Are USB3 controller cards and/or add-ons a probelm?

videobruce · 05 Apr 2016

I wasn't sure how to title this.

I ran into a problem installing the USB3 drivers when I swapped MB's with the same chipset (AMD 970). All the other devices were handled Ok, along with loading drivers for new devices, but the on board USB3 ports.

Long story short, there were registry entries left over from the older MB (AS media) that apparently stopped the loading of the USB3 drivers (Via VL805) for the new MB. After 'disabling' those registry entries using DevMan from NirSoft, the install went ok (finally).

It was a two step process. The Northbridge chipset drivers had to be loaded first (XHCI driver), then the Via drivers.

To the current problem. I picked up a spare USB3 PCI card and I'm running into the same problem. A yellow ! in Device Manager like I had before and a failed install (locking up the system they 1st try).

So the question is; is there a problem using more than one USB3 port device (either on-board or an add-on card??

Below is the view w/o the add on problem card:

AddRAM · 05 Apr 2016

You should be able to use as many as you want, do you have the driver cd or Did you download and install fresh USB 3.0 drivers ?

Did you reinstall windows on this new board ? Doesn`t matter if it`s the same chipset.

videobruce · 05 Apr 2016

I used the supplied CD (for convenience which I usually don't do). This card uses the Etron EJ168A chipset, not the Via VL805.

When I did a search here, I came across a couple of other threads, but the apparent problem as the users didn't know what the chipset was on their cards. (I found this by looking at the card itself which was far easier trying to extract a "setup" file).

Where would this add on card 'tie in' to the existing MB 'bridges'?

videobruce · 05 Apr 2016

The make of the card is StarTech with their slogan :

Hard-to-find made easy

The bold print is theirs.

maxseven · 05 Apr 2016

videobruce said:

I picked up a spare USB3 PCI card and I'm running into the same problem. A yellow ! in Device Manager like I had before and a failed install (locking up the system they 1st try).

You don't show us the yellow ! so I'm not sure where it is in DevMgr. As a PCI card your mobo diagram doesn't really help you. It's on the PCI bus. If you can't find it in DevMgr, unplug the card and go thru DM with a fine tooth comb, then re-plug the card and check again looking for different or "Unknown device" I suppose.

An add-in PCI card may indeed require a driver that is not already in Windows so you "simply" have to get the right one from the mfr and if the CD-supplied one doesn't work then you need the one for W7x64.

AddRAM · 05 Apr 2016

Until you re install windows on the new board, you are going to continue to have problems.

videobruce · 05 Apr 2016

You don't show us the yellow ! so I'm not sure where it is in DevMgr.

I removed the card when I took that screen shot. It gets entered under "Other Devices" as a USB controller.

Until you re install windows on the new board, you are going to continue to have problems.

My point is, why just this with nothing else?? It seems to be a problem with USB3 add-ons. I might buy problems with an add-on card, but surely not anything native on the MB.

I also noticed, both devices just had a single 'setup' file that I couldn't install using the unpacked files thru DM.

ComputerGeek · 05 Apr 2016

It gets entered under "Other Devices" as a USB controller.

That says Windows can't find a suitable driver for the hardware. Typically means whatever driver you loaded isn't a match for the add-on card. (Drivers can, optionally, get very specific as to "what they'll match". Can be down to the device hardware version, your Windows OS and architecture (32 vs 64 bit).

I also noticed, both devices just had a single 'setup' file that I couldn't install using the unpacked files thru DM

When installing using DM you must point windows to the driver INF file. If you pointed it to a directory with a setup.exe OR to the wrong INF file, Windows won't be happy

Where would this add on card 'tie in' to the existing MB 'bridges'?

By default, DM displays "Devices by type". You want to view your devices by connection (to see how devices connect to each other). Open DM
> Click View->Devices by connection
> Expand the ACPI devices (usually 2 levels) till you see the PCI bus
> Expand everything under PCI bus. You'll likely find the add-on card under a PCI Express controller or similar

With the add-on card connected, list any Problem devices

Make sure devices are connected and powered on
Click the Start Orb, type msinfo32 in the search box. Hit Enter
Click the + sign next to Components to expand it
Click Problem Devices. Anything appear?
If yes, click on it, Ctrl-A to select all, Ctrl-C to copy it, Ctrl-V to paste into next post
On the other hand, if no devices are listed, tell me so

Then

Rename C:\WINDOWS\inf\setupapi.dev.log to C:\WINDOWS\inf\setupapi.dev.log.OLD
In DM, right click the device and tell Windows to update the driver
After it fails, a new C:\WINDOWS\inf\setupapi.dev.log will have been created. Zip it up and attach to next post