Posted: 2/12/2003 6:01:32 PM EDT
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Yeah, I think its time for a new computer, but all funds have been diverted to the mini machine shop in the basement, so... A new problem: I realized, after I had everything loaded into my laptop [and finally got the printer working, although I'm not sure how] I forgot to go into the setup and enable the USB controller so the USB ports would function. My laptop bios default is USB OFF. OK...no problem. Just like in the past, I go into setup and change the USB control to ENABLE and exit. I also noticed while inside the bios, that Plug & Play was NOT on. OK, I have win98, which is Plug & Play, so why not fix that too while in the neighborhood. I save & exit, the computer starts booting, and "WINDOWS PROTECTION FAULT. YOU MUST RESTART YOUR COMPUTER" WTF!!!!!!!!!!! I restart of couple of times, so I turn off Plug & Play...still no good. I turn off the USB and Voila! Windows is up & running. Problem is, I can't use my USB ports because they are turned off, and the USB DRIVER in the Device Manager has the big yellow Question Mark because there is no active USB port. I'm tired, my brain hurts, and this computer is taking all my free time. Any takers? |
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Are you sure that BIOS setting is not for "legacy" USB support? On my system, I need to have it disabled otherwise strange things happen (win98se). But all my USB stuff works with "legacy" USB support disabled. And I have seen options for "legacy" Plug & Play support as well, and in most cases you want that setting disabled too. |
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Are there any yellow exclamation points of stop signs in your device manager now? If not, I'd try fiddling with the USB setting in BIOS and see if Win98 will load. If not, disable it, boot into 98, remove the USB devices, THEN enable the USB setting in BIOS, then load 98 and let it re-detect the USB root hub. Let us know... |
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Quoted: Have you tried to update your BIOS? The problem with the USB controller may have been fixed in a subsequent BIOS version. Worth a shot.... This is the [b]LAST[/b] thing you want to try. If the BIOS flash screws up, you are up shit creek with nary a paddle or a roll of TP in sight. Your system board is toast. At that point, you may as well cut your losses and build/buy a new system (provided your current one isn't brand new - which I'm assuming it is not since it's running Win98). |
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Quoted: I'd upgrade to Win2K or even XP if I was you, 98 really blows IMHO. Win98 isn't a true plug N' play OS at all, meaning it's not hot swappable. With 98 all you do is reboot and go through BS trying new drivers and devices. Plug-n-play /= hot swappable. They are mutually exclusive. Plug-n-play simply means you can install a device - a PCI card, for example - and not have to configure jumper settings for I/O, IRQ, DMA, etc manually. The BIOS will automatically assign it resources, and the OS will take these values and run with it. You may still need to install drivers to actually USE the device, but you don't have to manually "fit" the device into your system. By this definition, Win98 [b]IS[/b] a "true" plug-n-play OS. This does not affect the fact that Win98 also blows, however. Hot-swappable, on the other hand, means that you can add or remove devices while the system is powered on and suffer no ill effects as a result. This is a Good Thing(TM). |
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SUCCESS! the_reject, I owe you, although my friends won't bet with me because they claim I never pay up. I puled the devices from the USB port, then removed the USB port in the device mgr, THEN I went into teh BIOS and turned on the USB controller. Rebooted with no USB devices plugged in and WIN98 came online. I just plugged in the CD burner and the burner oftware saw it immediately. There was something about enabling the USB controller while a device was plugged into the port that the system just did not like. Anyway, thanks to all who pitched in to solve this one. This was definitely cheaper than calling Microsoft and probably a lot more reliable. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I'd upgrade to Win2K or even XP if I was you, 98 really blows IMHO. Win98 isn't a true plug N' play OS at all, meaning it's not hot swappable. With 98 all you do is reboot and go through BS trying new drivers and devices. Plug-n-play /= hot swappable. They are mutually exclusive. Plug-n-play simply means you can install a device - a PCI card, for example - and not have to configure jumper settings for I/O, IRQ, DMA, etc manually. The BIOS will automatically assign it resources, and the OS will take these values and run with it. You may still need to install drivers to actually USE the device, but you don't have to manually "fit" the device into your system. By this definition, Win98 [b]IS[/b] a "true" plug-n-play OS. This does not affect the fact that Win98 also blows, however. Hot-swappable, on the other hand, means that you can add or remove devices while the system is powered on and suffer no ill effects as a result. This is a Good Thing(TM). You're right. It's been a while since I brushed up on my computer lingo. I still don't "think" of 98 as being PnP simply cause it has so many problems with new devices. I'd much rather have the hot swap configuration. It comes in handy with the laptop especially. You'd think I'd know the difference between PnP and hot swapping; Been in computers for 8 years, even took a few classes for Cisco CCNA. Needless to say, I'm glad I bugged out of the industry before getting too deep, it sucks right now for jobs. I guess it shows huh? [;)] |
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Quoted: SUCCESS! the_reject, I owe you, although my friends won't bet with me because they claim I never pay up. I puled the devices from the USB port, then removed the USB port in the device mgr, THEN I went into teh BIOS and turned on the USB controller. Rebooted with no USB devices plugged in and WIN98 came online. I just plugged in the CD burner and the burner oftware saw it immediately. There was something about enabling the USB controller while a device was plugged into the port that the system just did not like. Anyway, thanks to all who pitched in to solve this one. This was definitely cheaper than calling Microsoft and probably a lot more reliable. Payment can be rendered in good quality beer. [:D] Glad you got it fixed. Win98, despite being problematic at times, is still generally easy to fix problems in. I'm just surprised I could remember any of my Win98 ICS stuff - it's been years since I've used Win98. |
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Quoted: You're right. It's been a while since I brushed up on my computer lingo. I still don't "think" of 98 as being PnP simply cause it has so many problems with new devices. I'd much rather have the hot swap configuration. It comes in handy with the laptop especially. You'd think I'd know the difference between PnP and hot swapping; Been in computers for 8 years, even took a few classes for Cisco CCNA. Needless to say, I'm glad I bugged out of the industry before getting too deep, it sucks right now for jobs. I guess it shows huh? [;)] Trust me, I'd MUCH rather have hot-swap AND PNP than simply either/or. It would make systems that much better. Yeah, things are tough in IT these days. I'm thankful that I'm still gainfully employed (for now, anyway). |
| How do you like XP? I've been running it on my laptop without any problems and like the PnP with hot swap. My dad, however, hates it. He works in IT at some satellite company here in Tempe, we don't talk much. Not sure why he dislikes it so much, he seems to prefer 2000. I have 2000 on the desktop and really like it as well, but I have noticed some "issues" with it that haven't come up with XP. I have to say I feel sorry for most of the people out there who know nothing about computers. You can mess up a 2K or XP machine real quick if you don't stay out of the admin tools or other areas. |
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Yeah, I agree. I switched the cartoon look of XP to classic pretty fast. It also made the system faster. Don't know why everyone, including Microsoft insists on making software (and OS) that slows the computer down so much that you need a new one. I know that's their plan, so you buy more, but come on. Everything has to put shit in the taskbar to run in the background. My friend has an eMachine, which I told him NOT to buy, that I'd build a screamer for him, but he got it anyhow. It's a 650 Celeron with shared video and 64 MB of RAM! He's already had to upgrade the video to a 64 PCI and get 128 of RAM just to keep up with his thousands of useless programs. His desktop is so full of icons that the computer takes days to load. Drives me crazy! Oh well. |