Odd USB problem

[marvinhl]

A few weeks ago I installed a Bluetooth dongle on my computer to run a Bluetooth headset. It is powered from one of 6 USB2 ports. I am running XP Pro, Athlon 2k CPU, 512 megs RAM, 20g HD. Several months before that, I installed a SD Memory card reader for the card from my digicam. Both items worked fine until recently. Now when I boot from a cold start, the dongle remains unpowered until I open the Bluetooth program which asks me to plug in a Bluetooth device. I unplug the dongle, plug it in again and it lights up and runs my headset just fine. If I reboot, the dongle powers up and works OK. I have re-installed the dongle software several times to try to fix the bootup problem without success. The dongle is on a 6ft extension cable to get it away from furniture, hardware, etc. I have tried it in each of the 6 USB ports, without making any difference. I have also tried it without the cable in the 6 ports, no change. It shows up in the start up menu, but just doesn't start. Recently, the card reader won't work or show up on My Computer after a cold boot until I unplug it and plug it in again. Then it works just fine. My scanner, webcam and printer are all USB devices, plugged in all the time and start and work reliably without any problems. I am at my wits end and frustrated about these 2 nuisances, but I am at the limit of my ability to do anything about them. Help to fix them will be greatly appreciated. Marvin

 

[Jump1ng]

If you put some lines in your text its A LOT easier to read....

I would try downloading the latest chipset drivers for your mobo as they should contain updated USB drivers. Which hopefully will fix the problem.

Another thing you could try is to go to the device manage and turn off the setting that allows windows xp to turn off the device to save power.

I just tried to bootup a computer with a USB memory stick attached to it and it didn't start it properly it kept complaining about the device not being formated, unplugged it and the plugged it in and it works ok.

So it might be a "feature" of Windows XP....

---
Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[marvinhl]

Hi Jump1ng,

Thanks for your reply. I checked Device Manager and I don't

have any power save options turned on. I've never done an

update of a chipset, but I'm looking for help/info on how to

do that. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Marvin

 

[marvinhl]

Hi again,

My very savvy computer tech son David came over and spent 3

hrs searching for answers to this problem. He updated the

Bluetooth program, cleaned out several multiple anti spyware

programs that were running, and did some regedit voodoo. It

turns out that the dongle software made by IVT is not made

by the dongle manufacturer, ISSC in China. When we finally

accessed their website, there were numerous similar

complaints to mine on their support page about Bluetooth

starting problems. Their universal answer was to try another

dongle. David found that there was a bit of reset software

missing that isn't needed on a reboot, only for a cold boot.

Deciding that we had wasted enough time chasing the wild

goose on this nuisance problem, we took the Chinese advice

and spent $20 on eBay to buy another dongle from a

different manufacturer. When it arrives and gets tried, I'll

send a heads up about the result. Meanwhile, thanks again

for your efforts

Marvin

PS Since the clean up work that David did, the card reader

starts up every time.

 

[Jump1ng]

Glad you got your problems sorted.

---
Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[marvinhl]

Hi again,

The new dongle arrived and sad to report that the problem

remains. I spent 3 hrs installing, reinstalling, rebooting,

etc. with little success. Rarely, everything worked as hoped

for, but on the next cold boot, the dongle remained

unpowered until the unplug, replug event takes place; then

everything works OK. The software for the original dongle

was IVT v 1.4, the new one is v 1.6. The new dongle is made

by a different manufacturer; both dongles work with the new

software. I am out of ideas as to what to do next. I know

that this is a small nuisance problem but it bugs me every

morning when I turn the computer on, particularly because

all my other USB devices start and run trouble free.

Can this problem be fixed or must I give in and just live

with it? Suggestions please, Marvin

 

[FAM]

If you unplug all USB devices except the mouse,keyboard and dongle, does it start?

 

[marvinhl]

Hi FAM,

Thanks for your reply. I did unplug all the USB

devices leaving only the dongle plugged in. No change... The

keyboard and mouse are both USB devices, but are plugged into

their own ports with adapters. Keep thinking please, I'll try

whatever you or anyone else suggests. Marvin

 

[BadBigBen]

Hola,

have you tried to reinstall the Chipset Drivers for your mobo?

another question, does the dongle powerup as you power on the PC, and then cuts out? or is there no power to the dongle until you unplug and replug it in?

have you tried the dongle in other USB ports?


Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[marvinhl]

Hi BigBadBen,

I haven't reinstalled the Chipset Drivers because I've

never done that, don't know how to do it and I'm concerned

about making a fatal mistake and wiping out my computer.

That said, I can go on to your other questions. The dongle

doesn't power up when I power up the PC. Once I plug and

replug, it never quits and runs fine. A reboot turns it on

OK, but on a cold boot it's as dead as a post until I do the

unplug, replug dance. I have tried the dongle in all the

other ports (there are 6) with no success. I've tried it

with and without it's extension cable....no success! It's

a PITA problem that I'd like to solve with Tek-Tips help.

I've got 2 dongles now, a nice Bluetooth Headset and a $95

investment. Add to that all the hours my son and I spent.

I'm not ready to quit nor am I ready for the sledgehammer.

Marvin

 

[jurgen36]

One suggestion, sometimes you can enable legacy usb in the Cmoss. If you have this facility do it and it should be recognised on boot up. Had a similar problem with the Asus p4p800E de luxe bord. After enabling usb legacy support it started up ok. But it can upsett your boot sequence. If that happens you have to reestablish your boot drive in Cmoss.
Good luck

Jurgen

 

[marvinhl]

Hello jurgen36,

Thanks for your tip. I just checked the BIOS and USB

Legacy Support was already enabled....too bad, I was hoping

for a Home Run this time. I checked into the MOBO website

about updating the Chipset. Aside from cautions about doing

that only if it's necessary and disclaimers if their update

messes up your computer, I did not understand exactly what

to do or what to download. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the

Chinese to English translation, but for me it looks like a

Star Trek adventure, going where No Man (me) Has Gone

Before. I hope there's another way. Keep thinking, please. Marvin

 

[BadBigBen]

Hola,

Jurgen you got the info out before me... I was about to suggest that one myself...

@marvinhl - well, try what Jurgen suggested, as this will power up the USB ports at POST, as this usually happens within the OS, and that was why I mentioned the ChipSet drivers...

the ChipSet drivers usually do not mess up the system... unless you happen to have a very old mobo, that the drivers don't cover anymore or correctly (had this happen with a VIA board once, where the VIA IDE driver screwed with it)...


Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[marvinhl]

Hi All, I searched for info on what really is involved in

updating the chipset drivers. The actual moves are simple

and straight forward, but searching for the correct drivers

only led to confusion. My MOBO is an Asrock K7VM2 Series.

The existing chipset is a VIA 4 in 1. I couldn't find a

clear choice of update on the Asrock website, and A VIA

search led me to a site called VIA Arena...this generated

more confusion. Searching further, I found a Hyperion site

that was much clearer, but still I could not find a simple

description of which update to download. My original chipset

is a VIA 4 in 1 443V. I cannot clearly match this version

with the offers on Hyperion's website to be sure that I'm

going to download and install the correct update. I've done

many downloads and updates in the past, but the choices and

offers were all rather clear to me....this time, the more I

search, the more uncertain I get. I'm still concerned about

making a mistake that would fatally damage my computer, and

I'm getting weary and crosseyed from staring at the monitor

for many, many hours and coming up with more confusion than

answers. Maybe it's time to light some candles, burn some

incense and do some serious chanting, but I'm not sure about

that helping either. Your suggestions, please. Marvin

 

[BadBigBen]

VIA 4in1 v4.53 should be the latest one...

VIA Arena, is the Forum/Website dedicated to VIA Chipset drivers...

Hyperion, if I recollect correctly, is the Daughter Firm of VIA which writes the Software...

all in all, DL VIA Hyperion 4in1 V4.51 and above should take care of the ChipSet question...

Good Luck...

Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[linney]

What Service Pack version is installed on this computer?

This thread has lots of USB articles mentioned, they may be worth a read.
USB Flash drive problem
thread779-1101630

 

[marvinhl]

Hi Ben and linney, thanks for the new info. I have SP2

installed. I now have a lot of new stuff to check out and

will do that in the next day or so. If there's registry

changes to make, I'll wait for my son to do that....same

goes for installing the chipset update. I know what I

shouldn't do by myself, so I'll get David over and let him

run the show. Meanwhile, I'll read all the new info and

download the chipset update and prepare what I can before

his visit. I'll keep you posted on the results. Thanks again

for your great support. Marvin

 

[marvinhl]

Hello again all, I installed the chipset drivers and updated

several other drivers also. No change! Earlier, even though

I tried the system without any USB devices plugged in except

the dongle, I bought a powered USB hub that came with a new

USB cable; I plugged it and the dongle into a different USB

port; still no change; the problem remains! A new question I

have now is this:

Even though I went through the motions of downloading and

installing the new chipset drivers (V 4.53), I don't know

how to check if they are really in the system and running.

Suggestions, please, and any other ideas to try to implement

a fix.

PS Even though I'm a 73 yr OF, whose patience and

persistence are wearing thin, I still care to beat this

problem if it's at all possible. Your help and support is

really appreciated. Thanks again, Marvin

 

[linney]

This from the web see if it applies or guides you?


How Do I Check The VIA Driver Versions On My System?

If you want to check whether the components of the VIA driver package have installed correctly, and which versions of the VIA drivers you are running and/or to manually update individual devices, do the following:



Hyperion/4in1 Version: (THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ONLY)

To check which version of the Hyperions/4in1s you have installed, go to Start>Run and type "Regedit" (without quotes). Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key (click the + next to it). Expand the SOFTWARE Key and scroll down to the Via4in1Driver folder and click on it. You should see an entry called "4in1 Version" with the version number next to it (e.g. 4.56 for the latest Hyperions). The Viamach entry refers to the INF Driver version.

 

[marvinhl]

Hi linney, Thanks for the worthy tip. I just went through the

steps you outlined and v 4.53 is really installed. So, now

that the chipset driver is updated, and the problem is still

with me, any thoughts as to what to do next? Even though the

problem isn't solved yet, I sure am learning a lot about

areas of the computer that I've never visited before. Simply

amazing! BTW, when I booted up cold a little while ago, the

dongle powered up, and the Bluetooth headset connected

painlessly, just like I've been hoping for. As soon as I

send this post, I'll shut down, wait a bit then boot up

again. I'll let you know what happens. Marvin