USB 2.0 in XP SP2?

[meo]

Is the XP SP2 update suppose to upgrade USB 1 capabilities to high speed USB
2.0? I have an older Dell Inspiron 4150 notebook with the SP2 update
installed, but my USB port doesn't function at USB 2.0 speeds.

I have bought a USB 2.0 PCI card, but it would be more convenient to upgrade
my original USB port to high speed if that is possible. Is that possible?

I've been poking around on these forums to research possible advice and
solutions, but there is so much info to wade through, please forgive me if
this question has already been asked elsewhere.

Thanks for any advice,
meo

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Is the XP SP2 update suppose to upgrade USB 1 capabilities to high speed USB
2.0? I have an older Dell Inspiron 4150 notebook with the SP2 update
installed, but my USB port doesn't function at USB 2.0 speeds.

No. The difference between USB1 and USB2 is a hardware difference, not
a software one.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

No. You need the card.

 

[meo]

Thanks for the replies and info. Your answers are what I suspected. Somewhere
I heard that changing USB settings in the BIOS could enable/upgrade USB 2.0
functionality, but I was skeptical. I will continue to use my high speed
cardbus card.

Thanks again for the quick responses.
meo

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Is the XP SP2 update suppose to upgrade USB 1 capabilities to high speed
USB
2.0?

No. SP1 was required to allow USB2 *hardware* to operate above USB1.1
speeds. At SP1 and later, the determining factor in the possible speed is
the hardware.

I have an older Dell Inspiron 4150 notebook with the SP2 update
installed, but my USB port doesn't function at USB 2.0 speeds.

Does the port use USB1.x or USB2 chips? It's most likely that it uses the
older, slower chips and there is nothing you can do to speed it up.

I have bought a USB 2.0 PCI card, but it would be more convenient to
upgrade
my original USB port to high speed if that is possible. Is that possible?

No, not in any remotely practical way. The embedded chips are part of the
motherboard and you really don't want to go anywhere near modifying it.

HTH
-pk

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Yes, BIOS settings exist for usb, but the physical ports must be usb2
compliant. The hardware must first be usb2 or no amount of software can
matter. You cannot convert a usb1.1 compliant port to usb1.1/2.0 with
settings.

 

[meo]

Thanks for the insightful info from all the replies, they cleared up the
questions I had. I bought my notebook when USB2 technology was being
introduced, so I assume my motherboard is the DELL 5P255 with an older,
slower chipset. Yes, you're correct that I want to leave the systems board
well enough alone. I'll use a USB2 PCMCIA Card (I accidentaly refered to it
as a PCI card in my original post - oops) until I eventually buy a newer
notebook. As fast as technology develops, I suppose USB 6.0 will be the
standard by then.

Again, thanks for all the help. Information is power.
meo

 

[M.I.5¾]

Thanks for the insightful info from all the replies, they cleared up the
questions I had. I bought my notebook when USB2 technology was being
introduced, so I assume my motherboard is the DELL 5P255 with an older,
slower chipset. Yes, you're correct that I want to leave the systems board
well enough alone. I'll use a USB2 PCMCIA Card (I accidentaly refered to
it
as a PCI card in my original post - oops) until I eventually buy a newer
notebook. As fast as technology develops, I suppose USB 6.0 will be the
standard by then.

I doubt it.

Firewire has adopted an 800 Mbps speed in it's copper version, but it
doesn't seem to have had a huge take up. Firewire also offers 1600 and 3200
Mbps in fibre optic versions, but they are extremely rare. So much so that
I have never seen either.