Topic: Stupid USB Question

[Steve]

I got my old laptop back (benifit of selling it to my dad) because i cant afford a new one. Can i flash it to make the usb ports 2.0? My guess is no way its probably totally different physical design but im asking anyway

[Rob]

More information needed. What make / model? I think it's unlikely, but then my desktop came with USB2 ports, but the driver only supported USB1 so who knows?

>>edit: If it's this one, then the ports are USB2 apparently

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=c00386804&lc=en

[Steve]

thats mine.....weird. my old maxtor external was usb 2.0 and i remember it saying my laptop wasnt 2.0......how can  find out for sure?

[Rob]

Phone / email HP?

[Steve]

yea i might have too. I cant remember if suse sandra tells usb type or not but im going to check it out in a few

[Steve]

ok using sandra ive actually managed to confuse myself! If i understand the program as well as i think i do, each of the first four lines below represent a usb port (i have 4 total). Then the last line throws me, as it is the only one indicating usb2. There is no 5th port, so i have to assume that the 5th line is the overall controller?

[Rob]

http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/418187-new-pc-not-connecting-usb.html

Summary: Bios or Drivers.

[Steve]

i did a bios update, and theres no setting in the bios. the drivers are one big motherboard/usb/etc driver and are current. i just hooked up my dads WD120gig passport external drive and it transferred super fast with no usb warnings, so i think maybe it was just my old maxtor external.

so i guess it is 2.0, good to know Thanks rob!

[Rob]

np

[jkim]

hold on, i feel like i get the error saying "this device can perform faster" all the time.  when i look in device manager i see the same thing as the guy at the other forum (without the mass storage device).

...at this point thought, all of my usb ports are f'ed up cause of accidentally hitting them while something was plugged in.  does anyone know how i'd go about fixing that too?

[Rob]

>>does anyone know how i'd go about fixing that too?

What machine? If it's a laptop it's gonna be expensive unless it's just a solder joint or something.

You could always use summat like this.

[jkim]

HP dv1000.  When I took it apart to replace the fan, I don't think I saw the open USB ports, but I probably didn't get far enough.  I might see what it's like over a weekend or something.

[Steve]

do they work at all? i accidentally stuck my speaker plug in one of my usb's once (if u have a dv u can understand why, on the right side lol) and it sparked and killed the pc's power but it came right back with no issues. If they arent working at all you may have to send it to hp.

If you havent reported it to them go buy an extended warranty then wait a few days and send it out for repair.

[jkim]

The HP losers wanted $398 to replace USB ports.  ..AND they screwed up the original charge for talking on the phone.  I go to a school with a crapload of ECE's.  Screw HP, I'm finding someone who solders or something.

[Rob]

Did you check out the link above? USB add-on ports for a laptop for about $30.