Question Razer Chroma ARGB detection problem ?

[getmoney]

I recently bought a Razer Chroma ARGB controller and I cannot seem to get synapse to detect it.
I’m sure I installed it correctly through a usb header hub I have in the case because I’m able to detect a PWM fan controller that’s installed on the same usb header hub and I think synapse has a problem with the ARGB devices because the case I bought is a Razer Tomahawk ATX case and I can’t see that in synapse. Help please I’ve searched pevious posts to find a solution but haven’t found any useful solution. Thanks.

 

[Paperdoc]

Can you give us details of the internal USB2 header Hub you have? I suspect the problem may involve this unit. As a start, you have two devices plugged into that unit. One works, and one appears not to. As a test, switch the Hub output ports those two devices are plugged into and see if that changes anything.

By the way, I presume you have the special power adapter cable for the ARGB Controller connected to its input socket and a SATA power output connector from the PSU. The Controller needs power form this source.

Background: any standard mobo USB2 header with 9 pins actually has TWO USB2 ports in it fed from a single mobo controller chip. A common external Type A socket is connected to only ONE of these, and the second port of the header is connected to a different external socket. So any external USB2 HUB normally has its own additional chip that controls the sharing of ONE USB2 mobo port by several Hub ports. However, when you start to connect to a mobo header, the thing you plug in there normally would take all this into account and connect its two output ports to different Hub 9-pin connectors so that each new USB2 output connector on it is like a single external Type A socket and serves up only ONE USB2 port from the mobo. IF that is how YOUR Hub works, then it should all work. BUT if that Hub unit has MORE that 2 output 9-pin connectors, then the splitting up process is more complex. It is also possible that it is defective and one of its two outputs is not working. That's why I asked for its details and suggested the temporary test to determine whether both of its output connectors is working.

 

[getmoney]

Can you give us details of the internal USB2 header Hub you have?

I bought this from micro center because I needed 2 extra USB headers on the mobo I bought, the Asus TUF Gaming Z-790 Plus has 2 available USB headers at the bottom, the PSU I have is a Razer Katana 1200W, the Razer ARGB controller comes with a Molex power cable that comes in the package, the PSU comes with all available power cables and a Molex cable. So far I was able to see the PWM installed on the USB header hub but not the ARGB controller or the Razer Tomahawk ATX case.

 

[Paperdoc]

Thanks for the info. I can see four ways to get this working.

1. In reading user feedback on the Micro Connectors USB2 Internal Hub you have, I see many saying it has some odd connections for power that clash with normal mobo operations. The Hub requires power from the PSU via a SATA power output and a cable that may NOT have been included with your Hub. IF you don't have that cable, it still can be connected to a PSU power connector, but you would have to fit it in wherever your power cables are from the PSU. Normally you MUST make this connection because a mobo USB2 header can supply power from EACH of its two ports limited to 0.5 A max per port. IF the items you connect to this Hub require that much and more on EITHER PORT, the feed of power from the PSU is needed. On the other hand, IF the devices you connect to the Hub need little power, many users have found that the Hub works just fine with NO power supplied from the PSU via its SATA power connector. So you might try that first: DISconnect the SATA power output from the PSU from this Hub and see if things work properly. That is not "normal", but it's an odd trick with this Hub.

2. As another option, you could get from Amazon a different Splitter like this one

https://www.amazon.com/Header-Extension-Splitter-Connector-Adapter/dp/B076Q8685Y/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2XP5JH5J2NPFR&keywords=usb2+header+splitter&qid=1705267179&sprefix=USB2+hewader,aps,94&sr=8-5&th=1

That splits the mobo 9-pin header into two 9-pin headers and does NOT have any way to supply extra power. So the issue of limited power for the devices attached still exists. But it cannot clash with other mobo power sources. NOTE that there is another model of this unit that lookes like two of them stuck together and supplies four 9-pin output headers Presumably that one has its own controller unit to let four ports share the original two of the mobo header. It still requires no extra power connection, and might be useful if you actually need two plug in more than two items to 9-pin USB2 headers.

3. This may be the best option. I see that your mobo has TWO USB2 9-pin headers side-by-side at the bottom edge. Why are you using a Hub to expand the number of headers? Do you need more than two? If not, then remove the Hub and plug your only two devices into the mobo headers.

4. Replace the Hub you have with another model of a similar design but from a different maker like this

https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Int...705268566&sprefix=USB2+hewader,aps,94&sr=8-13

It DOES require power from the a SATA power output connnector from the PSU, so it can provide normal full spec power to each of its four outputs. Further, users report this one works well with no odd power problems. IF you need more than two 9-pin header connectors with full USB2 power capabilties on all four output ports, this will do that.

 

[getmoney]

well that didn’t work, unplugging the SATA power on the hub keeps it on and the USB header devices running. I’m still not able to detect the ARGB controller in synapse.

 

[Paperdoc]

Did you try moving the cable from the ARGB Controller to a different output socket of the USB2 Hub? Does that make and difference?

 

[getmoney]

Yes, I switched it to a empty USB header and then checked synapse for updates and still no detection for this ARGB controller..

 

[Paperdoc]

There does seem to be a problem in that Hub. I suggest try either of my suggestions 3 and 4 in my earlier post. IF you need only two mobo USB2 headers for items, use #3 (one header per device with no Hub).

 

[getmoney]

Sorry I meant to say that I used a free USB header directly to the motherboard without the hub and have the same results, I don't know how anyone solved this. I don't know any other way to test if synapse detects this, I was wondering if there's another ARGB program that'll detect this.

EDIT: Found out that device manager has a unknown USB controller warning. Further looking into this find, I saw this message. This usually helps fix something but I want to be sure.

 

[Paperdoc]

That warning MIGHT be related to the Hub you had. Now that is disconnected, right? So I suggest this. Go into Device Manager and remove / delete that USB device. Back out and reboot. IF there actually is some USB device still connected but with no device driver installed, it will be discovered and a driver loaded. If not, the driver that was removed may bave been causing the problem.

Next, un-install Razer Synapse. Reboot. Re-install it under these new "clean" conditions. See if that works.

 

[getmoney]

Hmm, this is frustrating. Okay so I have 8 Razer Kunai fans installed in my Razer Tomahawk case, 3 in the front that's mounted on the radiator and 5 daisy chained fans. I disconnected all of them from the Razer Chroma ARGB controller and those USB warnings disappeared however I'm still not detecting the controller. I uninstalled Synapse then ran this tool I found from a previous post about this same issue then reinstalled Synapse. It does a clean uninstall of Razer software left-over's but that didn't detect this controller, tried looking for a software update for Synapse but I have the latest version

 

[Paperdoc]

Well it is possible the ARGB Controller is faulty. Contact Razer Tech Support about that.

 

[getmoney]

I daisy chained the Razer Kunai fans then plugged in the 3 pin ARGB cable to the mobo ARGB port and that solved the problem, I can control the lights from Windows 11, the ARGB device however is brand new and just isn't detected by Synapse...this will have to do for now. Thanks ...

 

[Paperdoc]

Glad you have a solution. Enjoy!