Sound probelms with Sony laptop

[parenormal]

I came into possesion of a sony PCG-F490 laptop. It is currently running XP Pro. Specs are: 600MHz cpu, 192MB, 16Gig hd, Avaya wireless card. It is supposed to have an integrated Yamaha sound card, but that hasnt worked since i got the laptop. Iv tried windows updates, sony drivers from 98 through XP along with yamaha drivers from 98 through XP. It still doesnt work. Under device manager it shows up as Yamaha Native DS1 WDM Driver. I currently have it disabled and purchased an external USB sound card from creative. Its the Sound Blaster MP3+ model no. SB0270. It doesnt require any external power. I hooked this up and installed the drivers and it doesnt work either. I get the same windows Code 10 Device cannot start. If you look under device manager its listed under USB as USB Composite Device with a yellow explanation mark. I checked DMA support like Creative suggested and attempted to upgrade the Intel 82371 AB/EB chipset drivers, this told me XP already supported everything in the system. I have also tried wiping the HD and installing XP pro again, with no luck. If any body can help with this it would be greatly appriciated. Thanks

[Stalemate]

I've found a link for some drivers in another website.

Are they the same you've tried? ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/pub/Vaio/Aud...MG_5002108.exe


Also, there seems to be a lot of referrences on the web that this problem can originate with the USB connection (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=329184), or that there may be an IRQ conflict with the sound card and another device.

[parenormal]

Thanks for the links and ideas. The laptop is actually for my younger brother and he was getting impatient. So we took it to a local shop for them to work on it. They ended up useing a pcmcia usb 2.0 card so that the MP3+ usb audio would work.

[confus-ed]

Thanks for the links and ideas. The laptop is actually for my younger brother and he was getting impatient. So we took it to a local shop for them to work on it. They ended up useing a pcmcia usb 2.0 card so that the MP3+ usb audio would work.

So i take it that means its fixed ? or 'effectively' at least ?

BTW 'cos of the bandwidth all external usb s/c's want teaming with usb 2.0

[joemck]

There is a solution. It should work on all hardware configurations. I'm posting this to all the message baords I can find where people are having this problem.

I was having the same problem with my new SB MP3+. Using my new USB 2.0 notebook (Toshiba Satellite 1955-S805), only the USB Composite Device was detected, and Windows says it cannot start. Hook it up to my old USB 1.1 desktop and it works perfectly. I tried hooking it up to a self-powered USB 1.1 hub connected to my notebook, and it worked.

A user of another forum explained that while the SB MP3+ does, as Creative states, draw 160 mA of power from the USB port, it draws WELL OVER 500 mA for a few microseconds when it starts. Old USB 1.1, especially in desktops, is more tollerant of devices taking too much power. USB 2.0, especially in laptops, turns off a USB port the instant it goes over 500 mA.

Darn.

Powered USB 1.1 hubs often (but not always!) supply more power than needed. Mine has a 2100 mA adaptor and supplies 500 mA to each port, but it seems that a lone device can suck up LOTS more than its share of the power without the hub or Windows complaining. This is why the hub trick works, but it's so irritating to carry with you.

I realized that there are two ways to make it work on a cutoff-happy port: Either make the port supply more power or make the darned Sound Blaster consume less power when it starts. Since the former would be very hard and likely unique to each motherboard, I went with the latter. The question was, how to make it consume less power, but still be able to draw its 160 mA when it's all started. Well, a small resistor between the port and the SB should do the trick. And if it's small enough, it won't interfere with normal operation. I considered putting this resistor in the device itself, but this would require breaking that warranty sticker, and I run the risk of breaking it. It's easier just to make a special USB cable with a resistor in it to go with your MP3+.

This fix isn't as easy as just buying some adaptor, but it's well worth the effort. I got mine working and it sounds WAY better than my built in AC'97. Also I can now convert all those old LPs into CDs.

THE ULTIMATE MP3+ FIX:
Parts:
-USB cable (one came with the SB)
-2.2 ohm resistor (can get at RadioShack; color bands are red, red, gold, gold)
-2 inches of regular insulated wire
-1.5-2 inch long, thin metal or plastic thingy (optional, see step 11 below)
-twist tie (optional, use if you use the metal/plastic thingy above)
-tape (electrical preferred, Scotch, duct or packing will also do)

Tools:
-Wire clipper&stripper or a good pair of scissors and a knife
-soldering iron and solder (optional but strongly recommended)
-"helping hands" thingy or a metal clip plus a friend (strongly recommended if solder is used)

Procedure:
1. Strip about 1.5 inches of outer insulation off USB cable. Carefull not to cut the cable itself.
2. Cut the braided bare wire in the middle of the gap. Pull it back and DO NOT CUT IT OFF. (You may cut some off if you can't pull it back. Just leave enough to connect a wire to.)
3. Peel off the thin foil layer to expose four wires: red, black, green and white.
4. Cut the red wire in the middle. Do not remove it.
5. Strip the insulation on the red wire down to about 1/2 the exposed length on either side.
6. Wrap the stripped portion of the wires around either end of the resistor. (One side of the wire to one resistor lead. Resistors don't care about polarity.)
7. Solder/glue/tape/whatever the wires to the resistor leads. Cut off excess resistor lead wire.
8. Strip the ends of the 2 inch wire and twist them into the pulled back braid thingy.
9. Solder/glue/tape/whatever the 2 inch wire to the braided wire, connecting it across the gap.
9-1/2. Make sure the exposed resistor part isn't touching the exposed braid part, and test it to make sure it works.
10. Put tape around just the resistor and the exposed parts of the red wire.
11. Put the metal/plastic thingy along the part of the cable you stripped. Twist tie it into place. This will prevent the cable from bending where you doctored it, as the resistor leads aren't that sturdy.
12. Mummify the whole area in tape so it won't get damaged.

The aftermath: I now have a Sound Blaster MP3+ that works perfectly with my notebook. I don't have to carry around a seperate USB adaptor or a powered hub. The volume seems to be ever so slightly lower due to the resistor, but it's hardly noticable. If it isn't loud enough for you, get a battery powered Walkman amp. This just leaves one question: Why didn't Creative put the resistor in there in the first place? It would cost them about two cents a unit and they'd have many more happy customers.

Note: The light on the SB MP3+ blinks when it's playing. This is normal and is not caused by the modified cable. If it gets annoying, just put some opaque tape over it or turn it upside down.

[confus-ed]

So welcome to windrivers forums joemck & thanks for your 'diy instructions'

..A user of another forum explained that while the SB MP3+ does, as Creative states, draw 160 mA of power from the USB port, it draws WELL OVER 500 mA for a few microseconds when it starts. Old USB 1.1, especially in desktops, is more tollerant of devices taking too much power. USB 2.0, especially in laptops, turns off a USB port the instant it goes over 500 mA...

The long & the short of this, isn't to do with usb versions whatsoever, sure the power & 'not working properly' limits between them are different in terms of 'error', but the bottom line is that the motherboard can't 'fund' the power draw through the port.

So I think the 'fault' is with the devices attached (for drawing 'over spec' in power terms) & your eventual conclusion draws this out ..

..Why didn't Creative put the resistor in there in the first place? It would cost them about two cents a unit and they'd have many more happy customers..

What 'creative do something right ?' - they ain't done that with anything since the original soundblaster - generally they make 'pants stuff' & without a 'reputation' would have gone bust long since

[Archer]

Another option if exceeding the 500mA allocation as in this case is to use a double-headed USB cable thus pulling power from two ports: