USB CardReader makes my computer freeze!

Okay this is the deal. I have a MediaGear cardreader USB 2.0. that I am trying to use. My computer is a Dell and I am using WIN2000 I am pretty sure the USB panel is 1.1. I only have two USB ports and one is occupied with my printer, which I think is USB 2.0 but am not sure, regardless it works fine. When I plug in the cardreader, my computer recognizes a "new hardware device" but soon freezes up. When I restart or I guess try to restart it will not boot all the way, it gets to desktop and then keeps restarting. I have fixed that problem by booting in safe mode and last known good configuration or whatever. So this is the problem any suggestions? Oh, one last thing this cardreader is plug and play so it requires no drivers.

Welcome to Windrivers groovefactory

There are a number of things that can cause this, one of which is lack of windows updates, the other is older drivers. What dell do you have and what service pack level are you at with windows 2000?

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

Welcome to Windrivers groovefactory

There are a number of things that can cause this, one of which is lack of windows updates, the other is older drivers. What dell do you have and what service pack level are you at with windows 2000?

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I guess it is a Dimension XPS T450. A friend rebuilt this computer for me and I didn't ask a lot of questions at the time and now we are no longer in contact. I do not know what components were switched, added, etc. he did know what he was doing though, I'll give him that. When I go into system properties it says x86 Family 6 model. I do know that the processor is a PentIII and the service pack level is SP3.

download this and run it It will tell you what you have installed. Please state the motherboard, video card, sound card and chipset thanks.

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Originally Posted by NooNoo

download this and run it It will tell you what you have installed. Please state the motherboard, video card, sound card and chipset thanks.

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Motherboard: Intel Seattle II SE44OBX-2 (2 ISA, 4PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DIMM)

Chipset: Intel 82440BX

BIOS type: Phoenix

Sound Card: Creative SB PCI128 (Ensoniq ES1371) Sound Card

Video Card: ATI technologies inc. 3D Rage Pro AGP 2X (8MB)
What a cool resource, I'll have to pass that on. thanks!!

here are the drivers etc for the dell Looks like the motherboard is the original so you can try the bios update to A11 first of all.

I went ahead and downloaded this to a floppy disk as required. BIOS: Dell Dimension System BIOS, English, Dimension XPS Txxx, A11
File Name XPST_A11.EXE (421 KB)

The problem I am now having is that I can't figure out how to install it, there are no instructions. What does appear when I open the XPST_A11.EXE from the floppy disk is a DOS screen with a blinking cursor. I don't know DOS language, is there some command it is waiting for? How will I know when the BIOS has been upgraded? Thanks for your help.

here are the instructions

You make a bootable floppy by inserting a good floppy disk into the drive. In my computer, right click the a: drive, choose format. Choose either full or quick format and check the box to copy system files.

In xp, you just check the box to make a bootable floppy.

Edit aaaah nuts you have windows 2000 go here and choose Windows 98 Custom, No Ramdrive double click the downloaded file with a clean floppy and it will create a floppy diskette for you. Now copy the dell exe onto the floppy.

Leave the floppy in and reboot the computer, the computer should boot from the floppy. If it doesn't you have to go into setup to change the first boot device to floppy drive.

When the computer has finished booting it will display a black screen with A:\>
This is the dos prompt for the a: drive. type in

XPST_A11.EXE

and press the enter key. The bios update will start. IF the machine is powered down during the procedure it can stop your computer from starting. You do this at your own risk.

I went to the bootdisk site and downloaded onto a floppy the first Alt1 for Windows98 custom, No Ramdrive, which didn't work. It caused the boot up process to stop at black blinking cursor screen. Then I tried to download Alt2 and when I re-booted I got the error message "NTLDR is missing Press enter to restart". Do you know what this means?
The first boot device is floppy drive in the BIOS, I checked.
I don't know if this matters but I have Windows 2000 "Professional".
Any suggestions??

no, 2k is all pro!

first boot is floppy so it should have stopped at the a:

NTLDR is a file on the drive that loads windows.... if it cannot find it there is a problem

Booting with that floppy diskette did not cause this problem, it does not change anything. If you try booting with the floppy again, what happens?

Did you have the usb card still fitted?

A new advancement. I found the CardReader drivers while frantically searching for a floppy disk. I had already installed them, but I tried to re-install and plug the cardreader in, and I got almost all the way through until a message that said " driver file needed: geneuide.sys" appeared, I guess it is a USB storage driver file that is missing on my computer. I looked on Dell downloads for this but can't seem to find it. Maybe I don't need to update the BIOS afterall which would be convenient given that that isn't working either. Do you know where I can find the download for that file? Your help has been much appreciated. Thanks!

That sys file should be in the drivers for the card reader it is available for download but at your own risk.