USB PCI-E card makes all USB ports not recognized at bootup

[pieman123]

I have just built a new computer with a 4770K and a Z87 board. My issue is that I do not have enough USB ports on the board itself, so I bought a PCI-Express USB 2.0 card. When I connect it, and boot into windows all of my ports are functional, even the ones on the card. However if I try to hit delete to get into the bios while the computer is turning on, nothing happens. I have tried plugging the keyboard knot all of the USBs, but none of them work until the so has loaded.

Here are my specs:
i7 4770k
EVGA SuperClocked GTX TITAN
GA-Z87X-UD5H
Corsair vengeance 32GB (8gbx4)
OCZ ZX-1250 watt
seagate 3TB
Syba PCI-Express USB 2.0 5-Port Host Controller Card

 

[gbryan101]

Look for updates from Syba, it could be a firmware or driver issue. These cards are sort of notorious for having troubles from time to time. Usually the best solution is to RMA the card and get a new one.

 

[pieman123]

Look for updates from Syba, it could be a firmware or driver issue. These cards are sort of notorious for having troubles from time to time. Usually the best solution is to RMA the card and get a new one.

I forgot to mention that I have already had this problem before, with a different card, it was a USB 2.0 PCI (not express) card. I had the same kind of issue. Also I checked for a firmware update from the manufacturer, however, they only had driver updates for the OS.

 

[gbryan101]

These cards often times have spotty support. I have to ask, was the previous card on the same motherboard? Also, what slots do you have cards in? If I know, I can check to see if the slot is inactive in your system configuration.

I suspect the card may be bad. Do you have the model number so I can look it up?

 

[pieman123]

These cards often times have spotty support. I have to ask, was the previous card on the same motherboard? Also, what slots do you have cards in? If I know, I can check to see if the slot is inactive in your system configuration.

I suspect the card may be bad. Do you have the model number so I can look it up?

The previous card was on this same motherboard, and I had the original PCI card in the only PCI card that is present on this motherboard. This current card, even though it is a PCI-Express X1, I have it plugged into the last PCI-Express X16 slot (Which is wired for only X8). I know that the card is active, because it works fine when I am in an OS. The only time that it doesn't work is when I am trying to enter the BIOS. The model number is SD-PEX20019.

 

[gbryan101]

Even though the card is active, try it in another slot. Usually, I would expect your motherboard to go to x8/x4/x4 when a device is plugged into the third PCIE 3.0 slot. I am wondering if this isn't happening properly for some reason. Also try the card in the x1 slots, preferably the topmost one. I had a x1 network adapter that would only work in the topmost slot, so it might be a similar issue here.

 

[pieman123]

Even though the card is active, try it in another slot. Usually, I would expect your motherboard to go to x8/x4/x4 when a device is plugged into the third PCIE 3.0 slot. I am wondering if this isn't happening properly for some reason. Also try the card in the x1 slots, preferably the topmost one. I had a x1 network adapter that would only work in the topmost slot, so it might be a similar issue here.

I just tried moving it into different slots, including the topmost PCI-Express X1 slot. Still nothing happened when I had it in that slot.

 

[gbryan101]

I am at a loss. I spent a couple hours trying to make my SATA card do the same thing, and I can't. I guess I would try asking the question again and hope that someone a bit smarter than me can help you. Like I said, the closest I have come to your problem was my wireless adapter and that was solved by things I have already suggested.

 

[pieman123]

I am at a loss. I spent a couple hours trying to make my SATA card do the same thing, and I can't. I guess I would try asking the question again and hope that someone a bit smarter than me can help you. Like I said, the closest I have come to your problem was my wireless adapter and that was solved by things I have already suggested.

Do you think that it might have something to do with my bios? It seems very unlikely that two completely different usb cards with different controllers cause the exact same problem.

 

[gbryan101]

It's definitely possible. If you have a legacy option, toggle it. I have been looking at the block diagram for your board and have noticed that the PCIE x1 slots and the PCI slot are both controlled by the chipset, while the PCIE x16 slots (or whatever they are running at) are being handled by the CPU. While not terribly important, this pretty much eliminates, at least in my mind, that something might be wrong with the board hardware wise.

Are you running the most current BIOS?

There should be, under BIOS Features, an option called Other PCI Device ROM Priority. Try putting this in Legacy mode and then installing the old card, if you still have it, in the PCI slot. I am suggesting this more out of academic curiosity than anything else, but I think if we can solve this problem for one card, it will give us an idea where to go for the other card.

Also, under Miscellaneous Settings, there is PEG Gen3 Slot Configuration. If the card is still in a PCIE 3.0 slot (one of shared x16 slots), try setting that slot to Gen 2. Just an idea.

Like I said before, these cards are pretty sketchy at times. The card you have had some pretty negative reviews on Newegg, though I suspect some of them were a little hyperbolic.

 

[pieman123]

It's definitely possible. If you have a legacy option, toggle it. I have been looking at the block diagram for your board and have noticed that the PCIE x1 slots and the PCI slot are both controlled by the chipset, while the PCIE x16 slots (or whatever they are running at) are being handled by the CPU. While not terribly important, this pretty much eliminates, at least in my mind, that something might be wrong with the board hardware wise.

Are you running the most current BIOS?

There should be, under BIOS Features, an option called Other PCI Device ROM Priority. Try putting this in Legacy mode and then installing the old card, if you still have it, in the PCI slot. I am suggesting this more out of academic curiosity than anything else, but I think if we can solve this problem for one card, it will give us an idea where to go for the other card.

Also, under Miscellaneous Settings, there is PEG Gen3 Slot Configuration. If the card is still in a PCIE 3.0 slot (one of shared x16 slots), try setting that slot to Gen 2. Just an idea.

Like I said before, these cards are pretty sketchy at times. The card you have had some pretty negative reviews on Newegg, though I suspect some of them were a little hyperbolic.

I do not at the moment have the old card, however, I am considering buying another USB PCI card, and changing that setting that you mentioned. I am on the most recent BIOS for my board, which is the F6 BIOS that came out only a few weeks ago. I also moved the card into the PCI-Express X1 slots, as you said earlier, and those can only run up to Gen. 2.

 

[gbryan101]

Please let me know if you get it working. Short of the card being bad or one of those strange incompatibilities that sometimes happen with expansion card, this has me stumped.

As for another card, these are one of the few things I take consumer reviews very seriously. I simply won't buy a card anymore if it isn't rated four stars (or eggs, if you shop Newegg) or higher and backed up with comprehensive reviews. Even then, there are weird things, like the adapter I had that would only work in the top slot. Never did get an explanation for that one.

 

[pieman123]

Please let me know if you get it working. Short of the card being bad or one of those strange incompatibilities that sometimes happen with expansion card, this has me stumped.

As for another card, these are one of the few things I take consumer reviews very seriously. I simply won't buy a card anymore if it isn't rated four stars (or eggs, if you shop Newegg) or higher and backed up with comprehensive reviews. Even then, there are weird things, like the adapter I had that would only work in the top slot. Never did get an explanation for that one.

I just picked up a Vantec 5-Port USB 2.0 PCI Host Card. It was rated 4 eggs (all but one review was a 5), and I pluged it into my motherboard after setting the PCI Device ROM Priority as Legacy, but still nothing. I think I will just have to use an external USB hub. However, i have seen some USB 3.0 PCI-Express 1X cards. I might give one of those a shot, but I am starting to think that this is not worth the hassle.

 

[pieman123]

I have just got a 10-Port powered USB hub, and it causes the same problem. When it is plugged in, none of the USB ports work until the OS has loaded. I am starting to get very annoyed, because I need more USB ports, and it seems that that is becoming impossible. I also cannot wake from sleep when the hub is plugged in, I have to press the power button, then everything works again.

 

[gbryan101]

Are you running any type of overclock? CPU, GPU, RAM, ect.

 

[pieman123]

Are you running any type of overclock? CPU, GPU, RAM, ect.

I have had my CPU over clocked to 4.0GHz, and the RAM is running at it's native speed of 1600MHz. I have ran a few hours of prime 95 small ffts, large ffts, and blend, and in addition I have ran over 12 hours of memtests.

 

[pieman123]

I have noticed something that is very interesting. Although my 10-port powered usb hub will cause the same issues as with the PCI card, my small 4-port USB hub will not cause any issues.

 

[gbryan101]

That is interesting. Have you tried either the card or the larger hub at stock clock speeds? I doubt this is a problem if everything is stable in Prime 95, but I have seen mention of an overclock being an issue. It was more common in older machines, with very high overclocks.

As for the hubs, it's usually a bandwidth issue if they don't work, but that's usually when someone does something like connecting a hub to a hub to a hub and then putting a device on every port. Per specs, a singe USB 2.0 controller should support 127 devices, so that shouldn't be an issue.

All this said, I have a laptop that cannot, under any circumstances, run a USB headset and a mechanical keyboard at the same time, even with a powered hub. No one has been able to explain it.

 

[pieman123]

That is interesting. Have you tried either the card or the larger hub at stock clock speeds? I doubt this is a problem if everything is stable in Prime 95, but I have seen mention of an overclock being an issue. It was more common in older machines, with very high overclocks.

As for the hubs, it's usually a bandwidth issue if they don't work, but that's usually when someone does something like connecting a hub to a hub to a hub and then putting a device on every port. Per specs, a singe USB 2.0 controller should support 127 devices, so that shouldn't be an issue.

All this said, I have a laptop that cannot, under any circumstances, run a USB headset and a mechanical keyboard at the same time, even with a powered hub. No one has been able to explain it.

I have not yet tried using them without an overclock, and I will be away from my computer for the next week, but I will try it when I get home. Considering that my motherboard only has USB 3.0 on the bac, should I try a USB 3.0 hub?

 

[gbryan101]

I don't think it would make a difference, given that 2.0 should work for everything 3.0 does, albeit slower.