Klaiber's USB woes

[Klaiber]

Hey All,

My computer is temporarily kaput.

I have had a broken USB 2.0 port on the front of my computer for a while now.  It's a sub-port, built into the PC tower.  The internal tab broke off due to use.  However, everything else worked no problems.  It was just a physical break.

You can see it here:

Unfortunately, last night as I was talking to Moxy and Butzzell, I noticed that my computer wasn't picking up my flight stick, which was plugged into the adjacent USB port (to the right).  Okay, so reboot time.

Upon reboot, I got this:

Great....

So, I removed all USBs from the computer and tried to restart, and I got the same error message again.

I then opened the PC tower, removed the main USB connection to the motherboard, and then rebooted the computer.  The computer started up and went immediately to Windows login.

So, I have a USB issue.  My hope is that it's just the sub-port on the front, that transitioned from a physical issue to an electronic issue.  However, my fear is that it's the motherboard.

I'm going to bring it into a PC Repair shop ASAP, so I'll keep you posted.

If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to save myself time and hassle, definitely let me know.

 

[Firefly]

24 minutes ago, Klaiber said:

If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to save myself time and hassle, definitely let me know.

In case your repairs don't work, there's always the option of using the Russian approach to problem solving.

Do note that the film depiction isn't entirely accurate, as the real-life procedure involves the use of magical incantations (i.e. an unbroken chain of Slavic profanity for the duration of the process) for maximum effect. I used this technique many times and I'd be happy to give you some pointers. I'd recommend starting with a hammer. 

On a more serious note, good luck with those repairs. 

[Moxy]

Klai

If your system boot and runs without those case usb port

Your good!!!!!!!!!! (its those ports and the little pc board underneath

Replacements:  you can get a powered USB hub at a wall mart etc.   

or a pci slot type, from a bestbuy/comp store, or a usb "back of the case" slot...that wires into the MB usb hook ups

you should a least have 2 to 4 on the board. or a sata usb slot

since your bios read an over current (short) you could A/B test by plugging in that usb into another MB hook up

But I would say your pins are touching....its only 5volts and very little current, I doubt your board is fried.

Mox

 

[Barton]

I agree with Moxy.  Once you removed the USB connection the problem went away you have isolated your cause.  Either find a way to replace these USB ports on your PC tower and the board that goes with them or use another USB hub.  You could take those USB ports out and examine them for obvious shorts as well and see if you can eliminate it that way, or just cut and safe off the wires to the broken USB port.  Lots of ways to go about it but I'm very confident that your mother board is fine.

[Klaiber]

Here is my tale of woe.

So, wanting to still have the use of the front USB connections, I called a PC repair place today that was recommended to me by a co-worker.  They said they knew what was wrong and that I should come in with the PC.

So, I took personal time from work, and headed out there.

I got to the shop.  They looked at the front panel, and then said "We don't do in-house repair work here.  We can't help you."

The guy was nice, and I was feeling generous.  So I thanked him (despite the fact that I drove out there with a 50lbs tower, and took off work for something that they mislead me on, but whatever.  Water under the bridge.)

So, I called a second place that had decent reviews on yelp, and asked them if they could fix the front USB ports for me.  Over the phone, they said yes, and to bring it in.  Fantastic!

So, I get there and re-explained what's going on.

The guy at the counter says they'd "have to run a diagnostic on the computer" which would take 3-days and cost $30.00.   I said, you don't need a diagnostic.  I just told you what's wrong.

He said it's company policy. 

He also says that they can't / won't restore functionality to the front USB ports.  "That's not what we do."

I said "You told me on the phone that you could fix the front ports"  He said, "Well, we can disable the USB ports for you.  Then the PC will start."  Me - that's not what I asked you on the phone.  He says "That's all we can do, and it would cost you $130.00."

For fuck's sake.

He then says "And in order to make sure everything is running correctly, we'll need your PC's password.'"

Even though I'm telling you what the issue is and it has nothing to do with my OS or Hard-drive?

Then I read in the fine print of their form where it says that they can "delete the hard drive at any time without asking permission."

I left and took my computer back home.

Once home, I disconnected the USB wire to the motherboard (5 seconds, disabling the front ports).

The ones in the back still work, because they're attached to the motherboard.

I then charged myself $160.00, which I paid myself because I earned it. 

And using my money I bought a 16 port 3.0 hub from Amazon which should come Friday.

PC repair shops are the absolutely freaking worst... 

And, yes, I'm back up and running.

 

 

[Britchot]

1 hour ago, Klaiber said:

PC repair shops are the absolutely freaking worst... 

Ever been to a motorcycle mechanic?

[Vonrd]

1 hour ago, Britchot said:

Ever been to a motorcycle mechanic?

Or an aircraft mechanic?      

[Klaiber]

haha

[Labroisse]

or a lawyer?

[Ludwig]

........  or  a HOSPITAL........

[Razwald]

or the guitar shop

[Klaiber]

All you have now depressed me to the point where I feel much better about my computer.

 

[Klaiber]

Alright, question for you guys.

The three USB ports I just lost the functionality to are where I used to plug my throttle and flight stick into.  And because I'm using Saitek Pro Pedals, a Warthog throttle, and a Virpl stick on a Warthog base, I haven't used any controller management program, like T.A.R.G.E.T.  I directly assign them in the games I'm playing.

Once I get my new USB hub, and plug the throttle and the stick in, my fear is that I'm going to have to reassign all of my controls in every flight game I have, as I'm pretty sure Windows may not seem them as being the same thing as before.

In all of your experiences, is there any way that you guys know of to get Windows to recognize a peripheral, no matter where you plug it in?

 @Lipfert, in all your recent system set up, did you find anything to help you here?

[Vonrd]

I haven't had the windows switching issue for quite some time but this is what I did when it happened regularly for me. I had 3 files saved as joy0, joy2 and joy3 since those were the ones that got scrambled and I just pasted the appropriate one in the folder.

Back up your control files... i.e. current.map in \data\input  for BOx in a separate folder and re-name it something else just to be safe... backup_current.map or something like that.

In that file you should have inputs mapped to "joy0" "joy1", "joy3" etc. Like this for gear... action("gear","State","joy3_b6");

If your joysticks get scrambled, first go into game and identify what the new assignment is. For example, that action for gear is my throttle quadrant. If the game now wants to assign it to joy0, simply go into your backed up file (maybe make a copy just in case you mess it up) and use "ctrl F" to open a search window, type in the old assignment ... joy3 in this case and go through the text replacing joy3 with the new assignment ... joy0 (I copy joy0 to the clipboard and just use ctrl v to paste it in.(It actually goes relatively quick... faster than re-mapping in game).

Re-name the file what it's game name is... in this case current.map and paste it over to the game folder allowing overwrite. All should be reassigned correctly.

[Britchot]

I would try it out first and see if it gets it right. 

JoyID was the program I was trying to explain that you can assign your own Controller IDs. Apparently, it may not work according to that thread. 

https://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13009

[Pfeil]

I bought a new computer this year. I installed W10 and plugged in my warthog and pedals. After Il2 install I copied the config files from old computer. The game asked me the first time I started it that it cant find warthog controller and if the one it can find is the right one. After choosing yes it asked me the same for throttle and pedals. After this all worked fine and no need to reconfigure anything.

 So the probability is quite high that you don't need to do anything or that you need simply to map the old ones to new one.

[Labroisse]

Make sure you plug your Hub into a high-speed USB port (blue) especially if you plan to put your VR on the hub.

[Klaiber]

Thanks guys.  I'll let you know how it goes.

[Lipfert]

18 hours ago, Klaiber said:

Alright, question for you guys.

The three USB ports I just lost the functionality to are where I used to plug my throttle and flight stick into.  And because I'm using Saitek Pro Pedals, a Warthog throttle, and a Virpl stick on a Warthog base, I haven't used any controller management program, like T.A.R.G.E.T.  I directly assign them in the games I'm playing.

Once I get my new USB hub, and plug the throttle and the stick in, my fear is that I'm going to have to reassign all of my controls in every flight game I have, as I'm pretty sure Windows may not seem them as being the same thing as before.

In all of your experiences, is there any way that you guys know of to get Windows to recognize a peripheral, no matter where you plug it in?

 @Lipfert, in all your recent system set up, did you find anything to help you here?

Klaiber,

Based on the device ID I think you should be fine. You can always reorder if need be with a utility, pretty simple.

My biggest USB issue is the WindowsStore app breaks TARGET combining the Thrustmaster controllers, use powershell to delete it and fixes it until it auto re-installs again. Microsoft just hates the fact that TARGET combines devices and it actually fights with the USB port.

I'll be online tonight if you have any questions.

S!

[Klaiber]

The hub arrived and everything seems to work in BoX and DCS.  Which is great news!

Still have to check Star Citizen and Elite and CloD.

[TedsOnMeds]

Coincidentally I just found out today the issue I had with my TrackIR not functioning during the September 8th Evening practice flyout was because two of the Powered-USB 3.0 ports on my Hub for the flight/racing sim have stopped working. One of which had my Button box for car controls and the other which had my TrackIR plugged in previously. That's seriously weird.  

[Klaiber]

3 hours ago, TedOnMeds said:

two of the Powered-USB 3.0 ports on my Hub for the flight/racing sim have stopped working

Ouch!  That sucks Ted.  Do you still have enough ports?

[TedsOnMeds]

11 hours ago, Klaiber said:

Ouch!  That sucks Ted.  Do you still have enough ports?

Not enough to leave both the flight sim and racing sim controls hooked up at all times, which is what I normally like to do so I don't have to fuss switching between the two. But I'm only a single port short so it's not that bad. 

[Klaiber]

Here is the hub I got:

https://www.amazon.com/Powered-USB-Hub-Individual-Switches/dp/B07JM9ZFFV

You may not need something with this many slots, but it's helpful to have.

[Heinrich]

An external USB hub works? Until now I have build into my PCs double PCIe USB (5x 3.1)cards in order to have enough connections. The external seems a lot easier.