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first time asking question sorry if this is noobish or the wrong place to ask.
I have an old PC from 2002 that I use for old games. I have no issue with it except the transfer speed is really bad (usb 1.1). There was no USB2 in 2002 but I was wondering if I install a USB2.0 card reader will that work here, and speed things up for me?
I think my mobo is called Compaq 0804h
Thank you
i-like-steak
Posted 2017-07-31T12:13:40.963
Reputation: 43
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The card reader connects to USB 2.0 headers so would do no good there. You would need to find an appropriate PCI expansion card (with supported drivers for your OS, presumably)
Journeyman Geek
Posted 2017-07-31T12:13:40.963
Reputation: 119 122
I guess this is the best possible answer. So I need a legacy PCI USB expansion card. Thanks so much, I would've wasted my money on the card reader. – i-like-steak – 2017-07-31T12:48:30.290
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To connect a USB 2.0 (fast) reader, you need a PCI card called "USB 2.0 host controller card", not any "expansion" (since there is no USB 2.0 to "expand"). Example: Startech.
There are no USB 2.0 host controllers in PCIexpress format, they exist only in old PCI standard, so your old 2002 Compaq should be fine.
You will need to find proper OS driver for this, and more or less functional drivers exists only under Windows XP and above. If you have Vista of W2k, this project might face some challenges.
Ale..chenski
Posted 2017-07-31T12:13:40.963
Reputation: 9 749
Luckily I am on Windows XP. I'm getting the card tomorrow , it doesn't seem like it comes with any CD, so not sure on drivers. Will report results tomorrow just for the sake of anyone wanting to read about it. – i-like-steak – 2017-07-31T20:45:25.817
If I recall correctly, XP does come with EHCI driver, but you might need to install it separately – Ale..chenski – 2017-07-31T20:51:47.223
You were right, it didn't go so great. I installed it, and even managed to install the drivers (i think...it shows up in device manager) but it does nothing. when i plug a usb device on it, nothing happens. i even disabled every other USB controller on the computer thinking it was a bandwidth problem. oh well. it was only $5 – i-like-steak – 2017-08-01T22:26:59.937
@i-like-steak, the PCI-card EHCI controller should work absolutely fine in any PCI-based Pentium system, with full HS throughput. You should try again. Use USBTreeView for USB connectivity monitoring, https://superuser.com/a/1181052/620011
– Ale..chenski – 2017-08-01T23:49:44.013What would I do in that USBTree program? it shows everything as working, but when I plug something in it doesn't do anything. – i-like-steak – 2017-08-02T12:55:16.457
@i-like-steak, what do you mean "everything as working"? Do you see the new card? What does the tool show? It should show "USB Enhanced Host Controller", without any special marks. You should see all descriptor information without errors. Which chip did you get, VIA, Renesas? Does the controller put out +5V on VBUS? – Ale..chenski – 2017-08-02T17:58:57.890
It's a VIA chip. Not sure about voltage, not sure where to look – i-like-steak – 2017-08-02T19:25:25.697
So after a long day of testing, I think I solved the problem in a different way. Here is the chart (excuse the small amount of spanish): http://i.imgur.com/xKCCwyh.png Starting from the bottom, there are 6 "usb 2.0" ports. These are my PC ports. This is crazy to me, because my PC is from 2002. However apparently these are the ports for usb 2.0 devices. Then above are 6 ports divided by 3. These are also the same ports from my PC, but they're for USB1.1. I think. My Mouse and Keyboard always show up in these 6 no matter which port I put them in. They never show up in the Enhanced part.
– i-like-steak – 2017-08-02T19:25:34.147Then you have the VIA card up top, it's a 4-port card but it shows up as 8, I assume for 1.1 and 2.0. However it just doesn't work. It says it's working though. I think it's a power supply problem. My PSU is only 230W so maybe it just can't do any more. Or driver-related. I don't know. – i-like-steak – 2017-08-02T19:27:52.493
By the way, thank you for helping me with this
@i-like-steak, I don't see any problem at all. What is not working? The bottom 4 root entries (on picture) are from your on-board Intel 82801 controller. It has 6 ports. They are muxed into 6 for HS mode, and 3 groups of 2 LS/FS . Since your mouse and keybaord are LS devices, they show up in LS/FS section of the EHCI controller. Wireless and mass-storage are in HS section. The upper part of USBTreeview diagram shows your new USB2.0 EHCI VIA, with nothing connected to the card. Where is the problem? – Ale..chenski – 2017-08-02T20:30:09.617
The USB EHCI VIA does not work. I plug stuff in but new devices don't show up in My Computer or USBTreeView. Still it's not a huge problem, since apparently I already had USB 2.0 on-board all along, but the controller for it (Intel 82801) was apparently not working until yesterday when I was trying to fix the PCI card. Still doesn't make much sense to me how this 2002 pc has usb2.0 on it but apparently it does. – i-like-steak – 2017-08-02T20:41:30.647
Then remove your new card, assume losses if you can't make it work (you need a VIA driver for that, but there is a possibility that XP will be screwed back), and enjoy you standard on-board USB 2.0 EHCI functionality. USB 2.0 was in full deployment by 2002, even Intel did catch up with NEC/Renesas at that time. – Ale..chenski – 2017-08-02T20:53:48.477
Yes, I dont have PCI-Express on here, only PCI. Is there such a thing for PCI? – i-like-steak – 2017-07-31T12:24:59.377
At a pinch, if its just for file transfers, I've found ethernet works ok with another PC – Journeyman Geek – 2017-07-31T12:35:24.323
Ethernet is a good answer too, I have a card but it would require another PC to be close by or getting a super long cord. Still I hadn't considered it, thanks – i-like-steak – 2017-07-31T14:35:20.730