Hi, I am trying enable the USB ports
Packard Bell PB 9533, Windows 98SE with all the updates
USB is enabled in the BIOS.
I have installed the drivers for 2 USB devices.

The "Intel 82801AA USB Universal Host Controller" is listed in device
manager as is one "USB Root Hub"

I have tried lots of things to try to resolve the issue following the advice
here:
http://www.usbman.com/win98seusbguide.htm

Nothing seems to work

Question:
Would the problem be resolved if I added a PCI USB expansion card like this
one:
http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/components/controllersandiocards/productView.htm?quicklinx=108H

thanks for any help
cw

it most certainly would...........I ran a 4 port PCI card under 98SE for
many years............until I saw the light, XP.

dj

Show quoteHide quote

Did your system also have a couple of apparently dud USB ports before you
added the card?

Not that I recall. My original set up had 4 USB ports, 2 onboard and 2 via
an aux pinout on the MOBO. When I eventually had to expand due to the
purchase of more USB devises I opted for the PCI card. In all I had 8 USBs
under 98SE. That set up ran until early last year when I upgraded to XP
(great).  In fact I have only just sold the original MOBO (Abit) but
retained both USB cards for my new MOBO (Freeconn). I do recall it took a
little time to sort out the best sequence of connection due to the shortage
of ir addresses under 98/98se.

I will add that some components did not like being connected to the aux
board or the PCI card but would only work when connected to the 2 main
onboard USB ports. My Nikon USB connector and Zio card reader were just 2 to
mention.

regs
dj

Show quote Hide quote Your mainboard USB ports functioned correctly.
This may mean that a PCI USB card will not help me .. It may, like my
mainboard USB ports, just not work.

code_wrong wrote:

Show quoteHide quotewww.dabs.com/uk/channels/components/controllersandiocards/productView.htm?quicklinx=108H

Maybe you have to install the USB driver with the USB ports disabled in
the BIOS and then enable them later, sort of what has to be done with
drivers for some PCI cards.

The PCI USB card shown in your link is a really good one because it
uses the NEC USB2 chip (big square thing), making it compatible with
about everything.

for the record .. that did not work ..

Coming in late here so lets see. Your onboard USB ports do not
function? Or they do function? If they do not function it is more or
less a few possibilities such as a loose connection on the mainboard,
or the drivers are not correct and there for do not work.

I also noted you want to place a USB card into the system. Well
depending on the resources available a USB PCI card is a good
investment. I use 2 Belkin USB 2.0 Cards to work with my on board 1.1
USB which I am using under Windows XP.

However the USB cards some time only allow 2 of the 4 or 5 connections
to run at USB 2.0 and the others run at 1.1 (Look at belkin Site to
see what I mean) but that is not here nor there at present.

What you should do is make sure that no devices are connected to the
USB ports and then load the drivers. Make sure you turn the machine on
and off to have it set correctly.

Now on the install of the USB card you again should have no USB
devices attached and run the set up drivers diskette or better yet go
to the web site of the card company and get the most up to date
drivers. Follow the instructions exactly and when you turn your
machine on and off it should be seen by the system.

The whole process should be painless except sometimes the devices are
not allocated proper IRQ and may need to be manually assigned one that
does not conflict with any other device.

USB onboard can and do go bad. Many a computer shop can get the needed
USB for the motherboard when this type of situation occurs.

Please note that some drivers may need to be tweaked in order to
function, that is why when you buy the add on USB card it comes with
support from the manufacturer to make sure it works. That is also your
best bet.

Elector

Elector wrote:

Which PCI USB 2.0 cards are like that?  I've looked at USB 2.0 cards
based on NEC, VIA, and ALi chips, and all of their ports were USB 2.0.
OTOH I've seen mobos where some of the USB ports were 2.0 and others
were 1.1, but they used separate USB chips for each, with USB 1.1 built
into the south bridge, USB 2.0 used a VIA VT6202 chip.

code_wrong wrote:

I once had a USB port blow out because the tiny chip meant to prevent
excess current failed, maybe because the capacitor across the port's
+5V supply was too small.

<snip>

Thanks for the help guys .. I purchased and installed the Belkin's Hi-Speed
USB 2.0 PCI card and managed to get the pen drive to work with it..... I had
real trouble finding the correct drivers for the EasyDisk pen drive as it
did not look like one of their products .. and the serial numbers on the
side did not fit any of their products either ..
The procedure for installing the drivers for Win98 is a major pain .....
- Do not insert the device yet !
- Load the drivers
- reboot
- insert the device
- if you are very very lucky the device might work .. if it doesn't .. then
remove all the usb stuff in device manager and start again... and again ..
and again ..

good luck
cw

<snip>
Show quoteHide quoteI'm glad you took my advice. Did you ever get all the ports to be USB
2.0?
Glad I was of assistance.

Elector

Show quote Hide quote The two USB 2.0 devices I have here .. did work at high speed individually,
but as I had possession of the machine so long and had to return it ... I
didn't get the chance to experiment with them together .. I have the feeling
that they would have worked together at high speed
cheers
cw

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