If you still have a Windows xp cd around anywhere (or know someone who does), use virtualbox or vmware player to set yourself up an xp virtual machine. Xp mode was only available in win7 Pro iirc, but you can do the same thing for free with one of those solutions. Then just make sure you give the virtual machine access to your usb port and install the software on it.
@djslack To extend on this a bit more, if you're okay with redoing the machine every 3-6 months, you don't even need the disc: https://dev.windows.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/windows/
@dashcloud Cool! I didn't know about those.
If I read it correctly, you can do this: set up your vm with that image, install the software and get it working right, and then save a snapshot of the machine. Use it for 90 days and then when it expires, restore the snapshot and continue for another 90 days.
A little bit more hassle than a straight xp vm but super easy if you don't have xp laying around.
Just save or back up your design files somewhere outside the virtual machine.
Try Rebooting.
@MsELizardBeth Any luck yet? I think with all of the options presented here, you can get it to work.
If you'd like a breakdown of the options (which would roughly be getting the driver to work on your system, getting XP on your current system, and getting an XP machine), I can do that for you (or someone else can I imagine).
I'd really like to see this working for you.
@dashcloud been trying to work on it when the 4 year old isn't "helping"
@MsELizardBeth Good luck!
@MsELizardBeth Any luck with any of the suggestions yet?