USB 3.0 Problem

[radier]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

New drivers for Etron USB 3.0 v0.101
DOWNLOAD

[Jon Skilling]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

Hi,

Thanks for the link. However, I can only find this driver on the Mediafire site which you link to and without wanting to sound suspicious, I'm going to err on the side of caution and leave it a little longer till it's a little more generally available.

I did notice also that Asrock now provide the 0.98 driver on their website. Progress marches on....

[rgsaunders]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

Try the new driver Etrontech .1.1.7z avail on megaup, it might resolve the issue.
If you can't get it, let me know on here and I will send it to you. There is a link on the ExtremeSystems.org forums, Asrock forum for the z68 board, page 4. I am currently on my Macbook due to a power outage so no access to my main systems.

Update: Got generator going, main system up, here is the link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6RSCON8R

It would appear that the actual driver is 0.101 - strange naming convention.

[n0ob]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

tried the latest etron 0.101, still got disconnection issue

[radier]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

EtronTech USB3 Treiber (EJ168) 1.00.0000.0104 WHQL

EtronTech USB3 Treiber (EJ168) 1.00.0000.0104 WHQL - PCTreiber.Net

[Michael_H]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

I also have problems with the USB 3.0 ports with the Z68 Extreme4. The problem is with an WD My Passport 500GB drive that is not recognized when connected to USB 3.0 ports, but works fine when connected to USB 2.0 ports. When not recognized, the list in Device Manager flashes once (some hardware event is detected) but the WD SES driver does not show in the list as it should. The drive is actually recognized maybe once in twenty connections or so. The front connectors using the separate connector plate work even less often. I have two systems built on Z68 Extreme4 with the same behavior.

I run Win 7 64-bit and have the latest Etron Driver version 0.0104, which they in the update history claim fixes this. In reality it does not.

I have also had problems with random freezes making it necessary to reset the computer. These freezes always seem to occur when i move the mouse, so i disabled the USB 3.0 ports in the UEFI and uninstalled the Etron USB 3.0 drivers from one of the systems. I have not had one freeze after that. I have not used the other system that much yet and therefore do not know if the freezes occur also on that one.

I will personally stay far away from any Etron products in the future and have entered their name on my black list, but i still hope they manage to fix this. Maybe someone can help them with their software development QA? I hope i do not have to enter ASRock on my black list as well, i all depends on how this develops and how ASRock acts.

Edit: I was a little bit too quick there. The random freezes still occur. I am using the i7 2600K internal iGPU and are beginning to wonder if this is the problem? ASRock is getting closer and closer to getting on my black list. I have contacted ASRock support on two different subjects, but I have not heard anything from them apart from the automatic message sent by their support web site. This is NOT acceptable!

[bahram_alinezhad]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

The chipset has USB-IF's certification:
USB.org - Search Catalog Items
and the driver has Microsoft's certification (WHQL); Then, what Asrock did do with that?!

[greghouston]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

Just to add to the list of issues ... I have a Focusrite Saffire 6 USB audio interface that when connected via the USB 3 ports would have the audio cutting in and out. After I moved it to a USB 2 port it worked fine again.

[greghouston]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

Note that the link marosy gave on the previous page for the Etron ver 0.98 drivers at Gigabyte now installs version 0.104. On the Etron site itself I could only find 0.91 drivers.

[n0ob]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

just fyi, 0.105 is available at gigabyte site

[Mothertweaker]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

just fyi, 0.105 is available at gigabyte site

This does the trick for me. I was on stock W7 driver before, and was observing a demonic rate of over 80MB/s before the device craps out and disconnect, taking with it all USB3 ports. That means no matter how many times I try to unplug and re-plug in the drive into any USB3 port, it would never be recognized by Windows again, thus requiring a reboot.

Now on 0.105, the speed is brought down to a more normal 55MB/s, but the transfer has so far been rock solid. You can get 0.105 here:

ftp://174.142.97.10/drivers/all/usb/Etron_USB3_Win7-64_Win7_Vista64_Vista_XP64_XP(v0.105_WHQL).zip

[n0ob]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

yup, much more stable now, still could get 80MB/s tx rate with .105

[jykkejee]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

The newest Etron driver 0.105 cannot hibernate properly - not in my setup anyway. I'm using Win 7 64-bit + Asrock P67 Pro3 with BIOS 2.00. After waking up USB3 ports never work and don't even show up in device manager. And every now and then there's a blue screen when trying to wake up.

I really think Asrock should bear some responsibility. You chose to offer us this chip on your boards. Now it's your job to push Etron into making a proper driver. It doesn't look like they are trying too much at the moment - the latest driver is three months old.

[ASRock TSD - Emily]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

Dear all,

We have upload Etron USB3.0 driver ver:1.04 and ver:1.05 to our beta zone.
If you encounter the problem with Etron USB3.0, please kindly download the driver from below link to try.
Link: ASRock > Products > Motherboard > Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 > Download

Thanks!!

Have a nice day
ASRock TSD
Emily

[bat4]

Re: USB 3.0 Problem

My support requests regarding the USB 3.0 issues are being ignored both by Asrock and EtronTech. I think now it is the time to take this matter to the Court.

The EJ168A in my opinion has some serious issues. Here are some links to confirm what I am saying.

The USB-IF certification or the WHQL certification of the drivers mean nothing in real world situations. They are just some labels.

Let's start with the most serious bug, until version 0.101 the Etron drivers could cause random BSOD even if you don't use the USB 3.0 ports. See this forum:

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/154631-random-bsod-driving-me-crazy-8.html

http://www.overclock.net/intel-general/978272-new-sandybridge-build-bsods-halp.html

http://windows7forums.com/blue-screen-death-bsod/62946-getting-bsod-new-build-help.html

Not only is it less reliable than the Renesas solution found on most boards, it is slower as well:

http://www.hardcoreware.net/gigabyte-ga-z68a-d3h-b3-motherboard-review/9/

Quote: "This board is the first time I have seen the Etron EJ168A controller, and I have to say, it sucks."

See this review:

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1668/6/

On a German site they are building up a list with compatible and incompatible USB devices:

http://www.pctreiber.net/forum/intel_mainboards/etrontechusb3_controller_ej168a_kompatibilitatsliste_14617.0.html

See this user having problems:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/308948-10-ports-responding

Or this user:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1624179

Users start to RMA Asrock mainboards with this Etron controller and exchange them for Asus:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1785632

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1789651

See this forum:

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/45000-z68-extreme-4-usb3-problems.html

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/45645-asrock-extreme-4-gen-3-slow-usb-3-speed-front-panel.html

See this German forum:
"The Etron EJ168A USB 3.0 controller is a disaster"

http://www.pctreiber.net/forum/intel_mainboards/asrock_z68_extreme4_gen3_etron_ej168a_usb_3.0_controller_ist_eine_katastrophe_15202.0.html

Forum posting in German language:
"Warning! The new EtronTech EJ168A USB 3.0 Host Controller is incompatible with USB 3.0 devices having JMicron JMS539 chipset"

http://forum.gigabyte.de/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=3743