You are not the only one having problems with USB 3.0 on the XPS 8500. I have a feeling the new onboard implementation of USB 3.0 with Ivy Bridge architecture is not quite worked out. I guess we are the beta testers.

I had started a thread on this forum dealing with the USB problems of XPS 8500 that you may want to join in. It is at:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19449779.aspx

I returned my system and am receiving a new one of the same configuration today. I will check out if this one has the same problems I saw before and will post to this thread. This problem is real and needs to be fixed.

Error code 0x8100002F and or error code 0x80070002

when you back up files in Windows 7

This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:

• The computer has an NVIDIA USB Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) chipset.
• The computer has at least 4 GB of RAM.
• You try to copy data from the computer to an external USB storage device.

For information about how to resolve this issue, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

I have a XPS 8500 with 16 GB RAM but the graphic card is an AMD Radeon 7800. The files in MS recomendations were related to NVIDIA cards. I tried to download the MS Files and the feed back was that the files did not apply to my computer. I think that there is a problem with the USB 3.0 ports(the same error code could be related to USB interruptions.....). The WD passport has an USB 3 (+2) interface. When I connect the WD Passport to an USB 2 port, it is imediatly recognized and it works correctly. However, I get a message (from WD passport) that I can get a better performance if I connect to an USB 3.0 port. If I connect WD passport to an USB 3.0 port (front or back), it is never recognized as an USB 3 and sometimes it is not recognized at all (not even as USB 2). In some cases, I have to restart the computer with the WD passport connected (USB) in order to the external WD passport to be found and it will be detected as USB 2 connection.  That is, I am getting an erratic behaviour in the USB 3 ports.

AndreSmo,

 The update SpeedStep is refering is for your USB 3.0 chipset.

NVIDIA USB Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) chipset, not a Nvidia Video card.

I would try the "Update" at the link he gave you.

Before updating drivers, it should first be determined which ones are present. Go to the Device Manager and check the drivers of the Enhanced Host Controller. On these new XPS 8500's they should be Intel drivers. That's what I have on mine.

My XPS 8500 has also Intel drivers for the USB enhanced....controller.

Andre Smo,

Try using a USB 3.0 external hub with its own power supply. That was the only workaround I found to solve this problem.

When connecting the WD My Passport 1TB directly on the USB 3.0 PC port (Intel Extensible host controller) it fails every time when I try to create a system image with Windoes 7.

If I connect through a USB 3.0 hub, it works every time. I believe they a have a problem problem on the USB 3.0 ports.

WD tech support never came back with a solution.