USB2 Problem - UPDATE

[its_my_dime]

This thread was previously started on windowsxp.general. I thought the
issue was solved. It isn't.

I have Gateway Profile 5. Windows XP. SP2. Virus/Trojan clean. The
computer is USB2 compliant. There is an enhanced USB2 driver that drives 1
hub and 8 "ports". When a USB2 device is plugged in, one of the 8 ports is
"used" for that item. Non USB2 devices (like the mouse) are assigned to
other hubs/ports.

I know the enhanced driver/hub/ports are working because a memory stick goes
right to one of the 8 ports which is then "used".

However, if I connect an external hard drive or card reader, I get a message
that says: the computer could run faster if the device was connected to a
high speed port. A check of device manager shows that device connected to
one of the other hubs. Occasionally, the device goes to a high speed port,
but if I disconnect and reconnect it, the device invariably runs at low
speed and I get the error message.

I have uninstalled all drivers/hubs and allowed them to come back. I have
reinstalled the chip set.

However: I have a similar Profile 5 in my office. All of the devices work
fine (USB2) in the office computer. The USB2 "hub" shows 3 (or 4) high
speed ports in use. So it is not the Profile 5. And it is not the
devices.

Any thoughts as to why my home computer doesn't recognize these devices as
USB2 while a similar computer in my office has no problem?

Thank you.

 

[John Wunderlich]

I know the enhanced driver/hub/ports are working because a memory
stick goes right to one of the 8 ports which is then "used".

However, if I connect an external hard drive or card reader, I get
a message that says: the computer could run faster if the device
was connected to a high speed port. A check of device manager
shows that device connected to one of the other hubs.
Occasionally, the device goes to a high speed port, but if I
disconnect and reconnect it, the device invariably runs at low
speed and I get the error message.
[...]
Any thoughts as to why my home computer doesn't recognize these
devices as USB2 while a similar computer in my office has no
problem?

The first thing a USB device does when you plug it in is attempt to
communicate at the higher speed. If this fails, it drops back to the
lower speed. Since it occasionally works, my guess is that you may
have cabling problems. The memory stick works OK because it plugs
directly in with no cable. Make sure you are using a USB2 cable and
try exchanging your cable with another USB2 cable (the shorter the
better).

HTH,
John

 

[its_my_dime]

I know the enhanced driver/hub/ports are working because a memory
stick goes right to one of the 8 ports which is then "used".

However, if I connect an external hard drive or card reader, I get
a message that says: the computer could run faster if the device
was connected to a high speed port. A check of device manager
shows that device connected to one of the other hubs.
Occasionally, the device goes to a high speed port, but if I
disconnect and reconnect it, the device invariably runs at low
speed and I get the error message.
[...]
Any thoughts as to why my home computer doesn't recognize these
devices as USB2 while a similar computer in my office has no
problem?

The first thing a USB device does when you plug it in is attempt to
communicate at the higher speed. If this fails, it drops back to the
lower speed. Since it occasionally works, my guess is that you may
have cabling problems. The memory stick works OK because it plugs
directly in with no cable. Make sure you are using a USB2 cable and
try exchanging your cable with another USB2 cable (the shorter the
better).

HTH,
John

Good thought. But the same cable that works on one computer doesn't work on
a second. And it is a brand new, USB compliant cable.

 

[John Wunderlich]

Good thought. But the same cable that works on one computer
doesn't work on a second. And it is a brand new, USB compliant
cable.

Be careful with what you mean. There is "USB 1.1 Cable" and "USB 2.0
Cable". Both are "USB Compliant" but they're different. Assuming you
have USB 2.0 cable, I can't explain -- but something seems marginal.

Cheers,
John

 

[Smoker~]

This thread was previously started on windowsxp.general. I thought the
issue was solved. It isn't.

I have Gateway Profile 5. Windows XP. SP2. Virus/Trojan clean. The
computer is USB2 compliant. There is an enhanced USB2 driver that drives
1 hub and 8 "ports". When a USB2 device is plugged in, one of the 8 ports
is "used" for that item. Non USB2 devices (like the mouse) are assigned
to other hubs/ports.

I know the enhanced driver/hub/ports are working because a memory stick
goes right to one of the 8 ports which is then "used".

However, if I connect an external hard drive or card reader, I get a
message that says: the computer could run faster if the device was
connected to a high speed port. A check of device manager shows that
device connected to one of the other hubs. Occasionally, the device goes
to a high speed port, but if I disconnect and reconnect it, the device
invariably runs at low speed and I get the error message.

I have uninstalled all drivers/hubs and allowed them to come back. I have
reinstalled the chip set.

However: I have a similar Profile 5 in my office. All of the devices
work fine (USB2) in the office computer. The USB2 "hub" shows 3 (or 4)
high speed ports in use. So it is not the Profile 5. And it is not the
devices.

Any thoughts as to why my home computer doesn't recognize these devices as
USB2 while a similar computer in my office has no problem?

---
I don't know about card readers, but XP has a horrible time with detection
of external USB hard drives. MS knows about it and has a fix that may or may
not work like all the other fixes for this that do and mostly don't.

With your drive attached, use TweakUI to assign it a permanent drive letter
and preferably way down the alphabet. (XP chokes on particular hardware with
all the USB drive changes up front.) This may apply to your card reader
also. It's not a definite cure, but it at least helps for one aspect of the
problem. Most people don't have this trouble. A heck of a lot do.

You can search on Google to see how others have dealt with it. You'll get to
try a lot of fixes and one might work for you. It's probably still a good
idea to keep a permanent drive letter assigned as mentioned anyhow. If your
device is plugged in you may not have a problem on your first cold boot.