Phoenix-Award BIOS

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

I have a problem with a computer I built with a SiS-645DX motherboard,
Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002. It has two built in USB ports
and 2 more for Front USB that I'm 99.9 % sure are hooked up correctly. The
OS is Windows 2000 Pro. Device Manager show all the ports have latest
drivers installed and running properly, etc. However, none of the USB ports
seems to work, i.e., I plug a perfectly good Flash Drive into them and
nothing happens - doesn't show the new device/drive, etc.

Yes, the Flash Drive works perfectly on other computers that I have, so it's
not that.

Also, in the BIOS (again, Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002), I
noticed setting for USBO Access Interface, USB1 Access Interface, etc., as
well as IDECHO Access Interface, Audio Access Interface, etc. For defaults,
the BIOS had them all set to EDB BUS. What does this mean and should I
instead set them ALL to PCI BUS, or what?

Also, is there a later BIOS I can download that may solve this problem? If
yes, I have tried to find it but I keep getting sent to
http://www.unicore.com/home.cfm, which is eSupport.com or something and they
always insist that I have them automatically figure out my BIOS, but I'm on
a DIFFERENT computer and simply want to download the latest, pertinent
BIOS - not call them or have them figure it out, etc.

Thanks for any worthwhile help regarding this matter.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:43:30 GMT, "Wes Stebbins"
<WesGuitar@neb.rr.com> wrote:

>I have a problem with a computer I built with a SiS-645DX motherboard,
>Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002. It has two built in USB ports
>and 2 more for Front USB that I'm 99.9 % sure are hooked up correctly. The
>OS is Windows 2000 Pro. Device Manager show all the ports have latest
>drivers installed and running properly, etc. However, none of the USB ports
>seems to work, i.e., I plug a perfectly good Flash Drive into them and
>nothing happens - doesn't show the new device/drive, etc.

For the time being, removeo that 1% doubt by unplugging the
front USB port cables from the board and try to get
(anything) working from the board's integral rear USB ports.

Had it ever used USB devices successfully?
I wonder if the USB ports are even enabled in the BIOS?
If you had some other device that is meant to always have an
LED lit when attached to usb, like an optical mouse, try
connecting one to see of power is available. There might be
a jumper on the board to select the USB power source too,
generally near the USB socket but should be shown in your
board manual.

>
>Yes, the Flash Drive works perfectly on other computers that I have, so it's
>not that.
>
>Also, in the BIOS (again, Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002), I
>noticed setting for USBO Access Interface, USB1 Access Interface, etc., as
>well as IDECHO Access Interface, Audio Access Interface, etc. For defaults,
>the BIOS had them all set to EDB BUS. What does this mean and should I
>instead set them ALL to PCI BUS, or what?

No idea what it means, but it's easy enough to change the
USB, yes? If it doesn't work then, be sure to change it
back as the defaults are probably correct (should be, in a
*perfect world*).


>
>Also, is there a later BIOS I can download that may solve this problem? If
>yes, I have tried to find it but I keep getting sent to
>http://www.unicore.com/home.cfm, which is eSupport.com or something and they
>always insist that I have them automatically figure out my BIOS, but I'm on
>a DIFFERENT computer and simply want to download the latest, pertinent
>BIOS - not call them or have them figure it out, etc.

Unicore sells overpriced 3rd party bios, the bios update
from the board manufacturer is generally free, and better to
get.

You need to determine the motherboard manufacturer, it is
they who might have a newer bios. The branding might be
silkscreened on the board around the middle, perhaps next to
the CPU socket or under it, or more often on that era it was
under the AGP or a PCI slot... might not be visible if you
had cards in those slots.

Sometimes, particularly PCChips/etc boards, there was just a
tiny model # printed on a corner, perhaps the top left
corner nearer the PS2 ports. An alternate determination
might be made by writing down the BIOS ID string shown at
the bottom of the screen when the system first POSTs. Press
the <Pause> key on your keyboard to make it wait there, else
it'd take a few passes at POSTing to write it all down as
it's a long string, example:
08/01/2000-693-596-8673-IA6LGC3CC-00


However, I've been going with this tangent but the bios may
not need updated, "usually" something basic like USB will
work with a board's original bios.

Check windows' Device Manager to see if the USB is listed
and OK, or flagged as non-functional. If the ports aren't
showing up at all, that would be the most likely indicator
that you need to change a bios setting and/or update the
bios. If they do show up, note any problems (if shown). If
none of the above helps to get it working, mention details
about Device Manager entries and whether *anything* at all
happens when you plug in a USB device, even a momentary new
acess of the hard drive.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Thanks for the - so far - excellent suggestions (please see my responses
below):

"kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:tk7si19d8bqjrkj872nplg2chk504gvom8@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:43:30 GMT, "Wes Stebbins"
> <WesGuitar@neb.rr.com> wrote:
>
>>I have a problem with a computer I built with a SiS-645DX motherboard,
>>Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002. It has two built in USB
>>ports
>>and 2 more for Front USB that I'm 99.9 % sure are hooked up correctly.
>>The
>>OS is Windows 2000 Pro. Device Manager show all the ports have latest
>>drivers installed and running properly, etc. However, none of the USB
>>ports
>>seems to work, i.e., I plug a perfectly good Flash Drive into them and
>>nothing happens - doesn't show the new device/drive, etc.
>
> For the time being, removeo that 1% doubt by unplugging the
> front USB port cables from the board and try to get
> (anything) working from the board's integral rear USB ports.
>
Did that already!

> Had it ever used USB devices successfully?

Well, I just built this computer for a friend, got the motherboard from my
brother-in-law, so don't know if USB worked on it before - he gets a lot of
his stuff from other "collectors."

> I wonder if the USB ports are even enabled in the BIOS?
> If you had some other device that is meant to always have an
> LED lit when attached to usb, like an optical mouse, try
> connecting one to see of power is available. >
Tried this, too. Yes, it has an optical mouse, with a USB to PS2 adapter.
Unhooked the adapter, tried just plugging it into one of the USB ports, even
rebooted, and - the mouse wouldn't work, so...
>>
>>Yes, the Flash Drive works perfectly on other computers that I have, so
>>it's
>>not that.
>>
> There might be
> a jumper on the board to select the USB power source too,
> generally near the USB socket but should be shown in your
> board manual.
Guess I need to look at this.
>>
>>
>>Also, in the BIOS (again, Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002), I
>>noticed setting for USBO Access Interface, USB1 Access Interface, etc., as
>>well as IDECHO Access Interface, Audio Access Interface, etc. For
>>defaults,
>>the BIOS had them all set to EDB BUS. What does this mean and should I
>>instead set them ALL to PCI BUS, or what?
>
> No idea what it means, but it's easy enough to change the
> USB, yes? If it doesn't work then, be sure to change it
> back as the defaults are probably correct (should be, in a
> *perfect world*).
>
>
>>
>>Also, is there a later BIOS I can download that may solve this problem?
>>If
>>yes, I have tried to find it but I keep getting sent to
>>http://www.unicore.com/home.cfm, which is eSupport.com or something and
>>they
>>always insist that I have them automatically figure out my BIOS, but I'm
>>on
>>a DIFFERENT computer and simply want to download the latest, pertinent
>>BIOS - not call them or have them figure it out, etc.
>
> Unicore sells overpriced 3rd party bios, the bios update
> from the board manufacturer is generally free, and better to
> get.
>
> You need to determine the motherboard manufacturer, it is
> they who might have a newer bios. The branding might be
> silkscreened on the board around the middle, perhaps next to
> the CPU socket or under it, or more often on that era it was
> under the AGP or a PCI slot... might not be visible if you
> had cards in those slots.
>
> Sometimes, particularly PCChips/etc boards, there was just a
> tiny model # printed on a corner, perhaps the top left
> corner nearer the PS2 ports. An alternate determination
> might be made by writing down the BIOS ID string shown at
> the bottom of the screen when the system first POSTs. Press
> the <Pause> key on your keyboard to make it wait there, else
> it'd take a few passes at POSTing to write it all down as
> it's a long string, example:
> 08/01/2000-693-596-8673-IA6LGC3CC-00
>
Of course I did this - that's why I already stated it's the Phoenix-Award
BIOS v6.00PG. I also stated it's the SiS-645DX chipset, and it also says
(when posting): L4S5A/DX+ (and, of course, the 7/22/2002 date).
>
> However, I've been going with this tangent but the bios may
> not need updated, "usually" something basic like USB will
> work with a board's original bios.
>
> Check windows' Device Manager to see if the USB is listed
> and OK, or flagged as non-functional. If the ports aren't
> showing up at all, that would be the most likely indicator
> that you need to change a bios setting and/or update the
> bios. If they do show up, note any problems (if shown). If
> none of the above helps to get it working, mention details
> about Device Manager entries and whether *anything* at all
> happens when you plug in a USB device, even a momentary new
> acess of the hard drive.
Well, I did an un-install of the USB drivers, then re-installed them AND
updated their drivers with what I had on my Windows 2000 Pro CD (and it gave
a later date after intalling), even though they showed up just fine -
Everytime - in
Device Manager (no yellow ?'s, etc.) even before I did this

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Mon, 19 Sep 2005 02:37:52 GMT, "Wes Stebbins"
<WesGuitar@neb.rr.com> wrote:


>> I wonder if the USB ports are even enabled in the BIOS?
>> If you had some other device that is meant to always have an
>> LED lit when attached to usb, like an optical mouse, try
>> connecting one to see of power is available. >
>Tried this, too. Yes, it has an optical mouse, with a USB to PS2 adapter.
>Unhooked the adapter, tried just plugging it into one of the USB ports, even
>rebooted, and - the mouse wouldn't work, so...

Ok, it didn't work, BUT I ask asking to the extent of
finding out of the LED was lit, if it even had power. A
multimeter would also confirm this, it's just that plugging
in the mouse is easier as a first step.

>> Sometimes, particularly PCChips/etc boards, there was just a
>> tiny model # printed on a corner, perhaps the top left
>> corner nearer the PS2 ports. An alternate determination
>> might be made by writing down the BIOS ID string shown at
>> the bottom of the screen when the system first POSTs. Press
>> the <Pause> key on your keyboard to make it wait there, else
>> it'd take a few passes at POSTing to write it all down as
>> it's a long string, example:
>> 08/01/2000-693-596-8673-IA6LGC3CC-00
>>
>Of course I did this - that's why I already stated it's the Phoenix-Award
>BIOS v6.00PG. I also stated it's the SiS-645DX chipset, and it also says
>(when posting): L4S5A/DX+ (and, of course, the 7/22/2002 date).


That doesn't tell you much though. The "L4S5A/DX+" is the
important part. Sure looks like a PCChips model #

Well... close, it might be ECS ?
http://www.ecsusa.com/products/l4s5a_dx_plus.html
If so, you should find the bios from their 'site.

>Well, I did an un-install of the USB drivers, then re-installed them AND
>updated their drivers with what I had on my Windows 2000 Pro CD (and it gave
>a later date after intalling), even though they showed up just fine -
>Everytime - in
>Device Manager (no yellow ?'s, etc.) even before I did this

Check the manual as there may be a power jumper wrong (or
missing)? We can't know this because you didn't mention
whether the mouse led was lit.

Also search the bios for other USB settings, including one
for USB support of mouse, keyboard, whatever... if you can
get such a setting enabled (if it's not) then you can
isolate windows by trying the mouse in some dos app or by
booting some other OS.

The more lengthly approach might be to create a temporary
clean windows installation, perhaps one with the service
packs already slipstreamed into it, or at least try adding
Sp4 to win2k if you hadn't already. You might also check
windowsupdate, as they also released a USB2 driver, IIRC.
More here,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319973

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:43:30 GMT, "Wes Stebbins"
<WesGuitar@neb.rr.com> put finger to keyboard and composed:

>I have a problem with a computer I built with a SiS-645DX motherboard,
>Phoenix-Award BIOS v.6.00PG dated 7/22/2002. It has two built in USB ports
>and 2 more for Front USB that I'm 99.9 % sure are hooked up correctly.

If you have a multimeter, carefully measure the voltage between the
end pins of the socket. It should be +5V. Use a piece of cardboard or
some suitable insulating material to prevent yourself from shorting
the meter probes to the metal shield of the socket. If power is
present, and of correct polarity, then one other possibility is that
the Data- and Data+ pins are interchanged, especially if each pin has
been individually wired to a motherboard header. You should also
confirm that there is continuity between pin 4 (USB Ground) and the
PSU's ground.

USB pinout info:
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_USB.html

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.