I Updated My BIOS & Lost My USB's

by Daviddude Jul 21, 2007 1:14PM PDT

Hi people,
I have an Insignia D400A running Windows XP Home SP2
Board: Intel Corporation D845GVSR AAC45439-302
BIOS: Intel Corp. VA84510A.86A.0056.P20.0605040337 05/04/2006

I have been having numerous problems with this thing lately...had the RAM replaced, installed a ATI Raedon 256 MB PCI video card. When the computer would go either to screen saver or if I disabled that and just had the monitor auto shut off after 5 minutes...sometimes the display wouldn't come back on. This got me thinking that my onboard video went bad.
Then the USB external WD 250GIG started giving me error messages when I would plug in my iPod. I would get these strange "Delayed Write Failed" for some file named (I think) WF$T or something like that. I checked the settings for that drive, and Delayed Write wasn't enabled. So when ever I wanted to change something on my iPod, I would click the disconnect icon in the system tray and stop the external drive, then plug in my iPod and all was ok.
Several people were suggesting that I update the BIOS for this thing. Well, I did that today and LOST my USB ports. They aren't in my hardware profile, I tried to add new hardware & it doesn't find them. I even tried installing the USB 2.0 drivers again. Nothing worked. So, I went into the BIOS setup and USB Legacy is enabled (don't know how to disable that), but when I go to the USB part of the BIOS setup, there is nothing there.
I tried an earlier version of the BIOS update and still no USB. Now for both versions of the BIOS update program, I used the windows file, and both of them worked no problems...the computer re-boots, windows comes up and the little "BIOS Update Was Successful" message came up both times.

Any ideas how to fix this? I already tried the Intel help site, and there is no email support for this particular mother board (translation, I have to call them and pay) I don't know.
So, does anyone have any ideas how to fix this?
I was thinking that my mother board is just slowly dieing out on me, and now with this problem I think that I am convinced the mother board needs to be replaced.
Everything else seems to be working ok...I can get online after the BIOS updates and my sound card still works (I have heard of problems with those things and BIOS updates)

Thanks for your replies and help.

Discussion is locked

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If this was mine...

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 21, 2007 11:10PM PDT

I'd consider adding an USB PCI card. They're cheap. For example...

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SD-NECU2-3E1I&cat=CCD

I didn't need to install any drivers for it either.

Bob

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Thanks for the link

by Daviddude Jul 21, 2007 11:31PM PDT

I just bought it...

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Hey Bob...

by Daviddude Jul 24, 2007 3:55PM PDT

Ordered Sunday morning, arrived Tuesday morning.
The one inside usb doesn't register anything plugged into it though, but still a good bargain - I have 3 external USB's.
Thanks for the link!!!
D

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At least you have USB now.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 10:41PM PDT

I can't explain the inside connection issue.

At the very least you have USB 2.0 back for cheap. Fixing motherboards (replacing) can be expensive) so I like this sort of fix.

Bob

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Instead of re installing USB drivers

by Steven Haninger Jul 21, 2007 11:20PM PDT

try to remove all USB references in device manager. Reboot and let Windows re-detect them. If they are truly announced through the BIOS, Windows should respond in some way and attempt to find and configure proper drivers. If they are not available in the BIOS, Windows will do nothing. I've had USB 2 capable motherboards show as 1.1 with XP until I performed this operation. Good luck.

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Thanks anyway

by Daviddude Jul 21, 2007 11:33PM PDT

Thanks for the reply, but there are no references for USB in Device Manager.

From previous reply, I just ordered a USB PCI card for my computer.

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Maybe a dumb thought

by Steven Haninger Jul 22, 2007 11:13AM PDT

but does device manager show any unconfigured devices? i.e. yellow question marks? If so, some other motherboard resource might be the issue. It could still be something missed or changed in the BIOS that needs to be configured first before the USB ports become available. I'd try BIOS defaults and/or just loading the motherboard's driver CD's chipset utility as well. Of course the add in card will serve it's purpose as long as you don't have ports on the front of the case that have gone missing as well.

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Thanks for the reply...

by Daviddude Jul 22, 2007 12:27PM PDT

but there are no unknown devices in the device manager. I even tried the "Load Setup Defaults" in the BIOS to try and get the USB back. Nothing seems to work.

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Fixed

by psharkauburn Mar 12, 2008 5:56PM PDT

Had the same issue - Insignia D400a desktop. Figured i'd give the wife's machine an overhaul. Upgraded the BIOS from P16 to P20 and *poof* - USB is gone. Backed down to the P19 BIOS, no dice. Went all the way back to the P16 BIOS and things are back to normal - USB is back. Unfortunately, the P16 BIOS causes the machine is hiccup with certain USB devices plugged in on boot, but at least is turns the USB ports on! Crappy board, crappy BIOS.

I Updated My BIOS & Lost My USB's

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