USB problems with Win 2000

[JChrisCarroll]

I have just had a new motherboard fitted. (QDI KinetiZ 7E with an Athlon 1800XP) I am using Win 2000 Professional and everything worked well immediately except that I am having some problems with USB devices - particularly scanners. I have tried two, a Hewlett Packard 3500c and an Epson 1240U. Both start to scan but then freeze and cause anything else attached to the USB port to freeze also. i.e. the USB port drops out completely and I can only get it back with a hard reset.

I have been through all the updating of drivers etc including the re-loading of the chipset drivers, but without success. The dealer who fitted the motherboard says that I need to re-load Win 2000. I am reluctant to do this because it took me hours to download the Service Packs and the various updates that there have been since.

I notice others have been having similar problems. Is a re-load of Win 2000 the only way? If it is, is there any way of hanging on to the Service Packs and updates without going back to the Microsoft website - are they stored somewhere on my machine in a way that allows re-use?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[JChrisCarroll]

While I have been pursuing this issue, I have become aware of a volume of material critical of motherboards with VIA chipsets and listing a range of compatibility problems.
The article from PC Buyers Guide at the URL below is typical. They tend to convince me that I am right to go back to the vendor and seek a different motherboard/chipset setup.

http://pcbuyersguide.com/hardware/motherboards/VIA-Problems.html

 

[magistertc]

Try this link to read about pci lockup problems.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q148501

For what I was referring to:
When you install W2K, during the initial phase, you press F5 key and follow the prompts to select 'Standard PC.' And you likewise should have ACPI disabled in the BIOS and assign IRQs to various PCI slots. This prevents W2K from using its query system to assign and direct signals to different PCI devices. There is less chance that two cards will attempt to respond to input and lock things up. This is obviously arcane and should not be necessary but for the fact that I have found that my flight sims run better when the IRQs are shared around and the sound card has its own IRQ. BTW I have Supermicro MB and have only had a little experience with VIA,
Some of your problem is undoubtedly built into VIA's MB but there are workarounds. Getting a different MB is IMHO a last resort. First, read the MB manual to see which slots share IRQs, and try switching cards around from slot to slot. You can always put them back if it doesn't fix the problem.

If you didn't get the manual, you can go to VIA website or google for it. Good Luck.

 

[JChrisCarroll]

This p.m. I got the chance to try another option. To install a USB PCI card. It installed without difficulty. I disabled the on-chip USB function and lo & behold all my USB stuff (including the scanners) performs faultlessly.
Am I entitled to conclude that the VIA on-chip USB implementation is seriously flawed?

Chris

 

[SgtJarrow]

I will say NO!!! You are not entititled to conclude that....there are some issues yes, but seriously, no, I don't think so. I have a USB mouse, keyboard, NIC, Digital Camera, Scanner, Printer, Video Input Device, Smart Card Reader, MP3 Player, and Palm Pilot all attached to my VIa-Driven Mainboard....and not a sinlge problem! Some people have problems, yes, mut look at the product. The big M is far from perfect. We all know this. As an example, every device on my PC is XP compatible, but do to some unknown issue, my PC will not run XP. My second PC, with many of the same components, but does have a different VIA-driven motherboard runs XP awsomely!!! In short, take any product produced by the big M for what it is worth...If it works, it usually works pretty well...but if you have one problem you are probably bound to an endless stream of them. Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Albert Einstein)

Robert L. Johnson III, MCP, Network+, A+
Access Developer/Programmer
robert.l.johnson.iii@citigroup.com

 

[magistertc]

Good for you! Something in your configuration has obviously changed, and now I have learned another trick for the toolkit.

 

[rjbj]

If you want to re-install Windows and the service Packs and hotfixes at the same time I would look at Microsoft KB articles Q274215 and Q249149.

Q249149 addresses your problem specifically but Q274215 had some nice backround to your problem.

 

[JChrisCarroll]

Thanks. I will have a look. And while I am at it, thanks to all of those of you who took so much interest and were so helpful.

Chris

 

[whythis]

crwpulsar et al:
I'm not looking up all that stuff again. You CAN use SOME USB devices with the VIA chipsets, like your mouse, (the VIA 200 series fixed a lot of the problems the 100 series had, but not all). Most often, USB scanners will not EVER work with this combination. It would be a shame to keep reinstalling the system, trying to fix it. I'd hate to see anyone going to all that trouble, for something that won't work. Check VIA for upgrades and Microsoft (the hardware compatibility lists; check the chipset) for any upgrades. I tried about six months ago and there was nothing that would fix it. I have a KT188; if you have the 200 series, I believe VIA has some upgrades that might help. Forget flashing the BIOS. I appreciate the articles rjbj provided, but I have probably already read them. Will check again. I researched this subject thoroughly in the past, and it's NOT going to WORK, unless possibly a patch can be gotten from the mainboard manufacturer, VIA, or Microsoft. They did not have any six months ago, and I doubt they do now. It would help a LOT if we all clarified WHICH VIA chipsets we are discussing, and which USB devices/brands. I have a UMAX scanner, and it will NEVER work with this chipset and 2K. I even got new drivers from Umax. Forget it. I also have a security camera system (USB)which will work on this system with 98, but not 2K. I must have spent 2 or 3 entire days researching this stuff and there WAS no fix coming from Microsoft or the other companies. In fact, the VIA chipsets were listed as incompatible on the hardware compatibility list (the 188's anyway).