Gigabyte + USB 3 = Fail?

[Aikouka]

I've got two Gigabyte boards here with USB 3 capability (GA-H55N-USB3 and GA-P67A-UD3P) and it seems that my Vantec NST-D300S3 hard drive dock will not work with either of them whenever I use the USB 3 port. It works just fine in the USB 2 port on either motherboard. The real kicker... it works just fine when I plug it into my much loathed ASUS P7P55D-E Premium in either the USB 3 or USB 2 port.

Sigh, I wouldn't even need that darned thing if I could count and realize that I was going to use all six SATA ports on this board . I really do prefer e-SATA.

But anyway... has anyone else had bad luck with Gigabyte motherboards and USB 3 devices?

 

[stargazr]

No problems on my GA-H55M-USB3. Did you try installing the latest Renesis driver?

 

[Aikouka]

I've installed the latest drivers provided by Gigabyte. I tried visiting Renesis' website to see if drivers were available to get and that doesn't seem like the case. I have driver version 2.0.30.0 on this machine.

It's probably also worth noting that USB 2 devices work just fine in the USB 3 ports :\.

 

[stargazr]

That's the version I have too. If USB 2.0 works it sounds like the controller is working, sort-of. When you say the Vantec dock "will not work" do you mean Windows can't see it, or that you cannot achieve USB 3.0 speeds?

 

[Aikouka]

When I put a drive in and turn the dock on, it first said it was installing the driver and then that the driver install failed. The drive would sometimes appear for a second and then disappear. If this happened, Windows Vista (H55) and Windows 7 (P67) would tell me that the drive needs to be formatted (which it actually does not).

The device also has a weird name when connected to the Gigabyte mobo... I don't remember what it is off the top of my head, but it's not the usual term you see for a USB adapter. I did see the usual term used on my ASUS-based machine.

EDIT:

As a note, I did send a support request off to Gigabyte to see if they have any answers. To add to it, that weird USB 3 Turbo option is turned off in the BIOS if that matters.

 

[vailr]

The latest USB 3.0 driver version is 2.0.34.0
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/nec.htm
There's also NEC firmware updates on that same page.

 

[Aikouka]

I updated the drivers, but it still doesn't work. I get the same errors as before:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l51/shin_aikouka/usb_error.png

It seems that I cannot perform the firmware update because I have more than one USB 3.0 controller on my motherboard. I wonder if disabling it in Windows will work or if I have to find an option in the BIOS.

EDIT:

Actually, I think my firmware might be newer than the ones on that site. If the ones on that site are 3021, mine is listed as 3025 in the USB 3.0 Host Controller Information application.

 

[vailr]

I updated the drivers, but it still doesn't work. I get the same errors as before:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l51/shin_aikouka/usb_error.png

It seems that I cannot perform the firmware update because I have more than one USB 3.0 controller on my motherboard. I wonder if disabling it in Windows will work or if I have to find an option in the BIOS.

EDIT:

Actually, I think my firmware might be newer than the ones on that site. If the ones on that site are 3021, mine is listed as 3025 in the USB 3.0 Host Controller Information application.

The latest NEC USB 3.0 firmware listed there is: Version 3.0.2.7.0.8

http://www.station-drivers.com/telechargement/nec/divers/firmwares/usb3_firmware-302708(www.station-drivers.com).exe

 

[Aikouka]

No luck, Vailr. I simply cannot flash my firmware because I apparently have two controllers. I went into the BIOS and disabled the Front USB 3.0 controller, but Windows still reports that I have two (and so does the Renesas USB 3.0 Host Controller Information application).

The flashing application does not support multiple controllers, so it will not let me update.

 

[stargazr]

When I put a drive in and turn the dock on, it first said it was installing the driver and then that the driver install failed. The drive would sometimes appear for a second and then disappear. If this happened, Windows Vista (H55) and Windows 7 (P67) would tell me that the drive needs to be formatted (which it actually does not).

Did you try uninstalling both devices in Device Manager? Then you can reboot and reinstall the Renesas drivers for the NEC controller.

Also, is the drive visible in Drive Management? Does it need to be initialized?

 

[vailr]

@Aikouka:
Did you try: right-click & uninstall one of the controllers, in Device Manager?
Then run the firmware updater program, which shouldn't be able to detect any USB 3.0 controller except for the one that's still "installed" in Device Manager.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

How about powering up the peripheral first and then the computer?

I understand that it works with the USB2.0 ports, but those are on another controller. I would try powering up the peripheral before the computer--this is what I do with a pair of Kwin docking stations, because if I didn't they sometimes wouldn't get detected.

 

[Aikouka]

I think the solution that I'm going to have to take is...

- Buy a Blu-ray burner
- Use that to replace my Blu-ray reader + DVD-RW
- Use the now free SATA connector to use e-SATA!

Did you try uninstalling both devices in Device Manager? Then you can reboot and reinstall the Renesas drivers for the NEC controller.

Also, is the drive visible in Drive Management? Does it need to be initialized?

I'm not sure what removing both devices would do? Once I reboot, the devices would automatically be detected and reinstalled.

I checked Drive Management and the device was not visible.

@Aikouka:
Did you try: right-click & uninstall one of the controllers, in Device Manager?
Then run the firmware updater program, which shouldn't be able to detect any USB 3.0 controller except for the one that's still "installed" in Device Manager.

Yeah, I tried that before and it didn't work. I tried it again just now and took a screenshot:

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l51/shin_aikouka/one_device_firmware_fail.png

How about powering up the peripheral first and then the computer?

I understand that it works with the USB2.0 ports, but those are on another controller. I would try powering up the peripheral before the computer--this is what I do with a pair of Kwin docking stations, because if I didn't they sometimes wouldn't get detected.

That seems like an odd solution... I'll have to try that one later since I don't want to shutdown/restart at the moment, but I could try it on my H55 motherboard.

 

[vailr]

@Aikouka:
Did you try: right-click & uninstall one of the controllers, in Device Manager?
Then run the firmware updater program, which shouldn't be able to detect any USB 3.0 controller except for the one that's still "installed" in Device Manager.

May need to also (after right-click uninstalling one of the USB 3.0 controllers in Device Manager): reboot, enter the bios and disable that same USB 3.0 controller within the bios setup. And: while there are no USB devices that are connected to any of the blue USB 3.0 ports.

 

[Aikouka]

May need to also (after right-click uninstalling one of the USB 3.0 controllers in Device Manager): reboot, enter the bios and disable that same USB 3.0 controller within the bios setup. And: while there are no USB devices that are connected to any of the blue USB 3.0 ports.

Didn't work. I removed both USB 3.0 controllers, restarted (I already have the front controller disabled) and they're both still there.

Gigabyte finally answered the support question I sent in... and only told me things I already said that I did in the initial support ticket :\. As much as my old ASUS board was a piece of junk (made me swear off the company completely for treating their customers so badly with it), their support was much, much faster.

Although, now I've got eSATA available to me, which solves the problem of a fast interface to transfer data from external HDDs.

 

[SirGCal]

I might have missed this somewhere; but have you ever used that enclosure successfully with USB3 on any system? It might be the problem itself. I have one myself which is junk on USB3 but works fine on USB2. All of my other USB3 enclosures work just peachy.

Anyhow, those were just thoughts going through my mind while I read through... Best of luck.

 

[Aikouka]

I received a response from Gigabyte telling me that the USB 3.0 controllers cannot be flashed on this board. Fantastic... I knew I should've ignored my thoughts on going back to Gigabyte boards and went with the ASRock instead :\. I only wish ASRock would make a board with 10 SATA connectors and the H67... think home servers, ASRock... home servers!

I might have missed this somewhere; but have you ever used that enclosure successfully with USB3 on any system? It might be the problem itself. I have one myself which is junk on USB3 but works fine on USB2. All of my other USB3 enclosures work just peachy.

Yeah, it works on my ASUS P7P55D-E Premium motherboard, which also uses a NEC controller, but I assume a different model or something.

 

[guardy]

Just to add to this thread - I have exactly the same problem with my hardware. I've just about given up on a solution and am checking every few days for updated drivers and BIOS.

I have 2 usb3 devices (Welland 2.5" enclosure and a dual SATA cradle, both of which experience the same issues.

Either of them will work fine when plugged into USB 2 ports, but won't work under USB 3. Any USB 2 device works fine when plugged into the USB 3 ports. I've tested the Welland enclosure on a friend's pc using USB 3 and that works fine.

I'm going to try updating the drivers as suggested in this thread but to be honest, I'm not holding out a lot of hope.

For reference, I'm running a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R (rev. 2.0) motherboard. All drivers and the BIOS have been updated to their latest versions.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd be keen to hear them.


Thanks for reading.

 

[guardy]

Just to add, I've successfully updated both the firmware and the drivers to their latest versions as mentioned earlier in this thread with no change in situation.

Time for sleep, methinks and I'll see what else I can come up with tomorrow.

 

[guardy]

As an update, GGTS suggested I update to the latest BIOS. So I've updated from FF to Ff8 with no change to the usb3 issues. Though I did need to change from AHCI to IDE in order to be able to boot into Windows.

So no-one else is experiencing these problems?

I'll update if I find any more info.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Synomenon]

I had problems with my H55N-USB3's USB3 ports as well. Especially with a Hauppauge USB TV Tuner that wouldn't work with the ports.

Haven't had any USB3 problems with my GA-H67MA-UD2H. In fact, I can even boot from the USB3 ports now on my new Gigabyte board. Couldn't do that with the H55N-USB3's USB3 ports.

 

[Aikouka]

I received my B3 stepping P67 board from Gigabyte and I am able to use USB 3.0 now. I'm still using the 2.0.32.0 drivers but according to the USB 3.0 Host Controller Information program, I have firmware 4015. I can't recall what I had earlier, but I think it was older.

EDIT:

Also, now I only have one visible USB 3.0 controller in device manager after disabling the front one in the BIOS. Looks like they've fixed whatever it was causing the problem.

 

[vailr]

The latest Nec/Renesas USB 3.0 driver version is 2.0.34.0
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/nec.htm

 

[Aikouka]

The latest Nec/Renesas USB 3.0 driver version is 2.0.34.0
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/nec.htm

Yeah, I saw that, but I'm not having any issues at the moment, so I'm not too worried.

I think I've had that website's page for my motherboard opened for a few months now . Watching the BIOS changes like a hawk .

 

[DPOverLord]

I hate to open an old topic but I have an issue as well.

I finally am using a USB 3.0 device (new phone) before I updated to FF3 I had no problem with it detecting my note 3 usb 3.0 phone. However for the last 6 months after updating I can use the USB 3.0 port as USB 2.0 (I think its 2.0 speeds) but nothing is detected as 3.0.

I really could use some advice I have tried revo uninstalling all my 3.0 drivers but have had no luck with using my motherboard with USB 3.0

Does anyone have any ideas, or can direct me maybe to the right drivers to use in case I am using the wrong ones?? I really would appreciate the help:

System:
Gigabyte X58-ud5 rev 2
X5660 Xeon @ 4.56ghz
12 GB ram 6 x 2GB
SLI GPU
Raid 0 in intel ports for Pro 840
all other ports used on 3TB WD Red drives

Would love any input, I have a Dell monitor with a USB Hub but even that wont detect USB 3.0.

Please help me if you have any input