Problem with USB2 acting like USB1

I have two USB cards in my PC and they are both either say USB2 or USB Hi-Speed on em and stuff. However whenever I connect anything they don't run at USB2 speeds. For example. Moving a 1Gb file from my PC onto my MP3 player (which works with USB2) takes about 10 minutes or more. On other new pcs which my friends use the same file would take 1 and a half or so minutes. I think the problem lies with my BIOS not being USB2 enabled or something but I don't realy understand it. Perhaps my motherboard just doesn't actualy support USB2 but one of the USB cards has been in the PC since I bought it. Any ideas?

 

are you sure the cable is USB2?

Have you installed the drivers for your card?

 

Why do you have 2 x USB cards in your PC? Suggest that you remove the latest one and revert back to your original one, only. Maybe the cards are conflicting with one another.

Try copying the file with only one USB card installed. Does this imoprove the speed. Swap the cards over, but with only one installed, and try downloading the file again. Any difference in speeds between the 2 cards when they are installed one at a time?

If you need 2 x USB' cards for more ports may I suggest that you try/buy a 4 port hub, or similar. These will run off USB power, or separate power depending on model, and will give you 4 ports from one USB outlet. Bazza
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Only had 2 USB slots to the motherboard (USB1 almost certainly) and 2 on a card (USB2) to start with and they function the same since the new card has gone in. I basicaly needed more as it was a pain switchin the cards around all the time.

It was slow before I put the new card in. They all run like they are USB1s when they are USB2 cards... The drivers are up to date I think. Which is why i'm assuming its something to do with the bios or somethin.

Oh... and its with any file too. I was just giving an example.

 

What operating system are you using?

XP on it's own doesn't support USB 2.0. You need SP1 or higher installed.

From my fading memory, Windows 9x doesn't officially support USB 2.0, so you need to install the drivers supplied with the hardware or card.

In Device Manager, under "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" it should say "enhanced" somewhere to signify it's USB 2.0.

 

As Insomniac said, check out if your USB's on your motherboard are 1.1 or 2.0. Sounds like they might be 1.1. Is there any documentation with your USB card, about settings/jumpers, to overrride 1.1 with 2.0. It might not be possible and you will be stuck with 1.1 speeds. Bazza

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Also as Insomniac says the surest way of checking is to see if they say "enhanced" next to them in device manager. If they do they are 2, if they don't they ain't.

 

Ok no Enhanced stuff in Device Manager.
Windows XP SP2... All up to date I think atm.
Well I'll take it into the shop where I got it and get them to sort it out. Might be alot easier for me.

 

Keep us informed as it all adds to our knowledge and may help others later. Best of luck. Bazza

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