Possible Fix For Gp2x Usb Connection

[Guyfawkes]

I have been doing some tests to see why the GP2X USB connection wont work. I think I may have found a solution but cant figure out why its causing it.

At first my PC wouldnt recognise the GP2X at all. Tried three different USB cables and none worked. But plugging it into a USB 1 port would give the Windows message that the device will work better if plugged into a USB 2 port, so it did seem to work to some extent.

What I done next was remove my Card Reader which was connected to a different USB port to what I was using to connect to the GP2X. I then connected the GP2X on a USB 1 port and it worked first time!

I then reconnected the Card Reader and tried again and the GP2X still worked. I also tried connecting the GP2X to different USB ports and a USB 2 port and all worked perfectly.

Not sure if or why my card reader was causing the problem but doing the above fixed it. It might be worth trying to remove all your USB devices and connecting the GP2X and see if it can be recognised. If it does work then reconnecting your other devices should be fine after that.

Let me know if it works for you or not. I posted this on my own forums also which you can read here.

 

[DijiTao]

Windows USB support can be fairly terrible at times. I have a PlayStation to USB adapter that has given me all kinds of grief although it’s never had a problem in Linux. I also drove myself fairly nuts trying to get a Creative Labs Nomad IIc recognized by WinXP. I really doubt the GP2X connection problems are its fault as much as they are Microsoft’s. So that all being said here’s the normal method of ‘fixing’ USB problems.

Step 1- Update Drivers for all your USB devices, and your Motherboard. Note that some devices might currently be using Generic Microsoft drivers instead of vendor specific ones ie. your Logitech mouse – it’s imperative that you switch to using the drivers from the vendor as these tend to cause a lot less problems.
Step 2 – Reboot computer and enter the bios. Disable in the bios all unused device. COM ports, Parallel port etc..
Step 3 – Disconnect all USB devices (use a PS/2 adapter for your mouse keyboard if necessary)
Step 4 – Boot Computer into Windows
Step 5 – Remove System devices\PCI bus from Device Manager
Step 6 – Reboot Computer
Step 7 – Watch Device Manager add everything back in (hopefully with more intelligent resource assignment)
Step 8 – Connect USB device that previously wasn’t working, if it doesn’t work now you’re screwed.
Step 9 – Connect all other USB Devices one at a time verifying they work.
Step 10 – Reboot with all Devices connected
Step 11 – Verify everything still works
Step 12 – Disconnect the device that was previously had problem and reboot
Step 13 – Connect the device that was previously had problems and verify that it’s now working.


Following these steps you’ll either end up with a working device, or figuring out that you need to have your device connected when you boot for it to work, or figuring out that you can’t have certain devices connected at the same time.

-edit- added step about drivers

 

[nubie]

I don't know as it is microsoft's fault so much as shoddy motherboard drivers and connection sockets.

I have had no end of USB problems on SIS motherboards, and even my nforce motherboard has had trouble with the crap connectors on the $35 case I put it in.

On a side note I put together an Nforce3 DFI Lanparty for a friend and he completely shot his power supply and motherboard when the USB on the front of the case broke and shorted all the pins together.

 

[aQwaBlaz3]

Oh yeah....sometimes I hook my iPod up and nothing gets reconized...then I have to reboot with the USB in and then put iTunes up and then unplug it and all this shit...but thats what I get for buying a Dell. Im getting a sexy artic-looking notebook soon..

 

[DijiTao]

No really... And this isn't the zealot in me speaking - but Microsoft's USB support is pretty bad. I've booted the exact same computer into Linux and never had a USB problem. If your having USB problems try booting with a Linux live cd sometime and see if it still has problems. If it does you can conclude the problem is hardware related, but in my experience it's always been a software (Microsoft) problem.

 

[DyslexicDan]

Sounds like you just needed to get the device recognized by windows first. When plugging in a new USB device for the first time Windows does suggest that you unplug all other USB devices first. Once plugged in Windows will install the default drivers for that device and put a entry in some proverbial list of USB devices it keeps track of.

In other words Windows has to first see the device alone so it can associate the correct drivers for the device. Windows is just finicky about having other devices plug in at the same time durring a driver install.

Once that is done Windows will recognize the device from then on. I had to do that with my Wacom Tablet, My PS2 to USB converter, my flash drive, and my USB hard drive.

The message about the device running better on a USB 2.0 port is BS. Thats just auto message that will come up every time you plug a 2.0 into a slower USB port. Doesn't mean anything more then the transfer rate would be faster on a 2.0 port.

Just a rule of thumb. When plugging in your GP2x into a Windows machine for the first time unplug all other USB devices first or something to that extent.

 

[Zero3K]

Well, I did that and it didn't work.

 

[DijiTao]

Well, I did that and it didn't work.

​

My Method? And that didn't work? Did you follow it all? Ever last stupid detail of it, no cheating (ie leaving your usb keyboard/mouse plugged in)? What brand / make of motherboard do you have? Can you boot with a Linux live CD to see if Linux recognizes it? (to make sure this isn't a hardware problem)

 

[Zero3K]

No, DyslexicDan's method.

 

[DijiTao]

I know my method sounds big and scary but it’s not that bad – also I’ve had tremendous success with it and other trouble some devices. The problem with DyslexicDan’s method is it’s not going to force some intelligent resource reassignment. Here’s my with the reasoning added in:

Step 1:
Update Drivers for all your USB devices, and your Motherboard. Note that some devices might currently be using Generic Microsoft drivers instead of vendor specific ones ie. your Logitech mouse – it’s imperative that you switch to using the drivers from the vendor as these tend to cause a lot less problems.

Logic:
Sometimes Windows uses Microsoft drivers for devices that it really shouldn’t. These Microsoft Drivers can be buggy with certain devices and thus you’ll be a lot better off using the correct driver. However, sometimes installing the driver package won’t actually make the device use it. To make sure your computer is using the right driver for your devices and your USB controller will have to do a bit more.

Step 2:
Reboot computer and enter the bios. Disable in the bios all unused device. COM ports, Parallel port etc..

Logic:
This will free up resources (IRQ’s etc…) which generally makes things work better.

Step 3:
Disconnect all USB devices (use a PS/2 adapter for your mouse/keyboard if necessary)

Logic:
This will insure that when resources are assigned to the USB devices it’s done a little more intelligently.

Step 4:
Boot Computer into Windows

Logic:
We’ll you had to do it sometime

Step 5:
Remove System devices\PCI bus from Device Manager

Logic:
I know this sounds scary but it’s not that big a deal. Windows we re-install everything after you reboot, and this time it will be using the right drivers and better resource assignment.

Step 6:
Reboot Computer

Logic:
Hey it’s windows, what did you expect.

Step 7:
Watch Device Manager add everything back in (hopefully with more intelligent resource assignment)

Logic:
This is when the magic takes place and everything gets sorted out the right way, everything up to this step has been building for this moment.

Step 8:
Connect USB device that previously wasn’t working, if it doesn’t work now you’re screwed.

Logic:
Since this device most likely has some picky resource requirements it needs to be initialized first so Windows can give it what it wants.

Step 9:
Connect all other USB Devices one at a time verifying they work.

Logic:
The idea is to now connect everything back and see if something breaks in the process, if it does you’ll know what two devices aren’t playing well together. Hopefully everything goes smoothly.

Step 10:
Reboot with all Devices connected

Logic:
Windows loooves to reboot.

Step 11:
Verify everything still works

Logic:
Just testing, but really if you’ve made it this far your most likely fine.

Step 12:
Disconnect the device that was previously had problem and reboot

Logic:
I hate Windows…

Step 13:
Connect the device that was previously had problems and verify that it’s now working.

Logic:
This might trip you up, I’ve seen devices that need to be plugged in when Windows boots in order for them to work right, if this is the case for you and the GP2X you’ll find out here.


If you want some easy proof that this is a Windows problem, just download and boot to a Linux live-cd.

 

[jankster]

the gp2x woundnt connect on the usb ports at the front of me pc but it worked ok with ports at the back

 

[SiIV]

ok, i get a successful message saying the drivers have been installed for the usb device and all, if it is working properly, where does it show up? I can not find it anywhere, the only place i looked was my computer and disk management

 

[slygamer]

It shows up as another drive. Mine comes up as drive G:. Even with firmware 1.1.0, I still have to use mine through a USB1.1 hub to get Windows to recognize it.