USB problem with fresh install.

[aman74]

It's been quite some time since I did a fresh install, but I remember having USB issues in the past. I want to get it sorted before I do a new install this time.

During install my mouse and keyboard would never work, so I had to use the serial adaptors.

Any ideas on what causes this? Is it a plug and play setting in the BIOS? I'd have to double check that, but I believe it was set to on.

I have flashed the bios so I wonder if that will help this time.

My main concern this time is that I would like to put some inf files and drivers, programs etc. on a USB flash drive instead of an optical or floppy and would need it to work right away. I don't have a SATA drive currently, but that's an example where you would need the USB drive to be able to work even during install.

Thanks all!

 

[aman74]

Anyone?

If not I will post in the unplug and pray forum, I just saw that forum, but didn't want to cross-post.

 

[mechBgon]

In the first place, make sure Legacy USB Support is enabled in the BIOS. Secondly, for most motherboards that you can buy today, you don't need any SATA-controller drivers to install to a Serial ATA drive, as long as you use a native SATA controller in non-RAID mode. more SATA-related info for SATA newbies

Also, if you're installing WinXP and your CD is not already at SP2 level, install SP2 before installing motherboard drivers. This means having SP2 pre-downloaded and saved on a CD or whatnot. full SP2 installer, download here If you're installing Win2000, then do likewise with SP4 and also make sure it's got firewall protection before you let it touch any sort of network (free ZoneAlarm, for example).

 

[aman74]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
In the first place, make sure Legacy USB Support is enabled in the BIOS. Secondly, for most motherboards that you can buy today, you don't need any SATA-controller drivers to install to a Serial ATA drive, as long as you use a native SATA controller in non-RAID mode. more SATA-related info for SATA newbies

Also, if you're installing WinXP and your CD is not already at SP2 level, install SP2 before installing motherboard drivers. This means having SP2 pre-downloaded and saved on a CD or whatnot. full SP2 installer, download here If you're installing Win2000, then do likewise with SP4 and also make sure it's got firewall protection before you let it touch any sort of network (free ZoneAlarm, for example).

Thanks, I had legacy on. However, my motherboard does require you to load the SATA drivers. And as far as loading SP2, that's part of my point, I want to be able to load that stuff from the USB drive, per my original post.

I appreciate the links and help, but I need some assistance with the specifics I had mentioned.

 

[mechBgon]

If your motherboard doesn't recognize SATA drives or USB devices without drivers, then I'd suggest getting a new motherboard :evil: If you want to post the specific motherboard brand & model, I'll rummage for any other solutions. I bet I can already guess what type of chipset it's got...

 

[aman74]

It's an Intel D845PEBT2.

Another purchase isn't currently possible.

There is some kind of USB file on the install CD, but last time I tried loading them they failed. Maybe SP2 takes care of this? I have created a slipstreamed XP with SP2 disk so maybe this will help.

There may be workarounds, but I would also like to know what causes this problem. Is it the chipset? I thought maybe it was peripherals as the Logitech keyboard always requires me to hit F lock to get to the F8 key or whichever it was when I had to use the SATA driver during install. That HD died so my current is IDE, but I would still like to get to the bottom of this so I have USB ability out of the gate with a fresh install. For me it would be more convenient to have all my files and some programs on a flash drive to use right after my fresh install.

Do you know any good guides for a fresh install? I'd like opinions on the order of drivers and apps to install first. I'm thinking I should go: .inf (for the board), then windows updates, directX, ATI drivers, then whatever.

Which directX files do you guys use? I would like to have the right file for dowload ahead of time to have on hand and not have to download after install. I found directX end runtime, but it's a really small file and didn't know if I need the one that is 30 some MB's instead.

Thanks for the help. Internet forums can be a generous place and for computers I have found this to be one of the best.

 

[mechBgon]

Because SP2 includes DirectX 9.0C, currently the latest version, that's one step you won't have to do. Install the OS, then the .INF, then video drivers, then other drivers if needed (audio, whatever), then take care of Windows updates (and generally I'd avoid getting any of the optional driver updates from Microsoft if it does offer them).

 

[aman74]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
If your motherboard doesn't recognize SATA drives or USB devices without drivers, then I'd suggest getting a new motherboard :evil: If you want to post the specific motherboard brand & model, I'll rummage for any other solutions. I bet I can already guess what type of chipset it's got...

Is having a motherboard without native support for Serial ATA and maybe USB that big of a deal so as to have to buy a new board? It seems extreme to have to pay for something like that on a limited budget when the PC runs fine after it's been set up.

Now that my optical drive is up and running I looked at that install CD for the USB info. It has files on it for USB Driver and USB Patch. Does this mean I don't have native USB support? Or is this normal to have to install these files after a fresh install or does SP2 take care of this?

I was also wondering if you happened to check if this has that chipset you were thinking of?

Thanks!