very puzzling.
wish i could say i have a solution but i am going thru the same
thing on my dim8400. very very strange..and today there are quite a
few posts with this same problem.
I have 2 ext hard drives that worked fine then now do not.
one either keeps resetting..it will work.then disappear and xp then
finds new hardware. some times it comes back saying its working as usb1.1 and would
work better as usb2.0
The other hd worked but now is not reconnized at all. the dell usb ports on the 1907fp monitor worked but stopped. same thing happens on my usb scanner. keeps resetting and being found again
i recently removed all instances of USB from the device manager(did this several times) and it works for a while.
no idea why this is happening if its a driver issue? i suspect it is that as the above devices do same thing on my other non-dell computer.
Is it possible you're attempting to connect so many USB devices at the same time and they're trying to draw more power than the PC can deliver via USB? In that case, you'd need to use a USB hub with its own external power supply.
i suppose a power problem could have something to do with it
but then again why supply 7 ports on the rear of tower and not
ensure they all have enuf power?
it be like having 12 power outlets in your house but if u plug in
more than 7 appliances you lose power to all of them
i could see them with this issue if u plugged 7 hubs with 4 ports each into
all the usb ports - then used 4 usb devices per hub at the same time
but using 1 device per each supplied port shud not cause problems
i dont use them all at the same time tho - do the usb ports still draw
power if something is plugged in but not turned on?
the 2 usb hard drives-the usb scanner all have their own power supply
i know alot of people use usb devices and hard drives and do not have any problems
if this was a problem there would be alot more reports of this across the net
hopefully i can figure out what is causing this soon - not cool using usb drives for backups and they fail to work half the time :)
It's not a question of how many devices are connected, but how power-hungry they are. USB printers and drives are notoriously greedy for power. And there are a lot of posts on these forums where an externally powered USB hub is the solution to this type of problem. Obviously, I can't say it's your solution, unless you're willing to try it. Maybe buy a powered hub from somewhere with a liberal return policy?
Try this first: With all your USB devices connected, Open Device Manager and expand list under USB. Double-click each root hub, one at a time, and click Power tab. That'll show you what's attached to that root hub and how much power each device is using. Max on most USB root hubs is 500 mA (it's shown at top of that screen) so if you're close to max, or over the line, you probably need a powered hub. If possible, try to even out the loads on all rear USB hubs so they're all drawing eqaul power. Front ports on Dell PCs tend to provide less power so are good for USB memory sticks, but not necessarily for printers or backup drives.
I spent some more time last night taking a look at a few things and came up with the following observations:
MISC
1) Everything is listed correctly in "Device Manager" and there are no yellow or red indicators.
2) Dell Diagnostics was run and all tests passed.
3) I uninstalled all of the "USB Controllers" and let the computer reinstall them, but problems still exist.
4) There's another item called "Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller". Should I uninstall and reinstall that?
5) Everything else on the computer seems to be normal including Firewire ports.
These are the USB devices connected to the computer:
CANON SCANNER
This is powered off the USB port and works perfectly.
LOGITECH WEBCAM
This is powered off the USB port and works perfectly.
LOGITECH MOUSE
This is powered off the USB port and works perfectly.
WESTERN DIGITAL EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE
This has an independent power supply and can connect via USB or Firewire. The USB connection has problems, but when used just iwth the Firewire connection it works perfectly.
USB HUB (On the side of Dell Monitor)
This is where we plug in flash drives and our digital camera. The flash drive only seems to work when dealing with very small files. However, it can be very sluggish as if it's struggling to transfer data. Sometimes we'll get "path to deep" or "time out" errors.
HP PRINTER
The printer displays it's messages on the computer (low ink levels, etc.) and will automatically turn on when something is printed, but then it will hang. However, it will print simple text, but when trying to print a photo it will print a few lines and then hang and a message comes up saying "Document failed ot print".
So in general, the computer works normally except for the majority of USB ports. The computer can detect devices and communicate with them but something is going on that causes communications (data transfers) to be very sluggish and not work.
NEXT STEP?
I'm thinking about just installing a USB PCI card and seeing if that corrects the situation. Anything I should keep in mind when puchasing and installing one?
If you know when things went wrong, you could do a System Restore to last date available before the problems started. Personal files will be ok, but all XP updates, and hotfixes originally installed after date uesd for the Restore will have to be reinstalled.
Click start>help&support
Click "Undo changes..."
Follow prompts and pick last date when you know it was ok. After the Restore go directly to MS update site and allow it to scan your system for required updates.
You coulld also try running windows system file check:
Click start>run
Type in: sfc /scannow
(space between sfc and /)
Click OK
Insert XP CD if sfc requests it and reboot when it's done. Personal files will be ok and you shouldn't have to reinstall any XP updates again but it doesn't hurt to go to the website for a scan.
When you do a system restore does it affect any programs that have been installed since the restore point?
I'm asking since I made a restore point before I installed AVG Free and IE7 and don't want to mess up these installations. I find it really hard to believe that AVG Free or IE7 would be causing such problems though. The only other thing was the uninstall of Norton Systemworks 2003 but I don't see how this could be causing this either.
Yes, any software originally installed after the date used for the restore will be lost too. And anything uninstalled will probably be reinstalled unless you physically deleted those files.
Personal files (photos, docs, music etc) are not affected by the restore.
In this case, I'd try the system file check before the restore. If that fixes it, you shouldn't have to worry about reinstalling software again.
witedlace
The more details you provide, the better. You didn't say when your USB ports stop working. Immediately after boot-up, after using the PC for a while....?
If they stop working after a while, open Device Manager and expand the list under USB. Double-click each USB root hub, one at a time, and select Power Management tab. Uncheck the box "Allow PC to turn off...". Click OK and repeat for all root hubs. Exit Device Manager and reboot.
how do I open the device manager? The issues occur randomly, sometimes after extended use of the PC, then rebooting shuts it off at start-up. I have a friend in tech support for a large title firm that has had to update the bios on all of the dells there for this same problem which is where I got that information from. What happens is that the usb ports stop working, be it the mouse or the keyboard. It has been happening for a period of about six months or so. I was informed that dell computers were having this problem on a widespread basis.
Don't know where you're getting your info, but I haven't seen lots of posts complaining about widespread problems with USB ports on the 2400 in these forums.
What version of BIOS is on your PC? The latest is v5, released in 2003, is here:
http://snipurl.com/1sil1.
Keyboard and mouse should be connected to rear USB ports on the PC.
To open Device Manager:
Press Windows key+Pause/Break key
Click Hardware tab
Click Device Manager button
Did you connect some new USB device(s) 6 months ago when this started? Some USB printers, cameras and scanners pull so much power from the USB port that the PC turns the ports off to prevent hardware damage.
If unchecking "Allow PC to turn off..." for each root hub doesn't solve your problem, you could try the generic fix for USB problems:
Open Device Manager (see above)
Expand list under USB
Right-click and Uninstall all USB entries
Exit Device Manager and reboot
XP will reinstall the USB ports
And if you have a lot of power hungry USB devices, you may need to purchase an externally powered USB hub
Ok, here's a problem with that method. My keyboard DOES NOT WORK. I can't push break and the windows key at the same time when I have to use the on-screen keyboard. Maybe there is a way to do that, but if so I'm not familiar with it. I need another path to find the device manager. my mouse and keyboard are both plugged into the rear USB ports. I do not know how to determine the version of BIOS that is on my computer, but I did find some BIOS updates on this site that address the exact issue I am having when I looked the other day. However I am unaware as to which one applies to my PC, if either does. It was an update for either an E521 or a C521. I can't get the link for it because it is on my desktop and I am on my laptop.
Blintok
118 Posts
0
June 8th, 2007 15:00
wish i could say i have a solution but i am going thru the same
thing on my dim8400. very very strange..and today there are quite a
few posts with this same problem.
I have 2 ext hard drives that worked fine then now do not.
one either keeps resetting..it will work.then disappear and xp then
finds new hardware. some times it comes back saying its working as usb1.1 and would
work better as usb2.0
The other hd worked but now is not reconnized at all. the dell usb ports on the 1907fp monitor worked but stopped. same thing happens on my usb scanner. keeps resetting and being found again
i recently removed all instances of USB from the device manager(did this several times) and it works for a while.
no idea why this is happening if its a driver issue? i suspect it is that as the above devices do same thing on my other non-dell computer.
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
0
June 8th, 2007 16:00
Ron
Blintok
118 Posts
0
June 8th, 2007 20:00
but then again why supply 7 ports on the rear of tower and not
ensure they all have enuf power?
it be like having 12 power outlets in your house but if u plug in
more than 7 appliances you lose power to all of them
i could see them with this issue if u plugged 7 hubs with 4 ports each into
all the usb ports - then used 4 usb devices per hub at the same time
but using 1 device per each supplied port shud not cause problems
i dont use them all at the same time tho - do the usb ports still draw
power if something is plugged in but not turned on?
the 2 usb hard drives-the usb scanner all have their own power supply
i know alot of people use usb devices and hard drives and do not have any problems
if this was a problem there would be alot more reports of this across the net
hopefully i can figure out what is causing this soon - not cool using usb drives for backups and they fail to work half the time :)
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
0
June 9th, 2007 00:00
Try this first: With all your USB devices connected, Open Device Manager and expand list under USB. Double-click each root hub, one at a time, and click Power tab. That'll show you what's attached to that root hub and how much power each device is using. Max on most USB root hubs is 500 mA (it's shown at top of that screen) so if you're close to max, or over the line, you probably need a powered hub. If possible, try to even out the loads on all rear USB hubs so they're all drawing eqaul power. Front ports on Dell PCs tend to provide less power so are good for USB memory sticks, but not necessarily for printers or backup drives.
Ron
ZENABI
40 Posts
0
June 9th, 2007 12:00
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
0
June 9th, 2007 17:00
Click start>help&support
Click "Undo changes..."
Follow prompts and pick last date when you know it was ok. After the Restore go directly to MS update site and allow it to scan your system for required updates.
You coulld also try running windows system file check:
Click start>run
Type in: sfc /scannow
(space between sfc and /)
Click OK
Insert XP CD if sfc requests it and reboot when it's done. Personal files will be ok and you shouldn't have to reinstall any XP updates again but it doesn't hurt to go to the website for a scan.
Ron
Message Edited by RoHe on 06-09-2007 11:01 AM
ZENABI
40 Posts
0
June 9th, 2007 18:00
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
0
June 10th, 2007 16:00
Personal files (photos, docs, music etc) are not affected by the restore.
In this case, I'd try the system file check before the restore. If that fixes it, you shouldn't have to worry about reinstalling software again.
Ron
witedlace
5 Posts
0
October 21st, 2007 22:00
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
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October 21st, 2007 23:00
Always include your PC model and version of Windows in your posts. Otherwise no one will be able to help you troubleshoot the problem.
Ron
witedlace
5 Posts
0
October 22nd, 2007 10:00
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
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October 22nd, 2007 18:00
The more details you provide, the better. You didn't say when your USB ports stop working. Immediately after boot-up, after using the PC for a while....?
If they stop working after a while, open Device Manager and expand the list under USB. Double-click each USB root hub, one at a time, and select Power Management tab. Uncheck the box "Allow PC to turn off...". Click OK and repeat for all root hubs. Exit Device Manager and reboot.
Ron
witedlace
5 Posts
0
October 22nd, 2007 21:00
RoHe
10 Elder
•
45.2K Posts
0
October 22nd, 2007 22:00
What version of BIOS is on your PC? The latest is v5, released in 2003, is here:
http://snipurl.com/1sil1.
Keyboard and mouse should be connected to rear USB ports on the PC.
To open Device Manager:
Press Windows key+Pause/Break key
Click Hardware tab
Click Device Manager button
Did you connect some new USB device(s) 6 months ago when this started? Some USB printers, cameras and scanners pull so much power from the USB port that the PC turns the ports off to prevent hardware damage.
If unchecking "Allow PC to turn off..." for each root hub doesn't solve your problem, you could try the generic fix for USB problems:
Open Device Manager (see above)
Expand list under USB
Right-click and Uninstall all USB entries
Exit Device Manager and reboot
XP will reinstall the USB ports
And if you have a lot of power hungry USB devices, you may need to purchase an externally powered USB hub
Ron
witedlace
5 Posts
0
October 24th, 2007 22:00