USB and FireWire Problems: Fixing Problems with USB and FireWire Connections - Page 1

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USB AND FIREWIRE PROBLEMS - PAGE 1

Visit the USB and FireWire section of this site for information on those serial standards.

Click the relevant link below to go to that Q&A article. Use your browser's Back button to backtrack.

1. - Information on the most common FireWire problems in the Microsoft Knowledge Base

2. - I have daisy-chained several FireWire storage devices to my computer, but some of them are not recognised by Windows

3. - I pushed the FireWire connector into the FireWire port on my PC the wrong way around and fried the iLink board on my camcorder

4. - Common questions about USB connectivity answered AND MS KNowledge Base articles on USB problems

5. - My digital camera won't connect to USB

6. - Clearing the confusion about USB 1.1 Full Speed and USB 2.0 High Speed

7. - Confused about the support for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0

8. - My laptop computer's USB ports don't wake up from standby

9. - My Mustek USB scanner, which is already installed in Windows XP, is recognised (US: recognized) by Windows as new hardware, but it won't switch on

10. - Can Windows XP format my new USB external hard drive?

11. - How can I format an external USB hard drive without having to make it the C: drive?

12. - My external USB hard disk drive works with my desktop PC but it won't work with my laptop computer

13. - How do you format a USB flash drive under Windows XP?

14. - Windows updates and USB Driver problem: I can't get Windows 2000 to recognise my computer's USB ports in order to use my printer

15. - Are the USB 1.1 ports of a computer case compatible with a USB 2.0 motherboard?

16. - USB DOS mode and legacy device problems

17. - Will a USB 1.1 motherboard accept USB 2.0 devices? AND USB 2.0 support in Windows XP AND USB 2.0 support in Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows Me

18. - Some USB devices won't work from a motherboard's USB port no matter what you do

19. - A new USB 2.0 PCI adapter card cripples PC - an adapter card chipset and motherboard chipset incompatibility

20. - How things can go wrong with a USB device: an IRQ conflict

21. - Why some USB devices work via a USB hub, while others will not

22. - Problems with a powered USB hub

23. - If the hot-plugging of a FireWire/USB device fails in Windows XP...

24. - Problem: All of a sudden none of a computer's USB ports work

25. - Solving USB problems with Hewlett Packard peripheral devices

Information on the most common FireWire (IEEE 1394) problems in the Microsoft Knowledge Base

I have daisy-chained several FireWire storage devices to my computer, but some of them are not recognised by Windows

Problem

I have connected several FireWire storage devices to my computer by daisy-chaining them together, but some of them are not recognised by Windows.

Answer

Make sure that you are daisy-chaining the devices properly. Here is the relevant information about daisy-chaining FireWire devices.

If a computer only has a single FireWire port, several FireWire devices can be connected by daisy-chaining them together. Most FireWire peripheral devices have two six-pin FireWire ports making it possible to connect the first device to the computer, a second device can then be plugged into the first device, a third device can be plugged into the second device, etc.

However, if a particular device has a smaller four-pin port, or one four-pin and one six-pin port, instead of two six-pin ports, the it has to be the last device in the daisy chain.

FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 can be daisy-chained by making use of an adapter cable. However, they will then all operate at FireWire 400 speeds.

Perhaps you are not using an adapter cable between 400 and 800 devices.

I pushed the FireWire connector into the FireWire port on my PC the wrong way around and fried the iLink board on my camcorder

Question

When I connected my Sony camcorder to my PC's FireWire port the other day, somehow I managed to push the connector into the port the wrong way around. Doing that fried the camcorder's iLink board (iLink is Sony's name for its FireWire connection), and caused damage that is going to be very expensive to repair. Surely it shouldn't be possible to push a connector that is square on one side and U-shaped on the other side into its port the the wrong way around. In any case, I have never read any warnings that say that doing what I did is so easy to do.

Answer

Unfortunately, that is quite a common occurrence. There are reports on the web of Apple laptop computers smoking when a FireWire connector is inserted into one the wrong way round. As you said, it shouldn't be possible to push a connector that is square on one side and U-shaped on the other side into its port the wrong way round, but if a FireWire cable is made of cheap materials it can have a metal covering that is easily bent or which can come loose, thereby making it fairly easy to insert the connector into a port upside down. The FireWire power connector does that damage because it typically carries a voltage of 25V, which can cause serious damage to circuits that are designed for much lower voltages. Even pushing the connector in at an angle the wrong way round can make a data line short against the power connector. The small FireWire used by video cameras does not include a power pin, because the camera doesn't take power from the PC, it runs from its own power source. However, the problem you have described occurs when the data lines connect with the power connector in the computer's FireWire port.

It is far too easy to insert the connector into the PC's port at the back of the case partially at an angle or the wrong way round. Therefore, you should always turn the computer off and plug the FireWire cable into the computer before plugging it into the camera. The FireWire standard's specifications say that FireWire devices can be hotplugged or are hot-swappable (can be plugged in while the computer is running), but any reputable data-recovery business will be able to tell you that many external FireWire hard disk drives are sent in for data recovery after having their circuitry fried by being hotplugged into a computer. It is therefore, also not advisable to hotplug (hot-swap) external FireWire hard drives. You should plug them in before the computer is switched on.

Note well that it is also possible to fry equipment that is connected by a FireWire cable that is kinked or that is damaged and which is shorting internally. It is therefore always a good idea to throw away a FireWire cable that is starting to look twisted or worn.

Common questions about USB connectivity answered AND MS Knowledge Base articles on USB problems

My digital camera won't connect to USB

Problem

My Packard Bell Easynote L4014 laptop PC runs Windows Vista Home Premium. Whenever I plug my Samsung V700 digital camera into any of its USB ports, an error message appears saying that a USB device attached to the computer has malfunctioned, and the Device Manager says that the device cannot start. I have already installed the latest device drivers for the camera and the laptop's Intel 915GM chipset, but the problem persists.

Answer

Intel chipsets have a good reputation with regard to their USB support. In fact, most USB problems are caused by the other makes of chipset.

The first action you should take to resolve a USB problem is to disable the Save Power option in the Device Manager for the each of the USB Root Hub entries. Up to five entries called USB Root Hub can appear under Universal Serial Bus controllers. Open the Device Manager by entering devmgmt.msc in the Start => Start Search box. Open each of the USB Root Hub entries and disable the Save Power option under the Power Management tab by removing the check mark that enables it.

The USB device has malfunctioned error message most commonly appears when a USB device is drawing power close to the maximum limit for USB connections. Many laptop computers don't provide enough power for the most demanding devices.

Simply disconnecting and then plugging the device in again often works. You could also try connecting a device that uses less power, such as a USB modem, and then connect the camera while the other device is still connected. Doing that seems to make the USB bus ready to receive the more demanding device.

If none of those solutions work, try connecting the camera a self-powered USB hub that provides several USB ports by connecting to one of them on the computer. Buy only a high-quality brand-name USB hub, such as the Belkin Hi-Speed USB2 4-Port Hub, because cheap hubs can themselves be a source of problems.

Clearing the confusion about USB 1.1 Full Speed and USB 2.0 High Speed

Rant

I'm by no means an expert when it comes to PC's and related tech (i.e. I'll never work in the industry), but I do build my own PC's, install software, and do my own troubleshooting (well some of the fixing amounts to just swearing at the PC).

However, today I made a fundamental error, which I partially blame on the people/organisations, etc., (or Canon!). which came up with the nomenclature for the various USB speed ratings. As an example, I've just bought a Canon LiDE30 flatbed scanner, which has a USB 2.0 interface (hey it's not USB 1.1 is it?), only it's 2.0 Full Speed NOT (as I now realise, too late) 2.0 High Speed, so, hey, it is USB 1.1.

Of course, I've compounded the error by buying a 2.0 High Speed PCI card, so I'm reasonably annoyed with myself. Now the upshot of all this is that the scanner produces good results but takes its time and I'm wondering why someone just didn't say "We've got USB 1.1 now we're moving up to USB 2.0" instead of this confusing muddle of 2.0 Full Speed (i.e. 1.1) and USB 2.0 (High Speed). Yes I know there's meant to be a 2.0 High Speed logo displayed for these devices but if I can make this mistake so can others make the same one?

Response

There was concern that people would NOT buy 1.1 peripherals to use with their USB 2.0 machines, so, since 2.0 is a superset of 1.1, the names are now "2.0 High", "2.0 Full", and "2.0 Low" instead of "2.0", "1.1 High", and "1.1 Low".

Confused about the support for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0

Question

I have heard about USB 1.1 and USB 2.0. How can I identify which of these versions is supported by my computer?

Answer

USB specification version 2.0 is an upgrade of USB 1.1. The new standard provides additional bandwidth for multimedia and storage applications, and also offers plug-and-play (PnP) capability, and full backward compatibility for legacy (1.1) USB devices. USB 2.0 includes everything that USB 1.1 offers, and adds a high-speed mode, which runs at 480 megabits per second (MBits/s). USB 1.1 supports two speed modes (1.5MBits/s and 12MBits/s), whereas USB 2.0 has three of them: 1.5, 12, and 480MBits/s. USB 2.0 uses the same 1.1 compliant cables to connect high-speed devices. However, classic USB (1.1) hubs will slow down USB 2.0 devices. A USB 2.0 host controller is required to enable the high-speed connection with a USB 2.0 device. If one is not supported by the motherboard a PCI adapter card that supports it can be installed. Plugging a USB 1.1 device into a USB 2.0 hub is fine, but connecting a USB 2.0 device to a USB 1.1 hub is prohibited. USB 1.1 devices won't run any faster on a USB 2.0 hub, but they can work with USB 2.0 devices on the same bus. USB 2.0 won't replace USB 1.1 because many products such as generic keyboards, mice, joysticks, and audio speakers do not require the faster speed of the new technology, which is also more expensive to install on motherboards.

Pressing the WinKey + Pause/Break keys opens the System Properties window. The Device Manager is located under different tabs in the different versions of Windows (for example, it is under Hardware in Windows XP). Under Device Manager, look for the Universal Serial Bus. If there is no "Enhanced" expression used to describe the USB Controller, you have the older USB 1.1 version installed.

My laptop computer's USB ports don't wake up from standby

Problem

Sometimes the USB ports on my Toshiba Tectra M5 notebook, which runs Windows XP SP2, won't wake up from standby mode when the system does. My USB mouse and printer don't work. I have to restart the system to get them working. I have done some research on the problem by using various search terms in Google. Apparently, the the problem occurred in Windows XP SP1, and were supposed to have been fixed by the SP2 update.

Answer

It is not uncommon to discover that a PC or laptop computer has a problem when resuming from power-saving modes of operation, such as standby mode. These problems can often be fixed by reflashing the BIOS with an update that has been programmed to put known problems right, or by updating the motherboard chipset device drivers, downloaded from the computer's motherboard manufacturer's or the computer manufacturer's site, or by updating other software that is installed, such as the power-saving and fingerprint-recognition software used in laptops.

Your computer is one of the early Intel Centrino Duo notebooks, and there is a known problem that can prevent the system from using power-saving modes of operation when it is connected to a USB device. Attempts to fix that problem in the BIOS, motherboard device drivers, or other software, might have been the cause of the problem that you are experiencing.

Doing nothing more than updating the BIOS should fix the problem. Make sure that you install the latest BIOS for that particular model of the Toshiba Tectra M5. Check the model number to make sure that you install the correct BIOS update. If you don't know how to install the update, Toshiba's site should provide you with the necessary information for that model. The process usually just involves downloading the update utility, which you then run from your system. It downloads the update and installs it when the system is rebooted.

If doing that doesn't fix the problem, try downloading and installing the latest Intel motherboard chipset drivers for that model, and Toshiba's Power Saver and Fingerprint software, all of which should be made available by Toshiba's support site. Bugs in the Fingerprint software that cause that sort of problem have been reported on the web.

My Mustek USB scanner, which is already installed in Windows XP, is recognised (US: recognized) by Windows as new hardware, but it won't switch on

Problem

My trusty Mustek USB scanner won't power up. When I start up my PC that runs Windows XP, a message saying New hardware detected comes up, followed by another message that says Unknown USB device installed. This must be to do with the scanner, which is already installed and working properly according to the Device Manager, but it won't switch on. Has my scanner developed a hardware fault, or is Windows at fault?

Answer

A New hardware detected message from Windows means that the scanner is receiving power, that the computer is detecting it and telling Windows that it is connected. However, for some reason, Windows fails to recognise that the scanner is already installed, which is a good sign, because the problem is more likely to be caused by a corruption of the Windows Registry than by a hardware failure. In most cases, if the problem were caused by a hardware failure, Windows probably wouldn't have recognised the presence of the scanner. However, if the scanner's firmware, which is the configuring and controlling software that is embedded in it in flash memory, has become corrupt, it could make the scanner send an incorrect device identification string to Windows, which would then issue a New hardware detected message. However, corruption of the firmware in printers and scanners is a very rare occurrence.

An easy way of determining if the scanner is sound would be to connect it to another computer and install its software. The chances are excellent that you should find that the scanner works as before. Note that some printers and scanners require the software to be installed from the supplied CD before the device is connected.

If you can't do that, try using System Restore to restore a restore point that predates the problem. System Restore restores the Registry to the way it was on the date that the restore point was created. If the Registry has been corrupted, restoring it to the way it was on a date that predated the problem would fix the problem.

Alternatively, if the scanner's software is installed after the scanner is connected, disconnect the scanner and uninstall its drivers.

If you don't know how to do that, enter scanners in Windows Help and Support search box and then click Input device troubleshooter (keyboard, mouse, camera, scanner) that appears under Fix a problem. Here is what the Input Devices troubleshooter says about how to do that:

"To remove and reinstall the driver. - Disconnect the device from the USB port. Turn off the power for the device, if it has a separate power supply. Open Device Manager. Double-click the appropriate device category. Right-click your USB device, and then click Uninstall. If your device is not listed, this means that it was uninstalled automatically when you disconnected the device."

Restart the computer and go into Safe Mode by repeatedly pressing the F8 key after the memory count at startup, and open the Device Manager (by entering devmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box) to make sure that there is no entry there for the scanner, which would not appear in the Device Manager in normal mode. If there is any entry there for the scanner, remove it in the same way as you did the first time in normal mode. In Windows Vista, enter devmgmt.msc in the Start => Start Search box to open the Device Manager.

Restart the computer (Start button => Turn off computer => Restart) and connect the scanner. When the New hardware detected message comes up, insert the driver CD that came with the scanner. Windows should then be able to locate and install the drivers from the CD.

If the instructions for your scanner says that the software for the scanner has to installed before connecting the scanner, run the CD that came with the scanner before you reconnect the scanner.

Can Windows XP format my new USB external hard drive?

Question

I have a new 120GB Western Digital Hard Drive installed in a USB 2.0 external case. I need to format it and get it running. I'm using Windows XP.

Answer

Windows XP has an Initialize Disk Wizard. If you start Disk Management after adding a drive, the Initialize Disk Wizard appears so you can initialise the disk , partition, and then format it.

But if you have to access the Wizard manually for some reason enter diskmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box or open the Control Panel => Administrative Tools => Computer Management => Disk Management. If an unformatted drive is present it is listed as one of the installed drives, each of which has a small descriptive section. For an unformatted drive the description says Unknown or Not Initialized. Right-click on it and select Initialize Disk, then right-click on the right-hand side of the next window and select New Partition to start the New Partition Wizard. Select Primary Partition and continue with the wizard.

Installing a hard disk drive in Windows XP: "Unfortunately you can't just put a drive in the case, plug it in and it will work. You will need to initialize and format the drive before it will show up in My Computer or Windows Explorer." - Click the link to the following page. It provides illustrated instructions on how to use the Wizard. - http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/usb_hard-drive.html

How can I format an external USB hard drive without having to make it the C: drive?

Question

Is there a way to format a new hard drive that I've connected via a USB port? My computer runs Windows XP. I recently installed a 200GB hard drive, then a week later, had to return my 80GB hard drive to the vendor. When it, or a replacement, was returned, I tried to set it up as an external drive in an enclosure with a USB connection, but it wouldn't format. I had to remove the side of the PC case, disconnect my 200GB C: drive , and format the 80GB external drive as if it were my C: drive. Once I got the first half partitioned (partitioned as two drives) and formatted, I reinstalled the 200GB drive as the C: drive, and then was able to format the second partition on the external USB drive. That seems like a lot of trouble to me. Can a brand new, out-of-the-box hard drive (say, a 100 or 160 or 200GB drive) be cabled as an external USB drive, and then be partitioned and formatted without having to make it the C: drive?

Answer

How to initialize, partition, and format a new hard disk drive from within Windows XP

With the USB drive connected, enter diskmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box to bring up Disk Management. The drive should be given a space there with the other drives, and you should be able to partition and format if from there by right-clicking on its space. You have to initialise (US: initialize) it in Disk Management before you can format it, but it will be listed there.

Here is what Windows XP's Help and Support says about initialising a disk:

"To initialize new disks: Open Computer Management (Local) [under All Programs => Administrative Tools]. In the console tree, click Disk Management. Right-click the disk you want to initialize, and then click Initialize Disk. In the Initialize Disk dialog box, select the disk(s) to initialize. The disk is initialized as a basic disk. To open Computer Management, click Start, and then click Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure. New disks appear as Not Initialized. Before you can use a disk, you must first initialize it. If you start Disk Management after adding a disk, the Initialize Disk Wizard appears so you can initialize the disk."

My external USB hard disk drive works with my desktop PC but it won't work with my laptop computer

Problem

I have an external USB hard disk drive that I bought so that I could use it to backup my laptop and desktop PCs. However, for some reason, it only works from the USB 2.0 ports on my desktop PC.

Answer

Windows XP can still find USB devices that are not a keyboard, mouse or printer tricky to deal with. The external USB drive might not be receiving enough power to initialise, so try the following remedy.

Open the Device Manager by entering devmgmt.msc in the Start => Run box, or right-click on My Computer and click Manage in the menu that comes up to access it. Open Universal Serial Bus controllers and double-click on all of the USB Root Hub entries. There should be three or more such entries. Click on the Power Management tab for each one and remove any check mark in the box that has Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power next to it. Then disconnect the drive, restart Windows, and connect the drive.

If doing that doesn't work, the drive may have come with a USB-to-5V cable, which you should use, because it provides more power.

How do you format a USB flash drive under Windows XP?

Problem

During a new install of Windows XP Pro, I deleted all partitions seen in the WinXP partition manager, which unfortunately included my 128MB USB flash drive that was left plugged in. The problem is now I have a flash drive that WinXP cannot format. FDISK, of course does not work with WinXP. If I try to format the flash drive using WinXP, I get the message "Windows was unable to complete the format". WinXP sees the drive as FAT32 with an unknown capacity. Why Microsoft decided to make the WinXP partition manager only accessible on a new installation and to do away with FDISK is beyond me.

Answer

Who told you that you can only partition and format drive with a new installation? You can partition and format hard drives at any time by using the partitioning and formatting utility that is made available from the Windows XP CD, or you can enter diskmgmt.msc (the quickest way) in the Start => Run box to bring up the Disk Management window and format hard drives and flash drives. USB device drivers are not usually installed until Windows boots fully, and the device has to be running before it can be accessed, so you should use Disk Management to partition and format a flash drive. USB devices can be plugged in while the computer is running. Windows detects the device and installs the drivers.

Here is what XP's Help and Support says about Disk Management:

Using Disk Management

"You might need to have a computer administrator account to perform some tasks. Disk Management is a system utility for managing hard disks and the partitions or volumes they contain. With Disk Management, you can initialize new disks, create volumes, and format volumes with the FAT, FAT32, or NTFS file systems. Disk Management enables you to perform most disk-related tasks without shutting down your computer; most configuration changes take effect immediately. To open Disk Management Open Computer Management (Local). In the console tree, click Disk Management. To open Computer Management, click Start, and then click Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. For information about using Disk Management, in Computer Management, click Help on the Action menu."

In Disk Management, the drives and partitions are represented by rectangles, starting with Disk 0, Disk 1, etc. The CD/DVD drives installed are also shown.

Here is what Help and Support says about using it: "Disk Management is easy to use. Menus that are accessible from the right mouse button display the tasks you can perform on the selected object, and wizards guide you through creating partitions or volumes and initializing or converting disks."

That means that you right-click each rectangle that represents a drive or partition on a drive with the mouse to access the available features, such as creating partitions and formatting them. Note that you cannot resize partitions, you can only create them if the disk space is available, or delete them. If you delete a partition all the data will be lost. You need to use a third-party partitioning utility, such as Symantec's Partition Magic, to resize partitions without destroying the data.

Windows updates and USB driver problem: I can't get Windows 2000 to recognise my computer's USB ports in order to use my printer

Problem

I have a Compaq PC with an AMD K6-2 500MHz processor, running Windows 2000 Pro, and 128MB SDRAM . I have installed a PCI adapter card which has four USB 2.0 ports, and I am unable to get Windows to recognise the USB ports. The Lexmark printer requires a USB 2.0 port to function.

Answer

If you haven't already done so, install the latest updates and service packs for Windows 2000, including the post-SP4 Update Rollup, check the USB PCI adapter card manufacturer's site to find out if any special device drivers or settings are required for use under Windows 2000, and, if they are available, download the motherboard chipset drivers from its manufacturer's website.

With PCI USB 2.0 adapter cards, I have found that I usually have to install the USB 2.0 controller manually. Open the Device Manager and look for an Enhanced Host Controller under the Universal Serial Bus controllers heading.

Click here! to see an image of the USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices listed in the Device Manager.

If there is an Enhanced Host Controller shown in your computer's Device Manager, you have USB 2.0 support installed. If not, you have to install the controller by installing the drivers for the motherboard from its website. If you install the motherboard's chipset drivers the controller will show the chipset manufacturer's name - e.g., VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller, where VIA is the chipset manufacturer. If Windows installed its USB 2.0 controller it is called the Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host controller.

Windows XP and Windows 2000 had USB 2.0 support added by the Service Packs. It is supposed to be installed automatically, but, as I said, I have found that I usually have to install the USB 2.0 controller manually.

Are the USB 1.1 ports of a computer case compatible with a USB 2.0 motherboard?

Question

You have a computer case that has USB 1.1 ports built into its front. You have purchased a new motherboard that has built-in USB 2.0 ports. The case manufacturer's technical support has told you that the ports will work, but only at USB 1.1 speeds. But the company that built the computer said that the USB 1.1 port connectors in the case are the same as USB 2.0 ports, therefore attaching them to a USB 2.0 motherboard would deliver USB 2.0 performance. You want to known which advice is correct.

Answer

The connectors are the same, but USB 2.0 uses a different chipset logic (and more elaborate USB hubs) than USB 1.1. To carry the higher speed of USB 2.0, the USB cables must also have a braided outer shield and twisted pair conductors. Every cable I have seen has this shield. Both of these specifications were recommended in the old USB 1.1 standard. Therefore, if you have the correct cables, which you probably do have, you will be able to connect the case ports to the motherboard, and they will deliver USB 2.0 performance to USB 2.0 peripheral devices.

USB DOS mode and legacy device problems

(1)Your USB mouse and keyboard won't work when you boot the system from a DOS start-up floppy disk, or in either of the DOS modes. And you can't enter the BIOS, because the entry key doesn't work.

(2) You have legacy peripheral devices - a scanner, printer, and an external hard disk drive, but your new computer's motherboard only provides USB ports. You want to know if you can still use these devices with the new motherboard.

Solutions

(1)

DOS is not programmed to know anything about USB devices. This can be a perplexing problem to remedy if, for example, you boot to either of the DOS modes, or start your computer from a DOS start-up floppy disk only to discover that your USB keyboard and mouse won't work. The computer will probably start, but you won't have any way of controlling it. Nor will you be able to enter the BIOS setup program, because the entry key (usually Del) doesn't work.

The special "pass-through adapters" that many manufacturers include with USB keyboards and mice, and which can be purchased separately, allow basic devices to work via USB ports. This is because the connection is straightforward, so the keyboard and mouse will work in the DOS modes (full DOS and DOS in Windows). However, note well that this solution won't work for more complex USB peripheral devices such as an external drive, or a CD burner, because they require full USB support and a "pass-through adapter" can't provide it.

There is no single solution for all of the USB/DOS connection problems, but fortunately there is a solution to each of them.

For example, you may be able to enable DOS support for a USB keyboard through a USB/Legacy option that is available in some computer BIOS setup programs, which are most often accessed by pressing the Delete key, or some other specified key during the first few seconds of the system start-up. You will have to use a standard PS/2 keyboard to open the BIOS setup program. (For obvious reasons, the setting to use a PS/2 keyboard is enabled by default in the BIOS.) Then search the settings that relate to USB. If there is a "legacy" option available to you (usually under a Peripherals heading), such as the one described below (copied from a BIOS manual), enable it, and you will be able to use a USB keyboard.

"USB Keyboard Legacy Support Set this option to Enable or Disable USB keyboard/mouse. The Optional and Fail-Safe default settings are Disabled".

Yes, simply enabling that one option should allow you to use a USB keyboard and mouse in the DOS modes.

If such an option isn't offered, or doesn't work, try visiting your keyboard manufacturer's website to find out if it offers a DOS USB driver for your make and model of keyboard. Alternatively, your computer's original manufacturer (OEM) setup CDs may also contain DOS-level drivers. They are often included with new computers to enable the use of a USB keyboard or mouse with the DOS-level "system restore" or "system recovery" software that is often provided instead of a Windows CD.

You can discover all kinds of solutions. For instance, I discovered from a computer newsgroup that if you put the hidusb.sys file on your start-up floppy disk, and load it at the A\:> prompt (in DOS mode), the USB mouse works. Hidusb.sys is a Microsoft USB driver originally from Windows 98, but it is also included with later Windows versions. Search your system, or the Windows CD for the file.

Many vendors offer similar files that are specific to a particular device, so check the website of the vendor/manufacturer of any USB device that you are trying to make work in DOS.

USB-Drivers.Com lists thousands of USB drivers and related files from hundreds of vendors. Alternatively, you can try using the Google search box at the top of this page, using the make and model of your product, along with the words "usb dos driver" as the search phrase.

(2)

If, say, you have an external modem that needs a serial (COM or RS-232) port to plug into, and your new computer only has USB ports, do you have to sell the modem? The same problem could apply to legacy printers, scanners, cameras, and other devices that connect through a legacy serial or parallel port.

No, you will be able to use the legacy devices, because you can still purchase an add-on PCI card that contains the legacy ports, or you can buy a special adapter that has a USB connector at one end and a classic RS-232 serial socket at the other end. A small, built-in microchip in the adapter converts data from USB format to RS-232/COM format, and vice versa. To use the adapter, you merely have load a device driver into Windows. Windows then detects and uses the adapter as if it were a new ordinary COM port on the system.

Will a USB 1.1 motherboard accept USB 2.0 devices?

USB 2.0 support in Windows XP

USB 2.0 support in Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows Me

Question

Is there any way I can make my USB 1.1 motherboard accept USB 2.0 devices? - I don't have any free PCI slots.

Answer

You need a free PCI slot, because you won't have any other way to add a USB 2.0 PCI adapter card to your system.

If you can free a PCI slot to make room for a USB 2.0 card, and it turns out to be problematic, visit your computer/motherboard manufacturer's website to see if there is a BIOS upgrade, since it might enable the computer to handle USB better than the current BIOS, because many of the earlier BIOSes had problems handling USB. The bugs were rectified in subsequent updates.

"Microsoft still doesn't plan to natively support USB 2.0 but will support the standard through add-on drivers."

That was the position with Windows XP before the release of Service Pack 1 (SP1). This Q&A provides the current situation.

Question

A user has Windows XP Home Edition and has installed all of the updates for it except SP1, which has the drivers for USB 2.0, but the user has read that a lot of users who installed SP1 have their systems bogged down and it runs slower, boots slower, and can be a nuisance. My computer works fine without it. The user therefore wants to know if there is any way to install the USB 2.0 drivers without having to download and install SP1.

Answer

USB 2.0 drivers can be obtained from another source. How good the drivers are depends on the manufacturer of the device requiring them. For instance, this VIA USB 2.0 Host Controller has drivers available for download. But, a USB 2.0 controller's support site - usually the motherboard manufacturer's site - could advise the user of Windows XP to install SP1.

If a user knows the make and model of the motherboard's chipset (ALi, Intel, NEC, SiS, and VIA), the drivers should also be made available for download directly from the relevant site.

If a USB 2.0 PCI adapter card (that provides additional USB ports) is being used, it should come with the USB 2.0 drivers.

Note that Windows 98 SE or Windows Me or Windows 2000 or Windows XP is usually required if you want to use USB 2.0 functionality. The Service Packs (released by Microsoft) have to be installed for them, because USB 2.0 was issued after they were released into the public domain. If you don't have these updated versions on the computer, then it will only be able to use the PCI USB 2.0 adapter card, working in the slower USB 1.1 mode.

USB 2.0 support in Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows Me

Both Windows 98 SE and Windows Me (with their Service Packs installed) support USB 2.0, but only if you install the "OrangeWare" drivers. Microsoft does not supply drivers for USB 2.0 in Windows 98 SE or Me, as the article at the following link states, but third parties do. - http://www.orangeware.com/

The manufacturer of a USB 2.0 PCI adapter card will list the operating systems that are required to use it. For example, Belkin says that Windows 98 SE is the earliest version of Windows that supports its FSU219 Hi-Speed USB2 dual-port PCI card. In short, Windows 98 (first edition) can't be used to run it.

Various problems with USB support were found in the first edition of Windows 98, so Microsoft rewrote the USB drivers for Windows 98 SE. Unfortunately, the Service Pack that Microsoft created for Windows 98 users, did not include the improved USB driver support. Consequently, many manufacturers of USB 2.0 cards don't support the first edition of Windows 98, and many manufacturers of USB devices, such as digital cameras, claim that Windows 98 SE is the earliest version of Windows that they can run on. However, there are some such cards made by D-Link and IOGear that are compatible with Windows 98 first edition. Therefore, if you want USB 2.0 support, either buy one of these cards, or upgrade to a later version of Windows. If your system is elderly, it is not advisable to upgrade to Windows XP, because of BIOS and other problems, so Windows 98 SE is the version you want.

Some USB devices won't work from a motherboard's USB port no matter what you do

Problem

It is not uncommon to have some USB devices working perfectly well (a Smartmedia card reader, a digital camera, an external CD-RW drive, etc.), yet a particular device (say a USB scanner) refuses to work from the motherboard no matter what action is taken.

Possible solutions

It could be that the troublesome device does not conform to the USB standards properly, or pushes the standards to their limits so that the device will work from some motherboards' USB ports but not from others.

Even after reflashing the BIOS and installing updates for the motherboard's chipset drivers,some motherboards' USB ports will not work with certain USB devices not matter what action you take short of buying a PCI USB adapter card (examples are shown at the end of this article). If you buy a USB 2.0 card, you will be able to use high-speed devices such as a CD writer or external hard disk drive.

You can also connect power-hungry devices, such as a scanner, through a self-powered USB hub (an example of which is also shown at the bottom of this page).

If you want to troubleshoot a particular USB problem not dealt with on this page, try using a search phrase such as: troubleshooting + usb + problems in the Google search box at the top of this page.

You should be able to obtain the latest USB Controller and BIOS update from the computer's motherboard's site. If you can't identify the computer's motherboard, click here! to go directly to links to free hardware-identification utilities on the second of the four Links pages on this site.

It is always a good idea to boot in Safe mode in order to clean out the Device Manager of repeat instances, which are not shown in Normal mode. (Press the F8 key at start-up to boot into Safe mode.) There should only be multiple instances of IRQ Holders for PCI Steering (if IRQ Steering is enabled in the Device Manager under System devices => PCI Bus in Windows 9.x). Otherwise there should only be one of every device showing. You should remove all of the instances so that Windows can reinstall only one. (Don't attempt this if you don't have a Windows CD, because Windows might ask for it.) If you leave one instance, Windows will add another instance, making two instances.

You should be able to find many articles that deal with such a cleanup by using a search phrase in the Google search box at the top of this page, such as: clean + "device manager" + "safe mode" + "Windows 98"

You don't need to go into Safe Mode in Windows 2000 and XP to clean out the Device Manager, because there's an option in the View menu to Show Hidden Devices.

USB problems seem to be more common with VIA and SiS chipsets than with Intel chipsets. Microsoft has issued a patch for a USB problem in Windows 98 SE. The article is called "USB Devices May Not Work in Windows 98 Second Edition". Enter this reference number - 240075 - in the search box on this page:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo&.

The note says that it applies to VIA USB Controllers, but it can cure problems with SiS chipsets as well.

For motherboards with VIA chipsets, always install the VIA Hyperion or "Four-in-One" drivers from http://www.viaarena.com/.

A new USB 2.0 PCI adapter card cripples PC - an adapter card chipset and motherboard chipset incompatibility

Problem

A newly installed four-port USB 2.0 PCI card is preventing the computer from booting. There are no beeps from the BIOS and installing the card in different PCI slots makes no difference. Only the processor's fan works when the computer is started. There is nothing wrong with the PCI slots, because other cards work in them. A TMC A15VG+ Super Socket 7 motherboard is installed.

Possible solutions

The card itself could be faulty, but there are many reports on the Internet of cases in which USB cards using the VIA VT6202 chipset are causing older Socket 7 computers to lock up. The reports say that the USB cards work properly in other computers. The common factor is that the motherboards use the VIA MVP3 chipset, so is looks highly likely that there is a conflict between the VT6202 chipset on the card and the MVP3 chipset used by this TMC motherboard. If this is the case, updating the device drivers for both the card and motherboard might cure the problem, but the reports do not provide this as a solution, so, if doing that doesn't work, then either the motherboard must be replaced, or the USB 2.0 card must be replaced with one that does not use the VT6202 chipset.

The problem now is to make sure that the replacement USB card has a different chipset, because the one causing the problems is very commonly used. The Belkin F5U220 five-port USB PCI card and the Lindy 51074 card both use an NEC chipset. You should be able to locate local vendors by using the Google search box at the top of this page, by using the model names (within double quotation marks if there is more than one term) as the search phrase.

How things can go wrong with a USB device: an IRQ conflict

Problem

A SanDisk SDDR31 Imagemate USB card-reader works on a notebook computer running Windows XP, but when connected to a desktop PC running Windows 98 SE, a blue screen of death appears within 15 seconds of the device being connected to a USB hub, even though the software was loaded according to the instructions, followed by the installation of the latest device drivers from SanDisk.

The error message reads: "A fatal exception OE has occurred at 0028:c15b0527 in VXD APIX(01)+00003207."

Possible solutions

Any fatal exception OE that has a segment address of 0028 strongly suggests an interrupt request (IRQ) conflict, with it being most likely that the USB device is sharing an IRQ, and the device drivers are not properly programmed to enable IRQ sharing, which, of course, both Windows 98 SE and Windows XP support.

If you don't know anything about interrupt requests, and IRQ sharing, read this Q&A on this page: A new USB 2.0 adapter card makes my computer crash: a problem with IRQ sharing - or enter the terms (within double quotation marks) in the Google search box at the top of this page.

The first thing to do is in such a case is to check (or check again) for driver updates. If the latest drivers are loaded they should support IRQ sharing properly. If the problem still exists, the most likely cause is that an application has installed a conflicting version of the Apix.vxd file - the VXD file named in the error message.

Programs from Adaptec, Roxio Easy CD, and Direct CD are notorious for installing their own versions of the Apix.vxd file in the C:\Windows\System\IOSUBSYS folder. If any of these programs are installed on the system, upgrading them to the latest versions will allow you to restore the original Windows 98 versions of Apix.vxd and Wnaspl32.dll into this folder. This is because the latest versions of these programs don't share the Windows versions of these files - they place their own versions in their programs' folders.

The original Windows files should still be in the same folder and have been renamed with a .bak (backup) extension. If so, rename the existing Apix.vxd and Wnaspl32.dll to Apix.adp and Wnaspl32.adp, and then change the .bak extension on the backup files to .vxd and .dll respectively.

If the .bak versions of these files don't exist, then use the right mouse button to click on the Apix.vxd file, click Properties and check under the Version tab. If the Company name is listed as Adaptec instead of Microsoft, the Adaptec version of both of theses files have to be replaced with the Microsoft versions from the Windows 98 CD.

The easiest way to replace the files in a Windows 98 /98 SE system is to follow this path Start => Run - and enter sfc (to run the System File Checker). Choose the option that allows a single file to be extracted from the Windows CD, and enter the file's name in the search box. The source and destination folders do not have to be specified, because the SFC already knows them. Rebooting the system should solve the problem.

If there is still a problem, try conducting a Google Groups search by entering the the name of a newsgroup such as alt.windows98 in the first search box, followed by the error message (or part thereof) within double quotation marks in the second search box that comes up.

Note that the System File Checker still exists in Windows XP. But, for some reason, it has been well hidden. There is no information on it in Help and Support. It is run from the Command Prompt, which is opened by entering cmd in the Start => Run box. Enter the command sfc /? to bring up a list of the commands and switches that can be used with it.

It can be a useful problem-solving utility if you know how to avoid the pitfalls, which are provided on this page.

SFC Explained - http://www.westelcom.com/users/rogersr/sfc.htm

If you want to use SFC, you should have a certified Windows CD - not a System Recovery CD of the kind that comes with many brand-name computers instead of a Windows CD - because SFC makes use of it.

Why some USB devices work via a USB hub, while others will not

Problem

You computer has only two USB connections, so you buy a USB hub to connect more USB devices. For some reason, however, your USB devices, such as your Sandisk cardreader and your Microsoft Intellimouse, will not work on the hub. - You want to know why some USB devices work via a USB hub, while others will not. - And you need to know if there a solution to this situation.

Answers

First, you need to know if you are using a powered USB hub, which is itself plugged into an electrical outlet, or an unpowered hub that draws its power from the computer. USB cables have four pins; one for ground, two for data, and one for +5 volt power. If connected to the USB ports on the motherboard, your cardreader and mouse would both draw their power from the computer (through the USB bus), otherwise you would have to plug in a separate power adapter for each unit. It could be that those non-functioning devices are not receiving the proper amount of power through the USB hub. If it is a powered hub, then this probably is not the problem.

Another possibility is that your computer is not assigning each of the USB devices on the hub an identification address - a process called enumeration. This could be because of a bad or incompatible USB hub, or your machine might not be recognising the USB hub correctly. And if the USB hub came with software drivers, then you would need to install them to fix the problem.

You should try plugging a USB device, such as a printer that is powered from its own power adapter, into the hub. If the device works, then you know that it is a power issue with the other devices, and should contact the USB hub manufacturer. If that fails to solve the problem, return the hub, and try a different make and model, or try using the existing hub on another computer.

Problems with a powered USB hub

Jon Larsen - "I own a small computer shop and had a couple of powered USB hubs returned. I learned that some devices don't like being alone on a powered hub. Since learning this, I've told my customers to not power the hub unless devices don't work - in which case, they should power the hub. Haven't had a return since."

If the hot-plugging of a FireWire / USB device fails in Windows XP...

To hot-plug (hotplug) means plugging in the drive while the computer is running instead of when it is shut down.

Question

You have a computer running Windows XP with a FireWire (IEEE 1394) adapter card installed Whenever you hot-plug a new external DVD-RW drive into one of the card's FireWire ports, it doesn't appear under My Computer. You have tried restarting the computer and reattaching the DVD-RW drive, but that has failed. You therefore want to know if there is remedy for the problem.

Answer

First, check that your FireWire adapter is installed and functioning properly. You can check the Device Manager by right-clicking My Computer and choosing Properties. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager. If your FireWire Controller has an exclamation mark beside it, then you need to highlight the entry, remove it, and then reinstall its drivers.

If your IEEE 1394 FireWire card is installed and is functioning properly, you should know that Microsoft has recognised that this fault can occur when hot-plugging a FireWire or USB CD/DVD-ROM drive into a computer running Windows XP. Microsoft says that the fix for this is to install Windows XP Service Pack 1. Note you may require the same fix if you attach a digital video 1394 device that supports non-S100 data rates, and you see only a black window in Windows Movie Maker.

Problem: all of a sudden none of a computer's USB ports work

I have come across a case when someone asked me why all of a sudden none of the USB ports on his motherboard functioned on his Windows XP system. The first action I took was to have a look at the USB Controller entries in the Device Manager. They were there. I looked at what other devices were installed, and read through the motherboard's manual. I found out that the motherboard had a built-in AGP video card of one make, but also had an AGP video card installed of another make. I then rebooted the system and opened the Award BIOS setup program. Sure enough, the built-in video card was still enabled in the BIOS, so I disabled it. Having rebooted, the USB ports were working normally. The computer's owner had very recently installed a video card, but hadn't thought that disabling the motherboard's video chip was necessary.

Solving USB problems with Hewlett Packard peripheral devices

Problem

Your computer runs Windows XP Professional edition, and you're experiencing frustrating problems with your HP PSC 950 multifunction peripheral (MFP) device. The USB printer functions properly on a computer running Windows Me, but can only print one sheet when connected to a Windows XP Pro computer, and when you try to print two copies of a page, the printing continues until it is half way through the second copy, and then the printer comes to a halt. The printer icon in the System Tray changes, and a warning comes up saying: "There is an error. The printer has been turned off", but the printer is switched on. The printer can then only print again if the system is rebooted.

You have installed Service Pack 1 (SP1), and all of the sundry patches for Windows XP Pro. HP has a driver update that is supposed to deal with this very problem, which you have installed, but it didn't solve the problem.

Possible solutions

The cause of problems between a computer and USB printers are often difficult to diagnose and put right.

The more recent HP printers have a tendency to suffer from this kind of problem. HP has tried to pin the blame on the USB support provided by motherboards, which is partially true, because the USB standard has not been very well defined or implemented, and several motherboard chipsets have not implemented the standard well enough. However, this does not explain why HP MFPs seem to suffer from more such trouble than other USB devices.

Below is a list of the actions you can take to remedy the situation. Try applying them one at a time in the order that matches your particular situation.

1. - Make sure that you have installed all of the updates for the version of Windows being used. Use Microsoft Update, but note that the update called Availability of the Windows XP SP1 USB 1.1 and 2.0 Update in the MS Knowledge Base, which has the reference number 822603, is not a security update, so it won't be installed automatically and must be selected from the list of other Windows updates.

Make sure that the printer is using the latest printer drivers. HP says that it is important to remove the previous drivers completely before installing the new ones. You are advised to disconnect the MFP and uninstall the driver software according to the instructions in an HP document called Uninstalling the HP All-in-One Software ( document bpu01843 from http://www.hp.com/). Note that some drivers have to be removed by running a special software cleanup utility, so make sure that you use it if one is listed as a requirement for your printer.

Even if no driver update is available, problems can often be sorted out by uninstalling and then reinstalling the HP device drivers, which you would do via Printers in the Control Panel. Problems can also occur when Windows is upgraded. HP recommends uninstalling HP drivers before you upgrade Windows, or even install Service Packs.

2. - The USB standard allows for a cable up to 5 metres in length, but some USB Controllers won't work with cables more than 2 metres long, so, if you are using a long cable, try using a shorter one.

3. - You should not connect a printer to the USB ports that are built into a USB keyboard, or to a USB hub that is unpowered. If you are using an unpowered USB hub (that draws its power through the computer), try using a USB hub that has its own power supply.

4. - If you have plugged the device into a USB port on the front of the computer's case, try using a port that is built into the motherboard instead.

5. - Try disconnecting all other USB devices (a scanner, a camera, an external hard drive, etc., but not the keyboard or mouse), and if the MFP works on its own, reconnect the other USB devices one at a time. You can try hotplugging the device while the computer is on, and if that doesn't work have the device connected and then reboot the system, because some USB devices like to have the driver loaded by Windows at startup and don't like being hotplugged. If the MFP stops working after you have connected a particular device (if necessary in both of those ways), you should try purchasing a self-powered USB hub, or consider uninstalling the software that runs that particular device.

6. - Check the website of your motherboard manufacturer for a BIOS update for the make and model (or revision) of motherboard, and install it. This action is of particular importance if your motherboard has some of the earlier SiS and AMD chipsets for the AMD Athlon processors. Microsoft Update for Windows XP usually includes chipset and other driver updates, but often the motherboard's site has the latest updates, which should also be downloaded and installed. Users with motherboards with VIA Controllers should install the latest VIA Hyperion "4-in-1" drivers, and install the USB Filter patch from http://www.viaarena.com/. This patch is supposed to solve problems that occur when transferring large amounts of data.

HP has stated that BIOS setup options that change RAM timings can cause USB problems, so, if your motherboard has a VIA chipset and its BIOS has a setting called Chip Performance Speed or System Performance, try setting it to Normal instead of Strong, Turbo, Optimal, or Fast.

7. - Power management issues can be the cause of the printer not being recognised by Windows, because it turns off the power to USB devices when they are inactive for a certain period of time. In Windows XP, open the Device Manager and locate the USB Root Hub, which is under the USB Controllers entry. Right-click on it and select Properties. Click the Power Management tab and remove the checkmark from the option called: Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.