EDIT: Mobo problem **FIXED!**

[Slikkster]

Ok, I'm assuming you can see the file now in the Win98 folder and on your diskette, no? Do this until I can find more info:

Copy the file viausb.sys to your:

c:\windows\system32\drivers

folder. Then, run "setup.exe" from the extracted file you downloaded
(usbf108.exe that you extracted files from) Make sure you copy viausb.sys to the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder first, though.

Reboot after this. See if anything's different.

I'll search for more info in the meantime. They really screwed up the installation program for the USB filter driver you downloaded. It should have a "viausb.inf" file in the Win98 folder like it does in the Win2K folder. Unfortunately, you can't use the one in the Win2K folder because it's specifically for Windows2000.

P.S. Please do what I listed above, and also report on what bios your motherboard is using at present. It's listed when you first boot up...probably a long string of numbers/letters, but I'll be able to tell from the string which version it is. There has been a few bios updates for this board, and one just came out recently.

 

[fitzm]

I tried all above.
I am using the original version 1001 that came with the board. I realize they are up to 1003 or maybe even more but the benefits I read about did not seem worth the hassle of flashing my bios especially since I have never flashed one before. Although, I did download asus' instructions from their site on how to do so.http://www.asus.com.tw/products/motherboard/flash.html Can you recommend anything before I attempt to flash?

 

[Slikkster]

Well, they are up to 1005 right now, with some significant updates that don't necessarily affect USB, but seeing how everything interacts with everything else, it could provide some unintended relief for you. I still think that the USB filter driver is the bugaboo right now, and I haven't found the deal on how to manually install it (without a viausb.inf file for win98). I might play around with my own, even though it's not a VIA just to see if I can install somehow and I'll relate it to you. But in the meantime, you should be flashing your bios. There's a first time for everything.

It's simple...you just create a boot disk and have the aflash program and the bios binary file and read the instructions on how to use the command line for it. You can even do it from your hard drive if you'd rather. You still need to boot into dos, though. Just read the instructions, and make sure you type the command line for your bios exactly like the instructions say and you'll be all set. It takes just a couple of minutes.

I read the instructions on the Asus site. This flash program walks you through everything. You'll just be replacing the values that they put in their demo here for your bios file name (which in your case will be "p3v4x105.awd" without the quotes) and you'll be golden.


Please report on exactly what drivers your USB Root Hub is using. Go to Device Manager, then Universal Serial Bus Controllers, then go to USB Root Hub, then click on Driver, then Driver File Details. Please report the file names and versions that are running (should be two files). If, and I say IF one of the files you see loaded is "usbhub.sys" and you want to experiment a little, we can try to fool Windows into thinking it is loading that file when it's actually loading the VIA update. This would involve renaming usbhub.sys to something else (like usbhub.bak) and then renaming viausb.sys to usbhub.sys and make sure it's in the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder.

This MAY crash the system, but it may just work, too. Worth a try. Keep a dos boot disk handy as you may need it just to rename the file to begin with and/or to rename everything back to their original names if there's problems.

 

[steelthorn]

There is a known problem with USB HP printers. They simply don't work half the time whether is intel or via.

 

[fitzm]

One of the first instructions under: Upon first use of the computer system, it says to, "Create a bootable system floppy disk by typing [FORMAT A:/S] from the DOS prompt without creating "AUTOEXEC.BAT" and "CONFIG.SYS" files.

First of all, how do I create the disk w/o creating AUTOEXEC.BAT & CONFIG.SYSFILES?

Secondly, on the very last screen at the end of the page on this link:http://www.asus.com.tw/products/motherboard/flash.html it says to: "turn off the power, enter setup and load setup defaults to have cmos updated with new bios when exits." Does that mean enter setup by pressing DEL on startup to get into bios screen and then press F-whatever to save changes and exit?

Also, where you say: "Keep a dos boot disk handy as you may need it just to rename the file to begin with and/or to rename everything back to their original names if there's problems." How do I make a dos boot disk?

Root Hub Driver files:
usbhub.sys is there and VMM32.VXD(NTKERN.vxd)

 

[Slikkster]

You don't need autoexec.bat or config.sys to make a boot disk. Those files simply add additional drivers or run programs at startup. They are NOT required for a simple boot.

Let's make this formatting thing easy. From Windows Desktop, click Start, then Run, then enter:

"format a: /s" (no quotes)

in the box in hit OK. It will prompt you to put a diskette in and to hit ENTER when ready...just do so and ENTER. After it's formatted it will prompt you for a "Label". Just type in "Dosboot" (no quotes), and hit Enter. You'll be prompted whether you want to "format another y/n". Type the letter "n" and hit Enter. You're done.


Once you have the boot disk, you need to copy two more files to it:

"aflash.exe" and the latest version of the bios update, which in your case is "p3v4x105.awd". The p3v4x105.awd file is contained in the p3v4x105.zip file, so you need to unzip it to get to that file. Both of these files are at the Asus site under your motherboard.

This sounds involved, I know, but it really takes just a few minutes to do this whole process. I'm just laying it out step by step so you know what's up.

So, you'll:


Download Aflash.exe and p3v4x105.zip from Asus's site. Extract p3v4x105.awd. Copy aflash.exe and p3v4x105.awd to the floppy disk you formatted.

Once you've done that, leave the floppy in the A: drive and shutdown windows using the "Restart" option. It will boot from the floppy...very quickly, no doubt. You'll just be left at the A: prompt. When it's done booting, just type in "Aflash" and hit Enter.
The flashing program will begin and take you through step by step, like it shows you on that web page. Choose the first option to make a backup file of your current bios. When that's finished, choose the Upgrade bios option, or whatever it's called. Then, when prompted, enter the name of your bios update (p3v4x105.awd) and it will upgrade the bios for you.

After the bios is complete, you will pull out the floppy, and reboot using ctrl-alt-delete. You may get some bios error about loading setup defaults, which is ok for now.

Yes, since this is an Award bios you will use the Del key to enter it at boot time.

See if the updated bios helps ya with the USB without doing anything else. If not, try my experiment in a previous post about renaming usbhub.sys to something like usbhub.bak and then rename viausb.sys to usbhub.sys (both of these files should be in your c:\windows\system32\drivers folder) and reboot.

 

[fitzm]

Will do. Thanks for the walkthrough.

 

[fitzm]

Flashed successfully! Still freezing without the .inf file though.
Thanks again for the walkthrough.

 

[Slikkster]

Did you rename the usbhub.sys file and then rename the viausb.sys to usbhub.sys?

 

[fitzm]

Sorry, this is still a little out of my league.

"This would involve renaming usbhub.sys to something else (like usbhub.bak) and then renaming viausb.sys to usbhub.sys and make sure it's in the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder."

Do I actually just right click the icons go to "rename" and then just drag and drop into C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder?

 

[Slikkster]

Ok, sorry...you're doing fine so far. Here's the deal:

"usbhub.sys" is already in your c:\windows\system32\drivers folder.

In one of my previous posts, I asked you to copy "viausb.sys" into your c:\windows\system32\drivers folder.

Viausb.sys is the file that's in the "Win98" folder created when you extracted all the files from "usbf108.exe" from the www.viatech.com website.

Now, since the setup program for usbf108.exe (extracted) is faulty, it's not really installing viausb.sys as it should. It needs a viausb.inf file, which is not present in the installer. The viausb.inf file contains all the setup information that Windows needs to know to add things to the registry and move files to their proper location, etc. So, since manually installing viausb.sys hasn't been successful so far, I want to try and trick Windows into thinking it's loading it's normal driver (usbhub.sys) when, in actuality, we'll be
simply renaming viausb.sys to usbhub.sys. Does that make sense? So, even though it will load a file that's named usbhub.sys, it will actually be viausb.sys in it's place. And, hopefully that will remedy your USB woes.

So, hopefully that all makes sense. Now, here's what you do.
If it's not already in the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder, copy "viausb.sys" from the Win98 folder created by the extracted files of the file usbf108.exe to the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder. The easiest way for you to do this is to open up two copies of Windows Explorer. Make the windows smaller than full screen, obviously, so you can see them both side by side. In one of the copies of Windows Explorer, open up the Win98 folder that has "viausb.sys" in it. In the other copy of Windows Explorer, expand the Windows folder and click on the System32 folder, then click on the Drivers folder. You should see the contents of the Drivers folder (lots of files that end in "sys&quot.

Now, Right-click and drag (by holding down the right mouse button) the icon for viausb.sys and move the mouse over to the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder in the other copy of Windows Explorer. Once it's placed on the contents of of the Drivers folder,
release the right mouse button. You'll be prompted as to whether you want to copy or move the file. Choose Copy. This will place a copy of viausb.sys in the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder.

Sorry if you already knew how to do that stuff, but I'm just playing it safe.

Ok, now that the viausb.sys file is in your c:\windows\system32\drivers folder, here's what I want you to do. Find the file "usbhub.sys" in your c:\windows\system32\drivers folder. Right-click on the usbhub.sys filename and choose "Rename". Then Rename the file to "usbhub.bak". You'll be warned that changing the filename could cause problems with programs, etc. Just click on OK.

Now, right-click on viausb.sys and choose Rename. Rename the file to "usbhub.sys" (yes, the filename of the original file you renamed before).

What we've done (if Windows has allowed you to rename the usbhub.sys file to usbhub.bak) is to change the name of the VIA driver to what Windows considers to be it's normally-loaded USB driver. Make sense?
This way you'll be loading the Via USB update even though we couldn't load it in the preferred manner.

After this is complete, reboot. Hopefully, Windows will load without any errors, and even more hopefully, this USB driver will cure your problems.

Now, if there's any problems at bootup with this change, you'll have to reverse the process to get back to normal. If you can't boot into Windows normally (worst case scenario), go into Windows in "Safe Mode", then open up Windows Explorer, and go to the c:\windows\system32\drivers folder. Right-click on "usbhub.sys" and rename it to "viausb.sys". Then, right-click on "usbhub.bak" and rename it to "usbhub.sys" and reboot, and all will be back to normal.

So, that's the process. Shouldn't take but a couple of minutes.
Good luck.

 

[fitzm]

When I opened snapshot instead of freezing as it has been the message: "unable to connect to capture device(e.g. camera)If another application is using the capture device close it." I haven't gotten that friendly of a response in awhile. Every time I have opened this program before it was sticky from the get go. I tried re-installing the camera with 'puter on/off etc. Then I re-named files back to the original names and bingo, froze just as before, had to do ctrl alt del again just to gain control of the computer back. Re-named files to alternative names and program is un-sticky again. I can feel it getting closer to working.

 

[Slikkster]

I agree that it's an improvement, but that error message still suggests a problem with the USB in general (as indicated by Intel's support page on USB camera problems).

Also, I was trying to find your original thread on this matter to see what exactly you had going on in this pc (I did find it, by the way), and I noticed that you posted some questions about this to other forums here, like the motherboard forum, etc. What struck me about the responses were the several posts from people using this motherboard with no USB problems at all; that is to say they had similar configurations, and did not have to install any patches, etc.

So, I'm thinking something else is going on here hardware-wise.

Please do this:

1. Open Device Manager and tell me if there's any conflicts with anything at all...and tell me if the Camera shows up in device manager under Imaging Devices or whatever.

2. Please post your entire IRQ list again as it currently stands.

3. Please try the Printer on the USB and let me know if THAT works...

4. I need you to go into the Bios and make sure the following options are set:

Go to "Advanced". Look down the list for "USB Legacy Support". It's probably set for "Auto". Toggle it so it's set for "Enabled".

Now, go into the PCI Configuration section (still in Advanced). Make sure "USB Function" is set for "Enabled".

Good luck...

 

[LBM1A]

Slikkster, Your one Hell of a guy! It's nice to know someone like you is around to help! Keep up the GOOD WORK!

Good Luck Fitzm!!

 

[fitzm]

I can't figure it out either. Seems like everyone is kosher except me. Will do all you ask and LBM1A you are 100% right Slikkster is one hell of a guy. He's been on this for about a month now.

 

[fitzm]

Bios settings done. No conflicts in device mgr. No luck with printer. Here's IRQ settings. Is there anyway VIA could send that .inf file to me? I wonder if anyone else has thif file in their win98 folder.

0: System timer
1: Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2: Programmable interrupt controller
3: Communications Port (COM2)
4: Communications Port (COM1)
5: Creative SB16 Emulation
6: Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7: ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
8: System CMOS/real time clock
9: SCI IRQ used by ACPI bus
10: ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10: ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10: ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering
10: Adaptec AHA-2940U/AHA-2940UW PCI SCSI Controller
10: Creative SB Live! Value
10: Lucent Win Modem #2
10: VIA Tech PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
12: PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13: Numeric data processor
14: Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14: VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
15: Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15: VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller

 

[Slikkster]

Well, at this stage I'm thinking that ACPI is suspect in the problem here. Look at IRQ 10....sheesh, virtually every hardware device you have is sharing that IRQ, including USB! That's a lot to ask for where IRQ sharing is concerned.

The problem is that with ACPI enabled, you can't make any IRQ changes in Device Manager...it just won't let you do it normally. I'd like to see you disable ACPI and see if it helps. You really won't lose much in the way of power management, and it will save at least one IRQ
and give more flexibility in moving IRQ's around, if need be. Hopefully they all won't be sharing IRQ 10!

To Disable ACPI, you have to do 2 things. Unfortunately, your bios shows no entry for enabling/disabling ACPI, and I can't find anything (yet) on the web/newsgroups on exactly how to disable it IN THE BIOS for this board. I even looked at your manual to see the bios screens and nada on ACPI...seems to be automatic.

What you're going to have to do is 2 things...one of which involves --gasp--editing the registry (theme from Jaws played here... )

Click Start Button, then click Run, then type in "Regedit" (no quotes). You'll see the Registry looking not unlike Windows Explorer.

Click on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Click on "Software"
Click on "Microsoft"
Click on "Windows"
Click on "CurrentVersion"
Click on "Detect"

Now, once you've clicked on Detect, you'll see some settings in the righthand pane. You'll need to create a new entry (unless it's already there!). Here's how:

RIGHT-CLICK anywhere in the righthand pane of the Detect area.
You'll get a menu that says "NEW". Left-click on "NEW" and another submenu will appear. Left-click on "DWORD Value". It will create a new entry in the righthand pane of the Detect folder labeled "New Value #1 with a bunch of "0x000's..." on the right side of it.

Now, Right-click on the "New Value #1" entry and choose "Rename". Now you can edit the name. Make the name "ACPIOption" (no quotes!) and don't change the 0x00000... entry at all...leave it at all zeros.

So, you should have a new entry that's preceded by a blue and white icon that says:

ACPIOption 0x00000000 (0)

Remember, this is in the:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Detect

registry key area.

Now, close the registry and reboot. Go to Device Manager and look at your IRQ's. See if any say ACPI. If they do, you will have to scroll down in Device Manager to "System Devices". Click on the ACPI or Advanced Configuration and Power Interface section, and then click on Driver/Update Driver. Choose "Display a list of all the drivers", then if nothing shows up in "Show Compatible Hardware" list, click on "Show all Hardware" and choose "Plug and Play Bios (Fail Safe) and let it install that. That should get you the standard Advanced Power Management that Win98 offers if you're not using ACPI.

Now, reboot. Try the USB again. Good luck.

 

[Duckers]

This P3V4X motherboard must be the worst motherboard ever created, don't you think ?

I was going to buy this motherboard but now I realize that it sucks [ since a lot of people complain about it ]

 

[Damaged]

And here's the real problem with the P3V4X: Try disabling ACPI! You can't. Well you can, but it's not that easy to do. It's not an option in the BIOS, which p!sses me off to no end! I have no need for ACPI control on my box, yet I have to live with that POS residing on no less than 5 IRQs. Ack! I'm just not comfortable with that.

Want to know how to disable ACPI on a P3V4X? Go to alt.comp.preiphs.mainboard.asus.

Now search for ACPI. The EXACT title of the thread is "Disabling ACPI Prob P3V4X". Interesting read. I haven't tried it and I don't know if I want to, but desperate situations call for desperate measures.

Slikkster: You are approacing sainthood with your patience and perserverance on this problem. I've been reading this thread since it's inception. All I can say is "WOW! Great job.

[edit]Oh yeah....Duckers? fsck off![/edit]

 

[fitzm]

After selecting "Plug and play bios(fail safe) message requesting file "bios.vxd" popped up. I skipped file to see if and what if any other ones there might be and pressed finish button like a dummy. I restarted computer as prompted to and it went into safe mode. pressed ctrl alt del and windows re-loaded fine. Whew!

 

[fitzm]

Want to know how to disable ACPI on a P3V4X? Go to:
alt.comp.preiphs.mainboard.asus --- Damaged, this address can't be right.

 

[Damaged]

It's not an address, it's a newsgroup. You know on usenet? You need a newsreader to view it. You can do this with either Netscape Communicator or Outlook Express.

Don't you ever read newsgroups? Sheesh! You're making me feel old here now.

[edit]whoops! There's a typo in that newsgroup name it should be periphs, not peiphs.[/edit]

 

[Slikkster]

Fitzm, that file -- "bios.vxd" -- is on the Windows 98SE CD. I would go back and install the plug and play bios (Fail Safe) and point it to your Windows CD when it asks for the file. If it doesn't find it automatically, point it to "base5.cab" on the CD, and it will install it.

Then, report back on whether ACPI has been ousted from your system or not by posting your IRQ list, and also posting what it says in "System Devices" in Device Manager. If ACPI is installed, it will say something like Advanced Configuration and Power Interface near the top of the System Devices list (or just ACPI). If it's not installed, it will say "Advanced Power Management Support" instead. Plus, you won't have ACPI on IRQ9 anymore if it's gone.

P.S. You don't need a newsreader to read the Usenet Newsgroups. You can do it from your web browser by going to http://www.deja.com/usenet or http://www.remarq.com.

Personally, I'd prefer you stay on course for now and complete the "Plug and Play Bios (Fail Safe)" installation as noted above as that SHOULD do the trick for you. Just point it to the Win98Se CD or "base5.cab" file in particular on that CD to install the file "bios.vxd".

Now, what will probably happen after rebooting is Windows will redetect all your devices if you've always had ACPI installed. That's OK; that's normal. Let it do that.

If you really want to read the thread that Damaged was talking about, go here:

http://x58.deja.com/viewthread.xp?AN=639382755&search=thread&svcclass=dncurrent&ST=PS&CONTEXT=963146306.1886388355&HIT_CONTEXT=963146306.1886388355&HIT_NUM=14&recnum=%3ckbU55.5349$i5.85666@news1.frmt1.sfba.home.com%3e%231/1&group=alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus&frpage=getdoc.xp&back=clarinet You'll see that most of that thread has to do with installing the Plug and Play Fail Safe bios. I would avoid the part at the end that tries to avoid device redetection...there's no point in that, in my opinion, and is probably a problem maker for you if you don't do it right. Just let Windows find all your devices again.

After you do the plug and play bios thing, see if USB works. If not, post your IRQ list again. And verify that ACPI does not show up in Device Manager's System Devices section.

 

[fitzm]

I was actually just curious about that "address" or what I perceived as such. (No offense Damaged) When it did prompt for the cd that was what happened when I put it in it could not find it on cd. So, I will go to base5.cab and install it.

 

[Slikkster]

Cool. Please do me a favor and verify that you've done the other step of editing the registry as well and report the other stuff I asked about when you can. And as always, good luck.