USB Port/Driver Problems {moved by photolady}

[tech_9]

I'm having some really frustating problems with USB ports and drivers on my computer lately...

I run Windows Vista Permium 32.
I have 7 USB Ports: 2 on the board, 3 on an expansion slot that plugs into the board, and 2 on my case which plugs into the board. The only ones that work are the set that plug into the case. I have switched around the plugs on the board and found whichever is plugged into the USB2 plugin on the board will work...But no other ones.

If I plug a device into the other ones, it powers up but does not work. For instance, if I plug my opitcal mouse into it, it lights up but the cursor does not move. My USB flash memory lights up but doesn't come up. My Bluetooth dongle light comes on but drivers don't load. Additionally, whenever I plug a device into any USB Port, a driver box comes up and says I need to find the drivers. If I install proper USB drivers, even ones that have previously worked fine on Vista, it doesn't do anything. Directing Vista to look in the drivers folder into which they were installed, it doesn't find them. It also won't find them on the CD if it comes with them, and using the driver installation program that comes with some things doesn't work.

The only devices that work are ones that autoload drivers, such as my Bluetooth dongle, or data cables, or flash memory, and they only work on the 2 usb ports on the case, so I have to constantly switch.

Looking in my device manager, theres a bunch of stuff under USB, as shown here:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k263/tech9_007/USB.jpg
Is this a problem? Is there anything else I need to tell you to help? I've always just taken USB for granted, so I've no idea what to do to fix it...I asked my IT guy at our school, and he said to look at the device manager for old unplugged USB devices, but there wasn't any there....

OK, well, if anyone could help, that would be great! Thanks.

[photolady]

What motherboard do you have?
Try this if you haven't yet. Remove all those devices under Universal Serial Bus controllers, uninstall each one, then reboot/restart the computer, Vista should reinstall them and the drivers.

[tech_9]

It's some low budget Gigabyte. I will try that. Do I want to also turn off USB in the BIOS For one boot up before allowing them to be resinstalled? I read that in another post.

[photolady]

I've never seen a low budget Gigabtye board and those are what I build all my personal computers with. We need the model number, so go download Everest in the link and run a summary, then post that in here or just the name of the motherboard, which is located under the heading "Motherboard" on the left side, and click the + sign, highlight the name Motherboard again and in the right hand pane will be the model number.

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/download/file/everest-home-edition

You really don't need to disable the USB in the BIOS. I saw that post also but have never seen it posted anywhere else for this task.

[tech_9]

GA-8I848P775-G (Rev 1.0)
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Manual_Model.aspx?ProductID=1921


Okay, I did what you suggested, here's where we're at at this point:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k263/tech9_007/usb2.jpg

That unkown device is my mouse, even though its also trying to find drivers for the optical mouse. It searched for the USB drivers online and on the computer, nothing worked. Also, the ports left at this point are no longer USB 2.0

[tech_9]

There are no USB or USB 2.0 drivers available for this motherboard from Gigabyte's support, saying simply to download SP2 for XP. There is no mention whatsoever of Vista, so I'm just assuming they quti supporting this board.

And...Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a low budget board. I went through 3 during the warrantly period...This one so far has been the best luck I've had with one so far, given that this only problems I've had is this and the fact that only 2 of the 3 ram slots work...

[photolady]

Gigabyte doesn't make low budget boards pure and simple. It may have cost less but it's still not low budget. Low budget motherboards are ECS, FoxConn, PCChips, Jetway, and AsRock (Asus's low budget board). The first four I would not even buy.

Are you saying Gigabyte does not have any vista drivers for this board?

Is the Vista an upgrade disk?

[photolady]

Okay, now you need to go to Vista's update site and update the drivers. See the link below:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/b3c6477e-1111-4b9f-a52a-fffdc51e9c901033.mspx#EW

One thing I will say though, is never install an operating system if you can't get drivers for your motherboard or other equipment in that operating system.

[tech_9]

Well I never had to install them for XP, Everything worked right away...And this stuff ALL WORKED with Vista, which is a system builder's version, not an upgrade. It recently quit working.

It already tried to do the update driver thing, as I said before. It didn't work.

[photolady]

Your xp cd probably had SP1 or SP2 incorporated into the cd and that's why it worked right off.

I don't use vista except on occasion because all my computer customers are still using XP. So, we're going over to Vista's Forum and maybe someone over there can help you out.

[AnnMarie]

Make sure that you are logged in as Administrator and doubleclick on each USB device. Click on the Driver tab. Is the Roll Back Driver button available? If so, click on it and reboot when you have finished.

[tech_9]

There is not that option on any of them.

[AnnMarie]

I think we need some clarification.

And this stuff ALL WORKED with Vista, which is a system builder's version

And your OEM version of Vista would have been preinstalled on this computer so it must still be under warantee. Why not take it in to whoever you purchased it from and let them take a look at it. Hardware issues should be covered.

[tech_9]

I bought Vista off newegg. My computer was built here at home a year ago or so, I originally ran XP until early February. At that point, everything worked fine. This issue came up recently, within the last few weeks. What is the legality of installing Vista again on the same computer? Am I allowed to do that? I've got a 20gb disk which I could install Vista on to see if I can replicate the problems in order to see if its a hardware or software issue...

[AnnMarie]

Ask for your money back. Here is the deal (and it applies to Vista too):

It is now very simple and straightforward: an OEM license must be sold "only with a fully assembled computer system." Loophole closed.

See here (http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archive/2005/09/07/461950.aspx).

I dont see Newegg on the Authorized Microsoft OEM Distributors (http://www.microsoft.com/oem/authdist/UnitedStates.mspx) list either.

[tech_9]

I don't really want my money back or to get rid of Vista. I just want my USB devices to work! Newegg has this disclaimer: Disclaimer: This OEM software is intended for system builders only and cannot be transferred to another PC once it is installed. The purchaser of this software is required to comply with the terms of the System Builder license, including the responsibility of providing all end user support for the software. http://www.microsoft.com/ oem/sblicense/default.mspx Does that cover them?

[AnnMarie]

Perhaps, I'm not a legal expert so I cant really say.

The purchaser of this software is required to comply with the terms of the System Builder license

Do you build and sell new PCs or servers tech_9?

[tech_9]

No I just built mine.

[AnnMarie]

I appreciate your honesty tech_9 but I'm afraid that you have not complied with the terms of the System Builder license and are not eligible to use this software.

The thing is, this software is probably not suitable for your rig anyway. You would be much better off admitting your mistake and returning it for refund and purchasing the full retail version (or upgrade as you have XP). If you are a student (and something you posted made me think you are), you may be able to take advantage of a School Agreement Student Option (http://www.microsoft.com/education/casavista.mspx)

[jtdoom]

legal OEM, that is hairy...
Did you know that one could register to be a microsoft partner, building just one system?

The OEM licence, is (was.. faik) legal when one builds the system.
In other words, OEM was never intended to be an upgrade.

"retail sellers" may offer OEM. What they sell is what a small shop gets, and is is not a branded OEM, it cost more than what large "branded" OEM pay. That is the OEM one finds available.

these days, no upgrade in OEM. (your one year old machine does not qualify for the discount either)

[tech_9]

What are you guys talking about? I honestly don't care. I just wanted you to help me fix this USB problem, not tell me whether or not it is absolutely legitimate for me to be using Vista at all.

I have a hard time believing Microsoft would actually care that I bought a single OEM for home use on my computer.

Anyway, I essentially solved the problem by switching back to XP until I find someone competent enough to help me.

Thank you for causing me to lose faith entirely in this site's ability to help.

[AnnMarie]

What are you guys talking about? I honestly don't care. I just wanted you to help me fix this USB problem, not tell me whether or not it is absolutely legitimate for me to be using Vista at all.

Perhaps you dont care tech_9 but we do. You are using software that you have no right to use and we do not help anyone who has obtained their software fraudulently.

From our Terms of Service:

The posting of links or references to warez or any other type of illegal software is strictly forbidden. By doing so you risk having your user account terminated without warning. We will NOT help anyone we suspect of having obtained their software illegally.

Topic closed.