Author Topic: USB problem (Read 418 times)

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **on:** April 11, 2007, 06:47:16 PM »

When I start AH II, it starts, then minimizes, and I get a message that there isn't enough USB bandwidth to run my "USB Composite Device" AKA my Cyborg Evo Force USB stick. It gives me a dialog box that says the system has reserved 24% of the bandwidth. I can't find anything listed to turn off. I tried to go ahead and run AH II, and although the controls and views seem to work okay, the fire buttons hang (the buttons don't physically hang, but the functions continue after the button is released) and I have to hit the buttons on my keyboard to get them "unhung".

I had to reinstall Windows (2000 Pro) recently, and also my motherboard drivers. I also tried reinstalling the Windows Service Packs, as supposedly Service Pack 4 has the USB drivers that supersede all other USB drivers for Windows 2000, including those that come with the motherboard.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2007, 08:19:37 AM »

Bump. I need a little help.

Here's the specs on the computer:

Asus M2N-E SLI NF500 SLI AM2
AMD 64X2 3800+ 2x512K
512x2 OCZ DII800
2x WD 36.7G Raptor SATA 10K
PNY 7600GS 512MB

Hooked to the various USB ports, I have:

USB mouse and keyboard
HP OfficeJet 4215v all in one printer/fax/scanner/copier
Saitek Cyborg Evo Force

I can't figure out how to get enough USB bandwidth to make the game run.

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2007, 09:00:48 AM »

That's really weird because nothing should eat the bandwith like that plus I've never even seen such an error occur anywhere.

Do you have usb set to high speed in the bios?

Kermit de frog · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2007, 12:20:27 PM »

I've seen this before, but always when a USB hub is used. USB Hubs divide the bandwidth while if you buy a PCI USB card, this won't divide the bandwidth.

Make sure you set the USB to HiSpeed.

HiSpeed = 480Mbps (USB 2.0)
FullSpeed = 12Mbps/1.5Mbps (USB 1.1)

SKurj · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2007, 12:45:09 PM »

Are all the devices connected to USB slots directly attached to the mobo? or to some form of addon card or say the front of the case?

If you have more than one location with usb slots just try mixin em up abit, mebbe try plugging the stick into a front panel usb slot if you have one.

Pudgie · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2007, 07:31:46 PM »

Question,

How many USB Root Hubs do you have listed in Device Manager w/ all your devices plugged in? If less than 2, then Skurj's suggestion should get you somewhere.

I would suggest plugging the OfficeJet All-In-One into a Root Hub to itself due to the bandwidth requirements of that unit & put nothing else with it, then plug the rest into another Root Hub(or 2 if you have them available). The USB host controller should then reallocate your bandwidth needs & solve your problem.

A USB Root Hub as listed in Device Manager is the USB cluster attached to the mobo proper, or mobo plug-in(for front panel or slot USB clusters)that normally will have 2 USB plug-in slots per hub. As I remember, the USB host controller will divide the total USB bandwidth across the # of Root Hubs in the USB system. A USB 2.0 Hi-Speed system w/ 5 root hubs will equate to approx 96Mbps per root hub (480/5=96). Each USB port in a root hub will divide by 2 (96/2) to equate to approx 48Mbps per USB port. This is what is called Bus Mastering so that no 1 or 2 devices hog the total bandwidth of the bus. The HC will only ID the devices it sees plugged into the port(s) of the root hub(s) but will not reallocate the bandwidth that it had assigned to an empty root hub(s) to the ID'd root hub(s). This is why a body needs to keep up w/ the power & bandwidth requirements that each device needs to function correctly (USB power off the root hubs & ports is allocated in the same manner) & not daisy chain too many devices off a single root hub (which is the problem that is run into by using external USB hubs off a mobo or PCI USB card root hub). If you're setup in your BIOS for USB 1.1, using the example above, you'll have even less bandwidth allocated. The individual USB device's ID info also tells the HC what their needs are & the HC will try to divide the already allocated bandwidth among the device(s) that are plugged into each port in the root hub & the 1 w/ the most need will get the brunt of the bandwidth & the others will get what is left over & this may not be enough for them thus causing conflicts, thus the suggestion to plug the OfficeJet in a root hub by itself. Yes, I know what the function of the USB system is supposed to provide, I'm just giving you what is not being said about the USB system to the general public.

A USB PCI card is essencially a USB system unto itself (to the computer it looks as a PCI card & is controlled by the PCI bus controller (which BTW also has some control w/ the onboard USB system too-it's part of the overall PCI bus). It's USB HC is onboard the card & is usually more robust. These are better suited to handle such equipment as that OfficeJet. But that choice is up to you to decide.

Oh, 1 more thing. Not all USB 1.1 or eariler specification devices will play well under the USB 2.0 specification either, even though USB 2.0 is supposed to be backwards compatible to the older USB specs. Just keep this in mind as well. For this reason I would also enable the Legacy USB option in the BIOS as well if you have that option available to you.

Just being helpful. Take it at your leisure.

Brooke · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2007, 08:09:30 PM »

I use a USB hub for my joystick and pedals and have no trouble.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2007, 07:25:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SKurj
Are all the devices connected to USB slots directly attached to the mobo? or to some form of addon card or say the front of the case?

If you have more than one location with usb slots just try mixin em up abit, mebbe try plugging the stick into a front panel usb slot if you have one.

There's no extra card.

I tried moving the stick to the port on the front of the case, no change.

The printer is listed in the device manager about 9 times in various areas, including a lot of USB areas. I uninstalled it from everything, the problem still exists.

I tried disabling USB on board sound, but AH won't even start if I do that.

I updated the driver through the Microsoft/Windows update section in the driver update part of the device manager, but it did not change anything.

I thought about getting a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, but didn't get a chance to pick them up, they're getting very hard to find.

I think there may be an issue with this motherboard. I may just wait until I have a chance to replace it, I'm not happy with it for a number of reasons.