Asus P4B266-C & USB Mouse Issues

[acroig]

Like a lot of people I've been caught up with these 1.6A Northwood processors and how high they overclock. I'd like to get the 266-C board and some good DDR RAM (any suggestions?) to try and reach 2.4 - 2.6, but I've become aware of possible post failures with Microsoft USB mice. Personally, I have a Logitech USB mouse and it runs with the standard Windows 2K mouse driver. Has anyone who has a 266-C had issues with Logitech mice? Is it only a Microsoft issue? Is the retail 266 the only way to go to avoid this kind of problem?

I'd like to purchase from Googlegear or Newegg so any RAM recommendations and motherboard advice would be welcome.

 

[JimmyJoe]

The posts that I have seen with problems have been Microsoft Explorer Optical USB mice on USB1.1 ports on both the P4B266-C and P4B266. It just so happens that the P4B266 also has USB2.0 ports and these do not experience any problems, and are backwards compatible with USB1.1 devices.

Has anyone been able to successfully use a USB1.1 port (mouse or keyboard) on a P4B266-C (or any P4B266 model) with a FSB of 133 or greater? If yes, what brand/model mouse and/or keyboard? Also, has anyone NOT been able to use a different brand of USB mouse other than the Microsoft Explorer Optical USB?

Like acroig I am trying to determine if the problem is all USB mice or just a specific model.

Thanks!

 

[acroig]

Jimmy:

So even the the retail P4B266 has problems on the 1.1 USB but not on the 2.0 USB? Come on you P4B266-C owners out there, is it only the MS Optical mouse that has the problem. I could run my mouse on the PS/2 port, but my Saitek X36F is USB.

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< So even the the retail P4B266 has problems on the 1.1 USB but not on the 2.0 USB? >>

Yes.


From here:
"At 150 fsb, the board won't boot with anything in the regular USB ports, but......the good news is that once I hooked up the USB 2.0 ports everything is sweet. Good information for those deciding on what flavor of P4B266 to get."

Check this too.

 

[DashK]

Just overclock to 132 FSB and you'll be fine, then your USB ports will be at spec, no sense going over 132FSB right now, because at 133 and beyond your ram is only at 1:1, so your memory scores are gonna suck, and the extra Mhz from your CPU isn't gonna matter.

If you insist on going over 133, just use your USB mouse in the PS/2 port, PS/2 is better anyways, because you can bump the report rate up to 200, when USB is locked at like 85.

 

[w9design]

I've got the same problem here with my P4B266 @ 160FSB. Seems to only be keyboards and mice that screw it up -- perhaps it's the legacy USB support that's screwing things up?

And by the way, DashK, it DOES make sense to run over 132FSB. Why? because an extra 450MHz is by far worth the minor memory hit I'm pretty happy with my memory scores at 160MHz CAS2 ... Interestingly, my USB starts screwing up around ~120-125 FSB; they don't just magically appear above 133MHz.

 

[acroig]

Ok, let's go off topic a bit. Assuming that this mouse problem with the Asus boards are a show stopper, then what about alternatives to the Intel 845D chipset, like the SiS 645? I've been reading about the MSI 645 and the Epox EP-4SDA. Both these support the DDR 2700 memory and both are supposed to overclock well. Would this be a good second choice?

 

[DashK]

120-125 isn't at spec, 132/133 would be default spec for everything on the board except CPU clock. Your USB devices probably aren't getting enough juice, and when you go over 133 their getting to much.

I'd think again about that memory thing, I saw a graph a guy did yesterday, and at 132 and 133 there was an 800 point difference in sisoft sandra, 132 was 800 points better than 133.

 

[tornadobox]

i've got the P4B266-C board using the Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical through the USB port...no problems at all. i don't overclock though, so that might be why i'm not having any problems.

 

[w9design]

OK DashK, I'm not sure I agree with you.
Firstly, I said my mouse problems START at 120-125FSB. I should have been clearer and pointed out that they STILL exist at 133FSB. Furthermore, it almost positively has nothing to do with 'juice' -- the USB voltage stays the same regardless of what FSB it is. What is likely happening is that for some reason at POST time, the ICH2 doesn't like the accelerated speed of the link between it and the north bridge. Apparently it isn't an issue once the system boots, and that strikes me as odd. It could perhaps be something as simple as a BIOS bug.

By the way, my Sandra memory scores:
133/133: ~2250MBps
132/174: ~2630MBps
160/160: ~2450MBps

Yep, 132/174 is much faster, but I'd rather sacrifice 200MBps for 450MHz.
EDIT: Typo. Said 133 when I meant 132.

 

[ICantAffordIt]

I am now using the Asus P4B266-C

Right after I got my setup, I booted up at regular 1.6a speed with usb keyboard and MS Intellimouse Explorer Optical... all was fine.
I then set FSB to 133, and no boot.
Next I backed off to 132 and no boot.
Reset to 133, then I tried plugging the mouse into the keyboard hub and no boot, tried a few times and it finally did boot, but could not duplicate this again.
Plugged mouse into USB>PS2 converter and into the ps2 port, boots fine.
Upped voltage to 1.6 and FSB to 150 and it still boots fine... this is with a usb keyboard.

 

[Link]

<< OK DashK, I'm not sure I agree with you.
Firstly, I said my mouse problems START at 120-125FSB. I should have been clearer and pointed out that they STILL exist at 133FSB. Furthermore, it almost positively has nothing to do with 'juice' -- the USB voltage stays the same regardless of what FSB it is. What is likely happening is that for some reason at POST time, the ICH2 doesn't like the accelerated speed of the link between it and the north bridge. Apparently it isn't an issue once the system boots, and that strikes me as odd. It could perhaps be something as simple as a BIOS bug.

By the way, my Sandra memory scores:
133/133: ~2250MBps
133/174: ~2630MBps
160/160: ~2450MBps

Yep, 133/174 is much faster, but I'd rather sacrifice 200MBps for 450MHz.

<<

w9design,
How did you get 133/174(cpu:memory)? I can only set 3:4 cpu/memory ratio up to 132mhz. Frm 133mhz, only 1:1 is availabe.

 

[w9design]

Sorry, that was a typo. You are correct in that the highest bus speed to use 3:4 at is 132, and that's what I meant to type. I'll edit the post accordingly.

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< Upped voltage to 1.6 and FSB to 150 and it still boots fine... this is with a usb keyboard. >>

Ok, so a USB keyboard did work at 150FSB. Has anyone had any problems with any USB device besides the MS Intellimouse Explorer Optical?

 

[ICantAffordIt]

I'll try my Epson 780 Photo which is USB and let you know later on if there are any issues with that.

 

[Uclagamer_99]

why don't people just use the ps2 ports for the keyboard and mouse?

 

[tornadobox]

well at least for me, since i have the intellimouse optical, when i shut down the computer the little light on the back of the mouse stays on if i have it plugged into the PS2 port. if it's plugged into the USB port, that light turns off when the computer is shut down.

i'd rather have the light off

 

[ICantAffordIt]

My keyboard doesn't have the option of ps2, it is only USB.... so that's why I don't use the ps2 port...
Microsoft Natural Elite

 

[ICantAffordIt]

Update: Epson 780 USB works fine on P4B266-C @ 2.4 Ghz

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< why don't people just use the ps2 ports for the keyboard and mouse? >>

I am a hard core gamer. The sampling rate on a PS2 mouse is around 40Hz and the sampling rate of a USB mouse is around 125Hz. The USB mouse is more responsive and accurate. This makes a big difference in First Person Shooter gaming, were a split second can mean the difference between giving or receiving a Frag.

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< Update: Epson 780 USB works fine on P4B266-C @ 2.4 Ghz >>

Thanks for the update!

Anyone else? Maybe this problem is only related to the Optical MS Mice.

 

[acroig]

Bump!

 

[funks]

anybody else having an issue with their p4b266c CPU Temperature and it's temperature reading frozen at 40c?

 

[w9design]

My BIOS reads a constant 40C, though it didn't when I started. After flashing the BIOS it stuck. However, my MBM temps seem pretty accurate.

 

[acroig]

Bump!