Korean Job Discussion Forums

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:14 pm Post subject: Computer Malfunction

I'm going to also try going to some Tech forum, but I figured I'd ask here first, for the hell of it.

My laptop recently started sucking like crazy. Several of the problems were ones that I caused in a silly attempt to fix the error, but the main problem is baffling me.

I have a Hewlett Packard Pavillion laptop, running on Windows '98, and I also have a Hewlett Packard external CD burner hooked up by USB. It was running fine for the first three CDs that I burned(trying to shrink my collection to a more portable size), but the computer recently started reading the CD RW drive as a CD ROM drive. This essentially means that the burner software thinks that I don't have a burner available, and refuses to burn anything onto CD.

I've deleted and reinstalled the USB Driver for it(though I haven't re-downloaded it, since I currently don't have net access for the laptop), plugged in stuff in funny ways...hell, I've even accidentally deleted the device display driver, so now my computer is a beautiful 16-bit hunk of crap.

The only other thing that I've used the USB port for would be to hook up the digital camera to download the photos from it.

Any solutions out there? I really need to get the CD burner functioning so that I can get the computer back to 100%...

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Does the computer have any patches for USB support?

Also have you updated your win98 with all SP and patches that might affect your USB ports?

So you removed the USB ports from windows, then rebooted and let them reinstall right? Could be the drivers are too old...so check for patches.

Also did you do something that made it "stop working" or did it just stop on its own? How many USB ports does your notebook have? Just wondering if it could be an actual physical problem with the USB port or a software problem.

Post back and I will try to give more suggestions.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:57 pm Post subject:

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

OK I'll do my best to explain what MIGHT be going on.

First off, windows 98 1st and 2nd edition have a hard time with usb in general because usb uses power management where PCI slots do not.

I think in this case you need to go into your device manager

[To get to the dm all you have to do is right click my computer and then left click on properties, then look for the tab on top that says device manager]

Click on the plus sign in front of network adaptors, is the usb controller theere? Does it have an X or an ! in front of it? This is called a conflict.
If so - right click it and remove or uninstall it. Do NOT restart your system yet. Sometimes it doesnt even show up there, so dont worry if you dont see it.

Next step [even if its not under network adaptors] is to click on the plus sign in front of UNIVERSAL serial bus controllers [last one on the list in the device manager] and there you will see several ROOT HUBS or HOST controllers.

<Most people can right click and remove all of the usb controllers and root hubs from there> dont worry, when you restart the pc, it will rebuild those for you automatically.

Your problem stems from the fact that usb doesnt work well with win 98 period. Especially because that cd burner is prolly pulling a tremendous amount of power. Once youve removed all the host controllers and root hubs, you can restart and reinstall the usb device again.

IF that doesnt work - you may need to update the usb host controllers - you can do this easily by getting online and doing a search for the maker of the laptop/motherboard and DOWNLOADING A BIOS UPDATE which is really an exe. file which will in turn update your USB controllers.

Here is a shot of the device manager:

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

http://www.usbman.com/

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

You probably don't want to hear this, but now would be a great time to switch to Windows 2000 or XP.

They have a lot less 'issues' with usb, power management, device drivers and the like than Win98. 98SE is more than 5 years old- in computer terms that's like the stone-age. Seriously, not only will it probably alleviate the problems you're having now, it will decrease your likelihood of having them again (or similar ones) in the future.

Think about Zyz- you're too young to be a Luddite!

Zyzyfer · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:57 pm Post subject:

I have Windows 2k on CD that I could possibly install.

Superfly-there's no conflicts. The computer thinks that the driver is working perfectly; the problem stems from the fact that the computer thinks that the hardware is actually a CD-ROM drive, as opposed to a CD-RW drive. I also don't currently have any internet access.

Some more info-on another forum, someone mentioned that it was my software causing it. I investigated this with Nero 6 Ultra, using the InfoTool, and it indeed can detect a CD-RW drive. So it's definitely not the software.

I sat down last night and once again tried to fix it, only to be driven nuts once more. That computer is going in the garbage bin awfully soon at this rate...

jaebea · Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Location: SYD

Bulsajo is right on the money here.

Highly recommend you switching your operating system to Windows XP or 2000.

Don't bother with "upgrading" your OS, it's just a hassle that delays the inevitable format anyway. :)

It's more polished, supported better, and far more stable than the operating system you are running now.

jae.