[RESOLVED] Jetway 531CF - USB Controller/System Busy

[timaud]

I recently put together a PC based on a Jetway 531CF M/B (E10 Bios) with a K6-2/500 CPU. All went well until connecting up a USB scanner.Enabled 'USB Controller' in the Bios and when the PC was restarted the mouse pointer showed system busy for 90% of the time and the PC rendered so slow as to be useless. As soon as the USB Controller is disabled the system bounces back into life.
Jetway site of little help although there seems to be reference to the problem in the remarks against the E10 Bios download file. Since the M/B has the E10 Bios that is of no use. Anyone got any ideas?

[Ruslan]

Are You using PS/2 mouse or COM-port mouse?
PS/2 mouse uses CPU's resources. If something
overloaded CPU, mouse suffers.

Perfomance suffers only while You're do scanning or always,when You have installed
USB drivers?

[Ruslan]

Did You try to delete and reinstall USB drivers?
It's may be also BIOS - related issue.
Sometimes new BIOS - new problems. If You're sure,what previous version also supports K6-2-500 CPU,I'd try previous version of BIOS.

[timaud]

Ruslan
Thank you for your quick response.

Yes I am using a PS/2 mouse, but I am certain that is not the problem here.

With a clean installation of W98SE and the respective VGA/Audio drivers installed the system works perfectly. Enable the USB Controller in the BIOS in order to connect any USB peripherals and the 'system busy' problem occurs. Disable USB controller and the problem goes away. Therefore as you suggest it would appear to be a BIOS feature problem.
Since the board was supplied with the E10 BIOS which was, as it appears on the Jetway BIOS page, supposed to cure this problem, are you suggesting I flash the board with an older version of BIOS (risking the warranty)? Or should I just return the board to the suppliers and try another from a different manufacturer?

Your opinions?
Thanks

[Ruslan]

Originally posted by timaud:
Since the board was supplied with the E10 BIOS which was, as it appears on the Jetway BIOS page, supposed to cure this problem, are you suggesting I flash the board with an older version of BIOS (risking the warranty)? Or should I just return the board to the suppliers and try another from a different manufacturer?

Your opinions?
Thanks

Agree, if MoBo covered by warrantee,it's not worth to risk.
I didn't ask stupid questions like "did You try clean reinstall of Windoze?, did you try antivirus soft?" an so on... I hope, You did.
If so, try to ask suppliers - make them getting headaches! :D

[Sowulo]

I've seen this on some boards where Windows was installed before the USB was enabled in BIOS. I hate recommending a clean install but it sounds like you've already done that and it might save a trip back to the shop.

[timaud]

Thanks again for your comments.

I have tried installing Windoze with the USB controller disabled: Installs fine and works perfectly until the USB controller is enabled
and I have also installed with controller enabled: Installs fine until setting up hardware section then the system busy problem pops up and things slo.o.o.o.w down.

One solution that did occur to me though I don't know if it would work. If I install a PCI card USB Hub would I need to enable the USB contoller in the BIOS or would the card's controller do that through the PCI Bus? I have no experience with such cards although I know they are available. Could this be a better alternative to disassembling the PC and returning the M/B to the supplier?

Again I would appretiate your comments/advice.

Timaud

[Ruslan]

Originally posted by timaud:
One solution that did occur to me though I don't know if it would work. If I install a PCI card USB Hub would I need to enable the USB contoller in the BIOS or would the card's controller do that through the PCI Bus? I have no experience with such cards although I know they are available. Could this be a better alternative to disassembling the PC and returning the M/B to the supplier?


If USB PCI card has own BIOS, You can disable
USB controller in MoBo BIOS. I don't know,though, how much will it cost You, but
as Darren or AlienDyne has said,what Jetway MoBos are "too cheap to be good".
And, by the way, using USB doesn't insure You from getting same problem again - it may be really BIOS incompatibility issue. Yes,they have said, what new BIOS solved that problem. But who knows,is it true or not?
If I were You, I would contact with suppliers first and asked this question.
Is it problem? If it really manufacturer's
defect, RMA board without regret.
May be, someone else have another opinion or have something to add and/or correct me?