USB troubles

[Ricky Romaya]

Grrrrr, I have nothing but endless problems here. I have setup
successfully, without any hassle, Canon i255 printer. After that, I
disconnect the USB printer cable from the printer, but leave it attached
to the USB port. While I'm writing the vendor about my graphic adapter
problems in win98se, my win2k suddenly crash with endless beep on the pc
speaker. I tried to reboot, but unsuccessfull, then reset button to the
rescue.

After reboot, at the point where the system info box displayed (just
before entering OS selection menu) there are beeps on the pc speaker.
Then I found out that the keytboard isn't working. The beeps are several
fast beeps (couldn't count, too fast), a pause, then a single beep. I
remove the USB cable, then things are working normal again.

The USB port used is the one on the backpanel which is built onto the
mobo. I tried to switch port (the one directly on top of it, if the mobo
is laid down) and the same problem occurs. Strangely, if I connect the
cable to the ports on the extra backpanel (the one which attached to the
mobo by cables), the problem doesn't occur. I haven't tried to print from
that port yet.

2 additional things I've noticed. Even if I disable the USB controller
(from the BIOS), and attached the cable to the ports on the backpanel
which built onto the mobo, the problem persists.

Another, If I attached the cable, on any available USB ports, there are
now noticable delays in power up, specifically, between when I push the
power button and when the power kicks in. Before this problem, it's
almost simultaneous, even with the cable attached.

Plz Help
TIA

 

[Dave C.]

Another, If I attached the cable, on any available USB ports, there are
now noticable delays in power up, specifically, between when I push the
power button and when the power kicks in. Before this problem, it's
almost simultaneous, even with the cable attached.

Plz Help
TIA

Sounds like a bad cable to me. If it is shorting out, it could cause all
the symptoms you described. -Dave

 

[Ricky Romaya]

Sounds like a bad cable to me. If it is shorting out, it could cause
all the symptoms you described. -Dave

This is what I first thought also. However, it doesn't explain why there
are no problems (at least it doesn't lock up my keyboard, but the power
on symptom persists) when it attached to the extra backpanel.

An update:

I tried to attach the cable to the USB port where this problem first
started (at the back panel which built ontop the mobo). It gives the
beeps and keyboard lock up as before. This time it is also attached to
the said printer. Then I reset (the reset button) the mobo and turn the
printer. There are no beeps and keyboard works fine. Then I try to print
a test page, and it also works fine.

Does this mean the problem is unconnected/unterminated USB cable? Is USB
2.0 requires that all devices attached to it have to be connected to some
device, or somehow terminated if it doesn't? Why then there are no
problems (at least from what I observed) to detached Card Reader, or
Digital Camera cables (the cable is plugged to the USB port at one end,
but the other end doesn't attached to the said devices)?