Installation of USB ports in 1996 Computer

Recommended by Wim's BIOS...

I have an old Computer (1996 vintage , Pentium 120 Mhz processor , Windows 98 2nd ed operating system (update from Windows 95)) which I keep in a holiday home. I would like to install a 5 Ports USB 2 PCI Card Controller adapter (VIA) in that computer . When I tried to install it the installation appeared to go smoothly. A suitable driver was found on the Windows 98 installation disc. The wizard reported that the installation had been satisfactorily completed . Device manager did not show any yellow exclamation or question marks. On the contrary it records that each of the four devices (2 no. USB ROOT HUBS & 2 no. VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB universal Host Controllers) were working properly. But they weren’t. The ports remained dead.
I conclude that the Award Bios installed does not support USB. It is ROM PCI/ISA (Award) Bios (2A59CF54) The bios number appears to indicate that the Motherboard is an Intel i430 FX Triton board manufactured by Fugutech.
Is it possible to obtain a Bios update that would support USB ?
Thank you

[Denniss]

Win98SE does not have drivers for USB, it has only USB1.1 drivers. Please try the VIA USB2.0 drivers to get your card working.

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?Pa ... bCatID=122

As a sidenote - even with the VIA drivers installed your card may fail to work, your board is very old and operating with an old PCI-Bus Standard 2.1, your card may require PCI 2.2 to work properly.

BTW: Fugutech belongs to Pcchips or is an old name by one of the many Pcchips resellers.

Many thanks for your help. You have provided me with a lot of information which I will take some time to digest. As mentioned I keep the old computer in a holiday home. It provides SCSI connectivity with my favourite BlackWidow 9630/36 Pro Scanner. A USB port would allow me to connect a memory stick , a convenient means of transporting files to and from the computer. I would not be too concerned if the card would only run at USB 1.1 speed.
I visited my holiday home yesterday and returned with the old Computer hoping to sort out the USB installation problem. Unfortunately it does not have an Ethernet adapter fitted and I cannot therefore connect it to the internet. From an initial perusal of the information you sent me I think now that I will probably be unsuccessful.
I had thought that an update (flash) of the bios (Award modular Bios v 4.50G - no. 2A59CF54) might be all that was necessary.
I purchased the 5 PORTS USB 2.0 USB2 PCI CARD Controller Adaptor (VIA) on Ebay. No installation CD or instructions were supplied with the card and I don’t even know who the maker is other than it came from HongKong However, when I installed the card in the Computer and booted up Windows 98se detected it and proceeded to install the software finding drivers in the Windows 98 installation disk. Of course drivers found in that location could only be USB 1.1 drivers. I had reformatted the hard disk prior to reinstalling Windows 98 a few months ago so any previously downloaded updates of Windows 98 would have been wiped out. Nevertheless Via Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller was identified by Windows 98 which also selected and installed driver version 4-21-1999 this being the same driver as installed in the root hub devices. It reported that the installation was successfully completed and the device was working properly, which it was not.

You have suggested that I should try installing VIA USB2 drivers. Not knowing the make of the adapter card I could not be sure of the driver version number I should download or where to find it.
I decided to remove the card and install it in another of my Computers running on XPPro (service pack2). I have done that and the USB adapter is working correctly on that computer. The drivers are different from those installed in the windows 98 computer. Are they VIA USB2 drivers.?

On the Windows 98 Computer in Device Manager the two controllers are named “VIA TECH 3038 PCI TO USB UNIVERSAL HOST CONTROLLER” and the driver version is 4-23-1999. The 2 no. ROOT HUB devices use the same driver.

On the XPPro computer the controllers are named “VIA Rev 5 or later USB UNIERSAL HOST CONTROLLER” and the driver version is 5.1.2600.2180. Same version is shown in the Root Hub devices,
There is also an additional item (not appearing in the Windows 98 device list) namely
VIA USB ENHANCED HOST CONTROLLER with driver version 5.1.2600.0
I would be very grateful for your further advice in particular to the following.
1. Should I copy driver version 5.1.2600.2180 from my XPPro computer and try installing it in the Host Controller & Root Hub devices in the Windows 98 computer.?
2. Should I upgrade the BIOS. I am not too keen on doing so unless it is absolutely necessary. I gather that it can be a risky procedure.

3. Is it possible to upgrade PCI-Bus Std 2.1 to PCI 2.2?

Many thanks

[Denniss]

Check my post above - it has a link to the generic VIA USB2.0 drivers as supplied by VIA (the chipset maker).
This driver should work unless it has some other requirements like a specific version of Internet Explorer (often 5.x) or DirectX.

Don't hold your breath on a Bios update, with a 4.50G Bios you probably have a non-flashable Bios ROM.

The PCI Bus revision is in Hardware - not possible to upgrade.

Please check your Bios - if it has the option to assign an IRQ to a specific PCI Slot try to assign IRQ10 or 11 to the Slot your USB card resides in.

If you can't get VIA's drivers to work, then try the Maximus Decim Native USB driver set. They support USB 2.0 controllers and peripherals for Win98SE.

http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/usbmsd98.php
http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/k ... rivers.php

Note that VIA's USB2.0 drivers are probably a licenced version of Orangeware's drivers. Orangeware's drivers appear to install OK, but at runtime they perform a Vendor and Product ID check on the USB hardware. AIUI, if the detected IDs are not licenced, then the driver reverts to USB1.1 mode.

If the USB 2.0 drivers are correctly installed, you should see an EHCI controller in Device Manager.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_controller_interface

On your Win98 CD you should find a utility called usbview.exe. It will report a great deal of information about your USB hardware.

Also search for UVCView.exe. It is an updated version of usbview.

[Denniss]

VIA supplied their own drivers, not an Orangeware version.

Thanks again Denniss
I downloaded the file VIA_usb2_v270p1_l.zip on my xppro computer and saved it to floppy disk The Windows 98 computer in which I am endeavoring to install a USB2 port does not have an internet connection. When I tried to unzip the file in the Windows 98 computer I got an error message “ The package is not compatible with the version of windows you are running”. Although Windows XP and Windows 98SE are both supported operating systems obviously it is not permissible to download the package on one operating system and install it in another.
As far as I can see the USB card is in IRQ 11
I don’t think I am going to get anywhere with this. The computer is just too old.

Thanks Fzabkar
I am not sure what package comprises the Maximus Decim Native USB driver set.
I have attempted to install the Windows 98SE Generic USB Mass Storage Device Drivers v 3.3-nusb33e.exe but looking back on it I think I may have got it all wrong –Mass Storage Device ?? Anyhow the installation I attempted failed The following items appear in Device Manager
USB2.0 Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
VIA PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller.

I am probably being very stupid but I could not find the Native USB Driver Set in the link you provided. I would be very grateful if you could point me in the right direction.
Kind Regards & thanks again.

Device Manager shows that your USB2.0 and 1.1 host controllers and associated root hubs are already installed. The Maximus Decim Native USB (NUSB) driver set ...

http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/d ... usb33e.exe

... provides Win98SE drivers for storage devices (eg flash drives, external USB hard drives), plus USB2.0 drivers for the aforementioned controllers. I'd only try the NUSB drivers if the VIA ones can't be made to work, in which case you would need to first uninstall the VIA drivers.

However, before doing anything more, I would first run Usbview.exe and see what it finds. Plug in a USB peripheral and then refresh the Usbview display.

Usbview can be found on your Win98 CD. It is also available here:
http://www.usbman.com/WebDrivers/USBview/USBVIEW.EXE

A better utility is UVCview, but MS seems to have withdrawn it. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll post it on my web site ... assuming MS doesn't object.

Thanks Fzabkar for your help.
I did in fact remove all the VIA drivers showing in Device manager before attempting to install the self-extract fileNusb33e which I had downloaded to floppy disk. When I opened Nusb33e files were copied from the floppy disk ( what they were or to where they were copied I don’t know). I did get a message to say that a suitable driver had been found and windows was now installing it. I clicked on finish and was then asked to insert the Windows 98 SE installation disk. Thinking that that could not be right I rebooted the Computer but when it restarted I was told that new hardware had been found and Windows was now searching for suitable drivers. I was again asked to insert the Windows installation disk which this time I did. As far as I am aware both the floppy disk containing Nusb33e.exe and the Windows installation disk were searched Suitable drivers were found and I was notified that Windows had finished installing the software that your hardware device requires. I click on finish and the whole process repeats this time searching for new driver for VIA Tech 3038 PCI to Universal Host Controller.
Further searches followed for drivers for the remaining devices.
The above account is only my recollection of what took place. It may not be 100% accurate but should be near enough. I was not able to install drivers from the VIA site and I am wondering where the USB2.0 Root Hub drivers came from. The only available source for drivers was Nusb33e and Windows 98SE. I mention this because I think I may not have got a clean installation of the 5 Ports USB2 PCI Controller Adapter (VIA).

I have run the USBview with the following results:

USB View shows

My Computer
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal host controller
Root Hub
(Port1) No driver connected
(Port2) No driver connected
VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal host controller
Root Hub
(Port1) No driver connected
(Port2) No driver connected

The description of the devices shown in the right-hand pane are as follows:

Root Hub: 000000000000001b#{f18a0e88-c30c-11d0-8815-00a0c906bed8}
Hub Power Self Power
Number of Ports 2
Power Switching None
Compound device No
No over-current Protection (Bus Power Only)

The second Root Hub listed above has an identical specification.

The connection of a memory stick to one of the USB ports was not registered.(before or after refreshing)

Device Manager shows the following devices (and states that all are working properly.

USB2 Root Hub
Driver files C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\usbhub20.sys
C:\Windows\System\VMM32.VXD (NTKERN.vxd)
File version 5.00.2195.6891

USB Root Hub
Driver files C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys
C:\Windows\System\VMM32.VXD (NTKERN.vxd)
File version 4.10.2222

USB Root Hub Ditto.

VIA PCI to usb Enhanced Host Controller
Driver Files C;\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\usbehci.sys
C:\Windows\System\VMM32.VXD(NTKERN.vxd)
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\USBPORT.SYS
File version: 5.00.2195.6882
Resources: Interrupt Request 09
Memory Range F1000000-F10000FF

VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
Driver files: C;\Windows\System32\DRIVERS \uhcd.sys
C:\Windows\System\VMM32.VXD (NTKERN.vxd)
C:\Windows\System\usbui.dll
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\USBD.sys
File version: 4.10.2222
Resources: Interrupt Request 10

Input/Output Range 6000-601F

VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
Driver files: C;\Windows\System32\DRIVERS \uhcd.sys
C:\Windows\System\VMM32.VXD (NTKERN.vxd)
C:\Windows\System\usbui.dll
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\usbhub.sys
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\USBD.sys
File version: 4.10.2222
Resources: Interrupt Request 11

Input/Output Range 6100-611F


I have tried but failed to find Ucvview.exe I did find a few references to it but nowhere could I find the actual program.
I apologise for the length of this query. I have tried to include as much detail as possible in the hope that somewhere therein may be a clue to what is preventing the USB card from working.
Thank you for your patience and help.

Sorry, I gave you the wrong file name for UVCView.

You can get it here:
ftp://ftp.efo.ru/pub/ftdichip/Utilities/UVCView.x86.exe

See if it will find your EHCI USB2.0 host controller. Maybe your flash drive has attached itself to the EHCI host rather than to the UHCI, which may explain why Usbview didn't see it.

[cp]

i don't quite get it why you didn't take Denniss' advice in the first place. he supplied a link to the drivers which is really all you need to get your usb2.0 card running with Windows 98. as VIA already offers drivers for their chips even for Windows 98 (!), why would anyone possibly use generic 3rd party drivers anyway?

as a rule of thumb (also printed in every advert) for usb2.0: Linux, Windows Vista, XP, 2k do not need any drivers for add-in cards or motherboard resources to support usb2.0 (please note: 2.0) out of the box. for every other OS, like Windows 98, you'll need drivers which should be supplied by the manufacturer of the chip used on the hardware (in this case: VIA, it's irrelevant who made the cardboard the chip sits on). only if the chipmaker does NOT supply any drivers, you should look out for 3rd party drivers.

Hallo CP
I did not ignore Denniss’ advice. Perhaps I unwittingly misconstrued it.
The Computer (Windows 98 SE ) in which I have the 5 Ports USB 2 PCI Card Controller adapter (VIA) installed is in a holiday home which has not got a telephone land line.
Not being able to connect to the Internet I was unable to download the VIA Driver Set directly.
Instead I used my broadband XPPro Computer (at home) to connect to the Via Arena site (the link provided by Denniss) and download to floppy disk the Via USB2 driver Package , VIA_USB2_V270PI_L.Zip. I then transferred the zipped file to the desktop of my Windows 98 Computer. When I tried to unzip the file in the Windows 98 computer I got an error message “ The package is not compatible with the version of windows you are running”. It was only then that I started to look at 3rd party drivers.

Looking back over what I had done I find a note to say that “The VIA USB2 driver package below (ie VIA_USB2_V270PI_L.Zip, the one I had downloaded) can be installed after the Microsoft driver to further improve device compatibility”. I had assumed that the VIA package was a stand alone one and the statement that it can be installed after the Microsoft driver means that it could be installed not that it must be installed to improve device compatibility. It looks now as though I have probably got that all wrong. If so I cannot find the generic VIA USB2.0 drivers as supplied by VIA (the chipset maker) in the Via Arena site. Am I missing something?

There is one question above all others which I would really like to know the
answer to. Is there a realistic prospect that USB, either 1.1 or 2.0, can ever be supported on this old 1996 Computer (with Windows 98se operating system, Award Modular Bios v4.50G no. 2A59CF54 & Intel i430 FX Triton motherboard)?
Thank you

[Denniss]

The VIA driver file is several MiB large, please tell me how you were able to fit this onto a single floppy disk.

Why don't you temporarily move the old computer to your home to get all the updates it may need from M$, then you should be able to get this thingie to work.

And agin, the PCI-Bus revision of your old board may be a problem. I thought the i430FX is a PCI Rev 2.1 chipset but it may also be an even older PCI 2.0 chipset. I have no experience with a PCI USB card on a chipset that old but at least I know the driver is working on Win98SE with a VIA USB2.0 chipset.

[cp]

Am I missing something?

The VIA driver file is several MiB large, please tell me how you were able to fit this onto a single floppy disk.

no, you're not missing anything. the microsoft driver will just provide basic functionality with windows 98 which is usb1.1 and nothing else. download the driver. unpack it to a new folder. burn the folder to a CD.rewriteable maybe? and don't forget to bring the windows 98 installation CD, too. if you install something in windows 98, it will copy some files even though they may be already on your harddisk. people tend to forget how much windows 98 really stank (and still does).

There is one question above all others which I would really like to know the
answer to. Is there a realistic prospect that USB, either 1.1 or 2.0, can ever be supported on this old 1996 Computer (with Windows 98se operating system, Award Modular Bios v4.50G no. 2A59CF54 & Intel i430 FX Triton motherboard)?

my question is: why shouldn't it? the hardware is compatible, there are software drivers and the speed of the machine is more than sufficient (okay, the creepy OS takes a huge portion, but that's your choice). there even isn't the need to build a hardware adapter or patch any hardware. there is really nothing to worry about.

for anyone who really cares about the differences between PCI 2.0 and 2.1:
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/ap ... 301101.pdf

after reading you'll notice that there are just extensions to the former standard. manufacturers tend to write the latest revision of a standard on the shiny boxes they put their products in. but in fact their products don't even use things defined in the newer standards. they don't break anything though ;)