USB ports are turning themselves off

I operate an IBM clone, P3-866 with Win98SE. I have an ADSL modem and a Smartmedia drive connected by USB in addition to a 4 port self powered USB hub as the only appliances connected by USB. Periodically, while I am online, my pc turns off all the USB ports. There appears to be no pattern to the turning off of the ports. It may happen once in a session or several times in succession. The only way to re-establish the ports is to restart the pc. It can be quite maddening. I have attempted to uninstall the ports in safe mode, allowing Windows to re-install the ports upon boot-up. This has not helped. Please advise.

Try turning off any of the power saving features in the BIOS.

Have you checked for viruses?

The power saving features were always off. USBs are turning themselves off regardless. Any other thoughts?

Is your power supply adequate?

Does the problem occur when the 4 port hub is not connected physically to the computer?

This problem occurred before I acquired the 4 port hub. I had suspected that the on-board ports might not have adequate power, so I had acquired the self-powered hub. It did notthing in solving the original problem.

Does your mobo have a VIA or Intel Chipset?

Go here,
http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb/c.asp

and see if you can find some related items.

I found some that did come close.

Try getting the latest drivers for all your devices installed.

Intel 815E chipset

I checked the Deja.com website (owned by Google) archives. I found some common problems in the vast articles. One had also suggested as you did to download the latest drivers. But more specifically, to download the latest .inf files from Intel. I did that and USB behavior has not changed one iota.

Disconnect the modem and restart the pc and then run it to see if the ports act they same way. try with the smart media reader diconected as well, to see if one of them is bringing on the problem or the combination of them together is doing it.

Have you thought of reformatting? as a last resort of course.

I run the same kind of modem with a self powered 4 port hub. If its Alcatel try down loading there driver up date here, it worked on my machine.....

HTH

I have disconnected thesmartmedia drive and have plugged the DSL modem into the self powered USB hub. Downloaded the latest Alcatel driver. So far, no problems. Time will tell. Thank you all.

I was premature. It didn't take long at all. Within 2 minutes of the time I booted up the machine, I lost the USB port. I wasn't even using it at the time it turned off. With no other appliances attached, I have no explanation.

Is your DSL modem an internal one? Just got info from Qwest that the internal DSL modem by Intel that they use cannot share an interrupt with USB...

The modem is an Alcatel Speed Touch USB for ADSL.

Can Windows 98 SE turn off USBs because of cetain defaults, such as power management issues (i.e. heat, voltage, amperage being too low or too high)? If so, is there a way to change the defaults should they exist? could there be a BIOS issue causing the USBs to be turned off intermittently?

Quote:

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Originally posted by adhahn:
<STRONG>The modem is an Alcatel Speed Touch USB for ADSL.</STRONG>

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I didn't ask you what brand, I asked if it was by chance sharing an IRQ with your USB....

I was unable to determine the IRQ assignments of the following appliances: Alcatel USB ADSL Modem, Creative webcam, & the smartmedia floppy drive. These are the IRQ assigments shown in Device Manager with all appliances attached and running (led lights on):

IRQ Assignments

00 System Timer
01 Keyboard
02 Programmable Interrupt controller
03 COM 2
04 COM 1
05 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
05 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
05 Intel 82801 BA/BAM USB Host Controller 2444
05 Intel 82801 BA/BAM USB Host Controller 2442
06 Floppy Disk Controller
07 Printer Port (LPT1)
08 System CMOS/Real Time Clock
09 SCI IRQ Used by ACPI Bus
10 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10 Sound Blaster Audio PCI
11 ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
11 Ambient Data Fax Voice (56K) Modem
11 ATI Xpert 99
12 PS/2 Mouse Port
13 Numeric Processor
14 Intel 82801 BA Ultra ATA Storage Controller 244B
14 Primary IDE Controller
15 Intel 82801 BA Ultra ATA Storage Controller 244B
15 Secondary IDE Controller

Although there appears to be a conflict with the 56K modem and the video card, the 56K modem isn't used. No conflicts are reported by Device manager. Please advise. Thanks.

As much as I hate to say it, it's very likely that this is a hardware related problem. I have had the same exact problem with my old laptop (intermittent USB ports, now they are TOTALLY dead).

Try going to your local computer shop, see if they have a USB add-in card (they probably have them at CompUSA). See if you have any problems using the USB ports on the add in card.

If you have no problems, keep the add-in card and the problem is obviously solved. if you continue to have problems, just return the card.

(better yet while you're at it see how much a USB2 addin card would be, i think they're backwards compatible and not only would you fix your problem but you'd be in on the wave of the future <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0"> )

hope i can help, good luck <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

I Had a USB add-on PCI card in my possession already, though I never thought to use it. Having added it, it appears to solve the performance problem Thus far its performance is solid. Thanks. Now if I could only solve my webcam problem (see "Can't initialize Creative webcam +"). <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">