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Hi,
I have a Toshiba Satelite Pro 440 CDX laptop. It has a USB port on the back, and lists it in the user's manual, but it is apparently disabled. When I plug in a device the device does not show it is active(as it does on my other computer) There is not a place in the BIOS to enable USB -- actually, USB is not listed at all.
The only place I can find a reference to it is in System Information (Programs/accessories)that lists USB as IRQ 11, but says "unsupported NEC PCI to USB open host controller) There is a long device ID number after this.
It seems it is either disabled or not connected at all(?)
Can you help me with this--Oh fountain of knowledge -- at least it seems that way to me sometimes.Thanks,
Ron
Update the BIOS
Update the MoBo Chipset Drivers
Update the USB Chipset Driver
Install at M$ Service Pack 2 or 3
DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER
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If none of the above fixes it, backup all important data and get your Recovery CD's out and run them and reinstall the OS.
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My guess is if that USB port in integrated into the Laptop that there has to be a setting for it in the BIOS. BIOS screens can be cryptic sometimes. Try highlighting and then hit enter, to expand a line. Look harder. Did this Laptop originally come from the manufacturer with Win2000 installed?
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Hello again, Knights of the tech table.
Thanks for keeping the torch burning. I am trying hard to figure this out.
Some more information;
This Satelite Pro 440 CDX DID come with a USB port built in. The users' manual refers to it, it says it is for pluggin in USB devices. that's all it says. Nothing about enabling it.
I installed Win 2000. It did not come that way. The users manual refers to windows 95, as though that is how the laptop comes.(but usb will not work with windows 95(?)) I could format and install windows 98, if you think that would make a difference. This is a non-essential(but useful)laptop
The USB DOES NOT show up in the Device Manager.
I have checked the BIOS and looked at the contents of each entry and there is no reference to USB. I will look again, but I don't think it is there.
What does the messasge from "OtheHill" above mean by "try highlighting and then hit enter to expand a line(in the BIOS)??
Where can I find USB drivers, as suggested above?
I don't have a recovery CD for this laptop.
Where do I update the MoBo and/or chipset drivers?
Do you think installing service pack 2 or 3 would solve problem?Thanks mucho,
Ron
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Win2000 natively supports USB1. If the laptop is Win95 vintage then this must be USB1 port. If the USB controllers do not show up in device manager and Windows does not seek to install them at each boot then they are disabled in the BIOS. What I meant by highlight the line and hit enter is this. Many settings in the BIOS can be expanded to show more options. The way to do that can vary by BIOS type but usually if you left click on a setting and it is expandable the method of expanding it will be to hit the Enter key. The methods to navigate in the BIOS although sometimes not intuitave are usually explained somewhere on the screen. I will attempt to find a manual for this machine and if sucessful I may be able to find a USB setting. There is another possible explanation. The drivers for the USB may be part of a Motherboard chipset driver package that was never installed. If I find anything on this I will be back with results.
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OK, I'm back
Unfortunately I couldn't find a manual I could download. There is something called an online userguide. I have provided a link to the page to download that below.
From what I could find I am correct that the USB controller should show in Device manager, although it may have a yellow exclamation mark next to it. Not having this in device manager indicates that Windows is not seeing this device. The message you stated you got when connecting a USB device indicates there may be an issue with Win2000 and the USB controller. If the device was supported in Win95 it should be supported in Win98. If you have access to Win98 you may be better of using that. This machine is a P133, which is pretty slow. Win2000 requires more power than Win98. I am still posting the links to the Toshiba pages.Online user guide
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_dtlViewDL.jsp?soid=106083&ref=AI&ct=DL&moid=1073769771&IL=EN&QS=Manual&OS=&CN=10&BV_SessionID=@@@@0827534614.1111864313@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccchaddeeijdddgcgfkceghdgngdgnn.0&ProductMenu_1=Satellite+Pro&ProductMenu_2=440CDX%7c1073769771&ST=1&SortOrder=LT_WEIGHT&awhit=9440CXD home page
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modelLanding.jsp?moid=1073769771&ct=MH&soid=0&BV_SessionID=@@@@0827534614.1111864313@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccchaddeeijdddgcgfkceghdgngdgnn.0
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Thanks for the information.
There is a USB controler icon at the bottom of my device manager listing. Opening it gets me Unsupported NEC PCI to USB Open Hosst Controller. Right clicking for Properties I get; "No drivers are installed for this device" So, that's something, isn't it?I went to the Toshiba site, and there is a lot of information there, but no USB driver for Satelite Pro 440 CDX.
There is a note(hard to find)on the site that says "No drivers were included with Toshiba Laptops when shipped. The drivers would be made available later." Go figure(?)
since the Manufacturer listed for the USB component is NEC, maybe I should be looking on that site for a driver.
I was going to format and install win95, or 98, thinking the driver would be included in that OS. I'm not so sure now that it would make any difference.
The BIOS expands with the space bar. The pointer is disabled when looking at the BIOS screen, so I cannot click on an item. The enter key has no effect.Thanks again for your good ideas. I'll try to find NEC.
Ron
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As I stated early on Win2000 natively supports USB1. This means no drivers are needed. The issue must be that message about an incompatible device. That is why I suggested rolling back to Win98 if you can.
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What service pack do you have installed ?
Have you tried updating the driver whilst connected to the WWW so it will also search Windows Update for a driver?. NEC USB are very commomn USB chipset.
sDO NOT BAN THE MESSENGER
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rogerashley
This computer is a P133 with USB1. The USB controller isn't supported under Win2000.
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Good to know. I will format and install win98, and upgrade to SE. Do you know if USB 1 is supported by 98 SE?
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It is supported but chipset drivers are required and the device you use will need a driver too. This is the same way the computer worked when it had Win95. It will be basically the same except that Win98se is a much better OS. I think you will be OK when installing Win98se. With any luck the USB controller may be configured by Windows and then all you will need to do is supply a driver for the device you connect. These should be available. As I see it, you have no choice, if you need to use that USB port. I doubt you will get it working in Win2000. If you want to persue this further I suggest an Email to Toshiba. I would bet they will tell you there is not support available for products that old. WinXP will not run on that machine.
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Excellent! Bingo!
I formatted hard drive and installed Win 98, and the USB port works! then Win 98SE, and it still works! Fanstastic.
Now. I have an external DVD player -- Samsung Mod 616, that works on my other computer without an added driver. But on the Satelite Pro 440 CDX the DVD player shows up when I look for new hardware, but it says it needs a driver. Apparently there is a driver for it on Win 2000, but not on Win 98. If I knew where to look I might be able to copy it from my Win 2000 machine(?).
This laptop may not be powerful enough to play a DVD, but I will look for a driver anyway, and and maybe find out.Thanks for all the great help!
Ron
Carry on, Oh ye bearers of the tech torch!
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The laptop does not recognize the Sansung DVD player. I even found(on line)a copy of the entire set-up disk that comes with the unit, including drivers. I installed it. The Samsung info shows up when the computer starts up, but the drive still doesn't appear in My Computer. I changed my D cdrom drive to letter E. My DVD software then gives me a choice of between D and E, but it still won't read a disk, DVD or otherwise.
I think I have taken this about as far as it will go. It is just not intended to read DVD disks. But, I have a working USB connection now on this laptop -- a I learned things!Thanks again,
You have been a real help.Ron
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Hi,
Been there. Done that. The driver is not there. I wrote them an e-mail about it. I will be surprised if I get an answer.
Someone was thoughtful enough, however,(and realized the problem)to put their whole installation disk for the same unit on the web. I downloaded and installed it. it installed okay and loads every time the computer starts up, but the DVD drive still isn't recognized. I think it is because the laptop doesn't meet the requirements.
I can connect the Samsung DVD player to either of my other 2 computers(one desktop and one laptop, and it works perfectly without adding any drivers. They are both running windows 2000. If I install Windows 2000 on the Toshiba laptop the USB port won't work. Kind of a catch-22.Again,
Thanks for your help
Ron
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