GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

[MeatballCB]

Hey guys,

I just put together a new Windows 7 machine using the GA-P55-UD3R mobo in a Thermaltake M9 case. I also have a little all in one card reader. I have a cheap little HP 8 GB USB drive (Model P-FD6GB-HPV100W-FS.) When I plug the HP drive into the front panel or the card reader, I get an "Unrecognizable device" in windows, yet if I plug into the back side of the PC, the machine sees it as a USB drive and I can access it fine.

Originally I thought it might have been the M9's front panel or the card readers USB's not working, but I can plug other USB devices (Headphones, printer, etc) into those without a problem.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

[Conners]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

I would check the little cheap all in one card reader is recognized in the device manager. You may need to load it's drivers...although it should automatiacally be reconized...

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Yeah, it's showing up fine and I assume it's recognized since I can plug other USB devices into it. I'll check for specific drivers though.

[Panther1]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

I have the same issue. Some devices work on the front usb ports, others don't, yet they all work on the rear ports. I've tried 3 different card readers and they all have the same problem. Even the front usb ports on my case do the same. My old P35 board with the same card reader and case didn't have any usb problems.

I originally had the UD3R but changed it to a UD3P but both boards have the same issue. I read elsewhere a person with a MSI P55 board having the same problem as well.

I could understand if the front usb ports were on a different chip to the rear ports, but as far as I know they all come from the P55.

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Oh man...between this and problems I'm having getting all my memory sticks to be recognized I'm beginning to regret going P55. :)

[bodean]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

No issues with my P55-UD3R at all

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

I've tested a few more things in those front panels. USB floppy drive, digital camera and even some other USB drives I have lying around and they work fine. Maybe it's something with the HP USB drive itself. Maybe it's not getting enough power or something from those front panel USB's.

Not sure, but I don't think I'm going to find a fix other than to not use that USB drive in the front panel.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Some devices are just not compatible, if you have the latest Intel Chipset INF Drivers and any related drivers install the best you can do is send in a report and hope they can look into it and fix in a future BIOS. Send a report in here and tell them to please forward to the BIOS team, be sure you include the exact model name/# of the device in question
GIGABYTE - Support&Download - Technical Service Zone

Some front panel wires are also only USB 1.0/1.1, so you should check that as well, could be the issue

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Yeah, chipset drivers really didn't do anything, but I think I've figured out what the problem is. Power.

Plugging that USB drive into the back ports works fine, front, no go. I plugged a powered USB hub into the front ports and then the USB drive into the hub and up it came without a problem.

The USB headers on the motherboard must not be putting out enough power for the USB drive. I'll see if it there's a way to boost the voltage going out through those headers, but I don't think so.

[Chike]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Might be just the wires leading to the front panel USB or the front USB connector.
Any way you check this?

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Yeah, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. If other USB devices work fine (including other USB Thumb drives), what cable issues could cause other types of USB drives/devices to not work?

[Chike]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Ler me ask a different question. What is the difference between the front and back panel USB connectors If it's power peoblem how come the same device wotk with the back panel USB?

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

The back panel USB ports are built right into the motherboard. The front panel USB ports are plugged into the F_USB1 and F_USB2 headers on the motherboard. I'm wondering if Gigabyte isn't pushing the same amount of power to those front port USB headers that they are to the actual USB ports on the back.

[Chike]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

And the USB headers are not built into the motherboard?

[MeatballCB]

Re: GA-P55-UD3R Front USB Issues

Let me clarify. The USB headers are on the motherboard. They are 9 pin USB header connectors that you can connect to. (The two blue plastic connectors along the bottom of the board in this picture.) The Front panel USB ports are separate from the motherboard, they are with the case and a stand alone card reader that have the 9 pin USB connector. Those connectors are plugged into the USB headers. If I plug the USB drive into the USB ports on those front panels, it's recognized.

On the back of the motherboard there are actual USB ports attached to the motherboard (the silver ports on the top left in the picture above). If I plug the USB drive into those, it works fine.