Usb 2.0 Pci Card Problems [I Just Bought It]

Hello everyone,


I have an old "Hp Vectra VL400" model pc, and as you know it uses usb 1.0. I recently bought a webcam so my family can see me. I noticed that it was'nt moving images as top notch as it should. So I decided to go down to the local pc store and purchase a Usb 2.0 pci card.


I bought this one:



Official Site With More Info


Before installing it I asked well known geekstogo associate "SRX600" how I should install it. He said to simply install the card on the pci slot, boot up the pc, and that's it! He made a reference about not touching the bios because it would not be needed. The instructions that come with the card says you don't need to use the driver disc if you don't want to. It also says that any windows xp with at least service pack 1 automatically recogizes and installs the card.


So I opened up my pc case and took off an old 56k modem pci card I don't need on my motherboard, since all of my pci slots are occupied (except one I keep open for the video card fan to breathe). I inserted the card pressing down on it firmly, making sure it was in tight and snug, and booted up my pc. While win xp was booting it ended up freezing while the windows logo with the progress bar showed up on the screen (right before password login). I assumed this was a bios issue from the integrated usb 1.0 on my motherboard. So I held down the power button to my pc and shut it down, booted up again and went into the bios. I went to the following page in the bios and changed the "Integrated Usb Interface" from "AUTO" to "DISABLED":





I saved the changes in the bios not really knowing what it is I touched - lol - I'm not that advanced but I know I can change it back! So anyways the pc booted fine this time. Win xp loaded up and automatically installed the 2.0 Usb card on it's own without me using the included driver cd. There was absolutely no exclamation mark in the systray after xp installed it, so I assume all went well. I took the liberty of hooking up various devices to the card just to test it out. I hooked up the following:

- Digital Camera [Worked fine and fast]

- Webcam [Worked flawless]

- Gamepad Controller [Worked perfect]

- Apple I Pod Nano [Did not work. Win xp gave me a notification claiming the device was not recogized. To either disconnect it and plug it in again or replace the device. That' funny because the I pod worked on my motherboards integrated 1.0 Usb many times prior to installing the new card. I tried to connect it to other ports on the card and the same thing happened]


Okay now here's the kicker... I disconnected everything and decided to come here for help. Than out of nowhere I could hear clicks comming from my pc! It sounded like making funny clicks with your tongue. It only happened about three times in a period of 5-10 mins. Than my pc froze and I was unable to move my mouse or do anything! I held down the power button and waited for the pc to shutdown. When it shutdown I went back in the bios and switched what I had changed from "disabled" back to "auto". Well the darn pc froze at the windows logo again so I had to hold the power button so the pc would shut off. I than rebooted and got to my desktop without a glitch. All the while hearing a couple of those clicks while the pc was booting. The pc froze again and I said that's enough of that! I took the Usb 2.0 card out of the pci slot and put the 56k modem pci card I used to have in the same slot, right back in it's place.


I had to do this from fear of ruining my pc, not to mention the fact that I was powering down too much by holding the power button when the pc would freeze. I do not want to ruin this pc... I have a lot of valuable data on my hard drives. For a minute there I thought I ruined my pc. Anyways since the bios is back to what it was, and the 56k modem card is back where it was too the pc works fine now. I hear no clicks and my pc has'nt frozen. It's back the exact way it was before I installed the darn card. As for the noise... Hmm I dunno if it was commin from the card or my power supply. One things for sure, and that's the fact that it was not a motherboard beep warning. By the way just so you know the card I bought has that "NEC" chipset thing so it's not "VIA".


Anyways I'm doing system restore right now after I finish writing this to you guys, just so whatever Xp installed when I put in the card can be reversed. Or at least I hope that's what system restore will do. Because I also noticed the network connection for my 56k modem pci card is gone in the "network connections" area of control panel. Hope it fixes it.


Can anyone help me get this new Usb 2.0 pci card working please? Before my return policy time is up at the store! I only have a few days to take it back if I don't want it. I really need it because I bought it so my family in my country can see me well over msn, for my I pod since it's slow on 1.0 speed, I want to buy an external drive so I an back up my data, and I want to buy an external dvd-rom drive.




Thank You


P.s.
Check my signature below for my system specs.

 

IPod's have been known to burn up USB cards and USB ports; maybe that's what happened. In any case, if you (or a friend) has another PC, try the card in there and see what happens. There's also a chance that the card is bad, right out of the box. It happens. Try a 2nd PC if possible, or just swap it out at the store for a different brand....

hopperdave2000

 

As this is causing problems,
I suggest you go for a better usb 1 bwebcam, instead - like this (example only)
http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=PHI52416
I am always suspicious of clicking sounds- I would back up your data,in case that is a hard disk noise -Run a hard disk checking program, - look on majorgeeks download.

 

I'm going to have to swap it at the store and get a new one of the same one. You guys are right... It was probably defective out of the box. If the second one does'nt work than I know it's a problem with compatibility. Or something I'm not doing right during installation. If a new usb card is installed and win xp automatically installs drivers by itself should you ever use the ones that come on the cd with the product after?

By the way I have'nt heard that clicking sound at all after taking out the usb card I bought. It's ben a full day and my pc has'nt made that sound.

 

Take usb gremlin-geek back with his hammer!

More seriously you probably left somethin just catching in a fan blade and moved it aside again when you took the card back out. Check carefully when you install the next one. If necessary tie some of the wiring back out of the way.

Studio T

 

Pleased to see the click disappeared, and as Studiot says,it could have been a fan hitting something. Hopperdave2000, and Studiot feel it could be a defective card, - keep us posted.

 

I exchanged the card for a new one today and installed the new one. It was the same model and brand I exchanged it for. This one loaded up with no problems and has'nt given me no probs yet. Win xp recognized it and loaded the generic xp drivers so I didnt even use the cd that came with the card. I attached an ipod nano to it and it worked fine, unlike my previous experience. I have'nt experienced any computer freezes. I dunno what could have been the causes of the first card I took back... Well I'll let you guys know how it's doing by tonite if it gives me problems or not. So far so good and i restarted once too and the pc did not freeze at the win xp logo screen. I have not experienced any of the prior problems. On top of that I don't hear the clicking noises coming from my pc. & I scanned my two western digital hard drives with a diagnostic tool for them made by wd. It scanned them for errors and all and both passed with flying colors. Okay I'll let you guys know how the card keeps up tonite... Hope it does'nt do anything unexpected.

 

Looks like it was just a duff card - s_ _t happens!
Glad to here you are now fully operational and thanks for coming back to tell us.


Studio T