Adding USB support to Windows 98SE partition on laptop

[lazyRascal]

I'm setting up a dual boot Gateway 600YG2 laptop computer. It originally came with Windows XP Pro. I resized the original 28Gb drive to 26Gb and then created a FAT32 2Gb partition which I loaded with Windows 98 Second Edition.

I can't get the USB controller or USB hubs to work. When I use Device Manager to view the system, no USB devices are listed.

I've tried using the Control Panel/Add Hardware utility to add a USB Controller. When trying to add a Generic USB device, I use the Windows98SE CD for drivers. It doesn't give an error message, it just doesn't load.

Any guidence is greatly appreciated in resolving this problem.

Thanks in advance.

Walt

 

[wolluf]

Have you tried installing the mobo chipset drivers?

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?param=600YG2&st=kw

 

[lazyRascal]

Yes, I've tried. Gateway's site lists the chipset as Intel 845MP. When I try to load the software from Intel's or Gateway's sites for the 845MP chipset, I get the message: 'The Intel(R) Chipset Software Installation Utility requires a supported chipset platform running on a supported operating system. Check the System Requirements section of the Readme.txt file for more information.'

After clicking OK on the message, the installaion process appears to stop and I'm returned to my desktop.

When I check the Readme.txt file, it says Windows 98 SE is supported.

 

[ceh4702]

USB on some Win98 setups is hardware dependent. However, some motherboards require special techniques to set this up.

USB may require certain items in the BIOS to be turnded on before this can be attempted.

This is similar to having to set up a GART Table on old VIA chipset motherboard to get ATI Video Cards to function properly.

The best way I can describe this is to say that USB uses vitual IRQ to control each USB device. From what I can remember is it uses or builds a GART table to do this.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[felixc]

When you are under WinXP, try to see in the device manager to which physical IRQ the USB controller connects to. Modern USB controllers need up to 3 IRQ lines to work.

What I suspect is that the USB controller is connected to the IOAPIC IRQ controller inputs (IRQs above 15), and not to the standard IRQ lines (IRQ3-15).

The IOAPIC is not supported by Win98. Win98 will detect a USB controller that is inserted to a slot on a motherboard, if there are enough interrupt lines available in the IRQ3-15 range. You do not have this luxury in a laptop.

 

[lazyRascal]

I think you may be correct felixc. When I look at the resources used on the WinXP partition, I see IRQ 18, 19 and 23 are being used.

When I view resources on the Windows98SE partition under Computer Properties I find 03, 07, 09, 10 and 11 are not listed as used. Is there any way to reserve these resources in order to add USB?

I can go to Add New Hardware in order to get the computer to look for new devices, but I don't know what to do from there to force it to configure with available IRQ's.

Any help is very appreciated. Thanks.