USB keyboard/mouse problem in Latitude C400

I'd try it connecting a powered usb hub to the system first and then connecting your USB devices to the hub. You might be looking a problem common to alot of portable machines where the devices demand more power than the system supplies through the USB port. I've never heard of it happening with a USB keyboard or mouse however. Are these optical or wireless by chance?

This sounds remarkably similar to the problem I'm having with my C640 running W2K. Sudden lack of response from the USB peripherals while docked and then the LED blinks and suddenly it works again. Often I notice that the hard drive has brief activity when the lights come back on.

I had a previous post on this in response to this post http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=latit_input&message.id=5288>C640 and External USB style dell keyboard (docked)

It looks like paulnerd saw it.

An update on this bug:

To summarize: after a suspend/resume cycle, the USB ports on a C400 (and reportedly the C610 and C640) will intermittently fail, such that mice and keyboards will lose user input for a few seconds.  Bug repeats indefinitely.

I have confirmed this bug still happens when running the new A08 version of the C400 BIOS.  I'm not saying this bug is BIOS related - for all I know, it is a driver bug.

I have also confirmed that the bug happens with both the dock and laptop USB ports.  This bug occurs regardless of whether the machine is in a dock/port replicator or is running standalone.

It would be nice if Dell would acknowledge this bug.  A fix or workaround would be even better.  I am at least able to work around it temporarily by using the same keyboard and mouse with their built in PS2 adapters.

Since this problem has only been reported a few times, it would appear to not be widespread, which gives me hope that perhaps it is specific to a particular hardware or software configuration.  It would be useful to hear from others on this, particularly if you are not experiencing the problem.  Please detail your system configuration.  I'll start with mine.

Latitude C400.  1.2GHz, 1GB RAM, 40GB 5400RPM Toshiba HDD, early C400 unit, purchased in Dec. 2001.

Windows XP Pro SP1, BIOS A08.  Tried both Windows Update and Dell Synaptics drivers.  Tried both Intel and Dell video drivers.

Dock II and C/Port II.  Microsoft USB keyboard, Logitec USB optical mouse.

Message Edited by paulnerd on 11-06-2002 06:41 PM

This bug first manifested itself when I upgraded from bios version A01 to A03. It has been in the bios ever since. Each time a new version of the bios comes out - most recently A08 - I upgrade to it in the hope that it will solve the problem - none of them do. I then downgrade to A01.

The basic problem is that after a suspend/resume cycle a USB mouse (in my case a Logitech Cordless Mouseman Optical) functions initially but if left untouched for 30seconds or so loses connection. Unplugging and replugging the USB connector brings the mouse back to life but again it loses connection. They only way to recover is a shutdown restart.

Does anyone know of a fix for this. I'm running XP SP1 Pro fully patched and A01 bios. How do you report such a bug?

Thanks,

Mark

All,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

If the problem only happens after a suspend, please try the following.  Go to Start-Run and type in msconfig and hit enter.  The System Configuration Editor allows you to choose what loads as the system boots.  Choose Diagnostics startup and hit ok.  Say yes to reboot.  When the system boots up you will see the boot menu, make sure that Normal mode is highlighted and hit enter.  The system will now boot without loading any of the configuration files shown in the System Configuration Editor.  Now, suspend and resume, and see if the problem still occurs.  This test should eliminate the possibility of another program causing the problem.  If this eliminates the problem, then you should be able to use the System Configuration Utility to determine what application is causing the problem.

 

Perhaps your suggestion was meant for WinXP. Because when I got to Start-Run and type in msconfig and hit enter, I get an error that says that 'msconfig' cannot be found. Thus I cannot test to see if it is another program giving me this problem.

I still have the keyboard problem. It doesn't appear immediately after starting the computer. It only appears after 20-30 minutes of use.

I'm running Win2000 on a C640 with all the updates to the OS and the latest BIOS for the C640.

I tried to change the BIOS back to an older version but it would not let me.

Terbor,

As you discovered there is no System Configuration Utility in Windows 2000.  It exists in Windows 98, Me and XP.  You can recreate part of the test, by making sure that you have no programs running in the background.  You need to close all open programs, and then disable any programs, like antivirus software, realplayer, directcd, and other things that run in the background.

I did a little more investigation.

Using msconfig to stop loading boot programs makes no difference.

I found that if I hibernate the machine and wake it back up, the problem of intermittent USB resets does not occur.  Furthermore, if the problem has manifested, doing a hibernate/wakeup cycle will cure it.  Of course this is not very convenient.

I upgraded to the Latitude C400 A09 BIOS and the problem still exists.

Could this be related to early revision hardware?  My C400 is an early production unit, purchased in Dec. 2001.

I would appreciate any help with solving this problem.

paulnerd, did you ever find the solution to your problem? I have the _exact_ same issue with my C400 standalone and in the c/dock. The only way I can get it to go away is off a cold start with the USB peripheral plugged in.

I have the exact same problem, as reported in this thread:
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=latit_periph&message.id=1208

Began after an upgrade to BIOS A09, still there with BIOS A11.

Dell have STILL not acknowledged this as an issue as far as I know.

Have you tried sending in a support request directly? I think I'm going to do that to see what kind of runarounds Dell provides.