USB 2.0 and win98SE

[Spock]

Received wisdom has it that native USB 2.0 support is not possible in win98se. However, I'm intrigued by some of the utilities offered with some socket 754 motherboards. One I downloaded from opendrivers today seems to suggest that /providing/ the mobo itself offers USB2.0 support, then, this driver will enable win98se to offer native USB2.0 support.

At least that's my theory. What do you think? Files concerned are

\ousb2.inf

\ousb2hub.sys

\ousbehci.sys

They are all from USB2W9XME009.zip. And orangeware corp is in the Properties box.

[Andromeda43]

Only someone having the exact stuff you've mentioned could give you a definitive answer.

Basicly win98/SE does have improved USB support over the older Win-98. It still will NOT accomodate many USB 2.0 devices like a Thumb Drive. You still have to download the drivers from the manufacturers web site.

Good Luck to you,

Andromeda43

[Chozo4]

You are right. As long as the mainboard supports the USB2 standard, you're set. The 'OrangeWare' drivers you mentioned are generic-like driversets. They provide USB2 support for boards that didn't have USB2 drivers included but still supported USB2.

I'm currently using USB2 drivers provided by OrangeWare as well. Only way to get the USB2 support on my mainboard under Win98.

[LLXX]

I'm using the OWC drivers too. I believe they came on the chipset drivers CD for my mobo.

[Ninho]

Please help : I have OrangeWare installed, ISTM, correctly : the "PCI Class USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller", as well as the "USB 2.0 Root Hub Device" show in Device Manager as OK.

But both my USB 2.0 capable devices were first hooked to that system BEFORE I installed the OrangeWare. Windows 98 SE memorised them and they still connect to the USB OHCI, giving USB 1.1 speeds :=(

I think I shoud remove all trace of these devices from the system so they can be redetected and, hopefully, "captured" by OrangeWare.

Right ?

So my question is : how do I remove the devices ( one external HD enclosure plus one "key ring" flash memory device) so that Windows 98 loses all memory of them ?

1st option : physically hook devices - open Device Manager - "remove" the devices there. Will it suffice ?

2nd option : Registry chirurgy. I'm not scared, but need instructions !

Thank you very much in advance, this has to be a life saver !

Edited March 9, 2006 by Ninho

[Spock]

"You are right. As long as the mainboard supports the USB2 standard, you're set. The 'OrangeWare' drivers you mentioned are generic-like driversets. They provide USB2 support for boards that didn't have USB2 drivers included but still supported USB2.

"I'm currently using USB2 drivers provided by OrangeWare as well. Only way to get the USB2 support on my mainboard under Win98."

----------------------------------

Thanks for the confirmation.

I guess that once i've installed win98/SE (with Win98 Lite/Pro) on my new PC, and configured it with various updates, one goes into the system (win + break keys) and update drivers for USB hub? This will replace the MS USB drivers with the Orangeware ones. Is that correct?

I think this fact - of support for USB 2 under win98/SE - ought to be more generally known. i'd guess a lot of people have "upgraded" because they thought otherwise.

[Ninho]

All and any of you who think they have the OrangeWare drivers supporting their MoBo's USB 2.0 (not any add-on USB 2 card), can you please provide details ? And first of all, check under Device Manager to see that the actual USB 2 capable devices are shown as connected to the Orange EHCI host, not to one 1.1 OHCI or UHCI host controller ?

In my case the OrangeWare drivers installed and do "handle" the USB 2.0 host in a way (I'm saying this because windows doesn't pop-up asking for drivers at launch time) BUT any USB 2 device is still in fact hooked to the "old" USB 1.1 system :-(

Browsing the developpers' section of the OrangeWare site ISTM their drivers are intended not to work with unsupported (=unpaid for) devices.

Please please Gurus help clear this mess.

[Wijono]

Maybe it is worth to try the "Removing USB Completely" as described in this website:

http://usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup%20Device%...Safe%20Mode.htm

but also make sure that you have installed the OrangeWare driver for USB 2.

[Ninho]

Maybe it is worth to try the "Removing USB Completely" as described in this website:

http://usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup%20Device%...Safe%20Mode.htm

but also make sure that you have installed the OrangeWare driver for USB 2.

Done this several times & almost routinely. Thank you anyway...

There's a thread in another section where I report what I've been doing. Next trial I'll zap the OrangeWare again and see if Windows 98 accepts the SiS driver intended for Windows 2000 (suggested by Eck). We'll see...

-

[Wijono]

Sorry Ninho, now I get a better picture of your problem.

The fact that you have "PCI Class USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller" as well as the "USB 2.0 Root Hub Device" as OK in your Device Manager is a sign that OrangeWare driver is correctly installed and that your system is now USB 2 capable.

The problem is, unless you update it with Native USB Drivers from Maximum Decim, Win98SE needs a driver for each and every USB device you connect. Let me guess, you must have installed before the drivers for your external HD enclosure and your "key ring" flash memory device, is that right? In that case you must first uninstall the drivers for those devices, and if your devices are USB 2 capable, then reinstall their drivers for USB 2, when you bought the device, usually it comes with drivers for USB 1.1 and USB 2. Certainly the OrangeWare must have been installed first.

But better still, I would recommend (as I did) that you try the Native USB Drivers from Maximum Decim, that you can find in the sticky part of the "Unofficial Win98 SE Service Pack" in this forum, with that you will not need additional drivers anymore for most of the USB devices.

[Ninho]

Sorry Ninho, now I get a better picture of your problem.

No need to be sorry... But I have tried all you are suggesting, as reported in the other thread. The fact is, the OrangeWare do not want to hook any device, even after nuking & reinstalling all in the proper order. It turns out the OrangeWare drivers were never intended to be freely used by us mere mortals as a replacement for non existing MS drivers, instead they are meant to work only with approved hardware (read: paid license).

They'll work mostly with add-on USB 2 on PCI adapters. The hardware ID of supported ware being encoded somewhere inside the driver code AIIUI.

If I understand clearly what you have got is such an add-on USB 2 card with, probably, a NEC chip and this is supported by OrangeWare. I suppose I could buy such an adapter if I needed USB 2 on Win 98 SE badly...