USB 2.0 is extremely unforgiving elecrically. USB 2.0 does not require more power than USB 1.1, it does require that the 5v be delivered within a smaller window and consistently. Laptop power supplies and the charged/discharged batteries they operate on are notorious for NOT providing the consistency of Power that USB 2.0 REQUIRES. Additionally, even if the battery and/or power supply is performing properly the motherboard may or may not be delivering the power required to the PCMCIA slot. Thus the power supply with most USB 2.0/Cardbus Adapters.

Jeff Roberts
USBMan

: : : So what you're saying is that all cardbus USB 2.0 adapters fail to work as advertised?

: : I didn't say that. I said that proper operation requires a dedicated AC power adapter for the controller card itself. Check the specs on any USB 2.0 Cardbus adapter other than yours and you'll see that they all come with some sort of external power supply.

: What makes you think that? All the following only have OPTIONAL power supplies, for devices that need the full 500mA.
: Keyspan:
: Unlike many USB CardBus cards, this product includes a small power adapter. Use of the power adapter is OPTIONAL. Use of the power adapter ensures that a full 500mA of power is available to USB devices which are attached to ports on the CardBus card. Cards which do not include a power adapter are not able to provde a full 500mA of power on each USB port.
: Adaptec USB2Connect:
: No external power supply needed in most cases. USB2connect for Notebooks doesn’t require a power adapter. You’ll really feel the weight difference when you take along bus-powered devices like web cams and digital cameras. So you can work anywhere without the workout.
: Ratoc:
: Electrical Characteristics
: Power Consumption: +3.3V (CardBus Slot), 190mA (idle), 310mA (max.)
: USB Bus Power: 5V, 300mA at each port (max.)
: USB Bus Power: 5V, 500mA at each port (max.) with OPTIONAL External Power Supply
: Addonics:
: Maximum power per port: 5V, 500mA when the OPTIONAL AC/DC power adapter is attached.
: There is also nothing in the USB 2.0 specs which mentions a greater power requirement than USB 1.1. So what makes you think that power is an issue other than in the obvious sense, that the attached device needs enough juice to work (which can be supplied by its own power supply)?

: : Bill

: :
: : : : Let me ask you:

: : : : 1. Who makes your adapter?

: : : Sunix

: : : : 2. Did it come with an AC adapter?

: : : No.

: : : : Bill

: : : : : : : Why? If the current is sufficient for USB 1.1? Does USB 2 require more?

: : : : : : Yes...USB 2.0 requires more from a Cardbus adapter than the interface can provide.

: : : : : Hmmm. So why is it then that not a single one of the Cardbus USB 2.0 adapters currently on the market require an external power supply for self-powered devices? I've checked all the manufacturers' websites I could find and they all offer only an OPTIONAL power supply for high-power devices requiring the full 500mA, and equally they all insist that no external power supply is needed if consumption doesn't exceed 300mA or so, or if the attached device has its own power adapter.
: : : : : Don't misunderstand me - I'm grateful for any help and I'm not trying to pick an argument with you, just trying to resolve this and would therefore appreciate an explanation why you think power is the issue here. As I said before, my HD is self-powered.

: : : : : : Bill

: : : : : : :
: : : : : : : : Bill

: : : : : : : : : : Are you sure you have the latest "Enhanced" USB 2.0 driver? You don't have a B1 or B2 designation, do you? Those are Beta. Go to Windows Update to be sure. If you must, manually update the driver and "Display a list". Select the non-"B" driver.

: : : : : : : : : The drivers are the latest from the manufacturers' website. or are you referring to Microsoft drivers? I thought MS don't do USB 2 drivers for Windows 9x? Either way, no "B" designation anywhere.

: : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : : : : USB 2.0 cardbus adapters also require a power supply externally - especially on a laptop.

: : : : : : : : : The adapter has no power supply but the hard drive has a hookup to the PS2 port. Anyway, that would not explain why USB1 works fine and USB2 doesn't?

: : : : : : : : : : Yes - USB is hard-wired to sound and video, but Cardbus adapters may not be. It differs from laptop to laptop.

: : : : : : : : : I have managed, through Safe Mode, to assign the USB 2 enhanced host controller to a spare IRQ but the USB 1 Open Host controllers refuse to go there, displaying the infamous yellow exclamation marks. If I have USB 2 on IRQ 5 or 9 (the spare ones) and USB 1 (the cardbus external ports) sharing IRQ 11, Device Manager reckons everything works fine but the HD is chained to USB 1.1 (and works fine there) not USB 2. I assume that it because the whole thing hangs on the cardbus and therefore has to share the cardbus IRQ to work, or is that wrong?

: : : : : : : : : : : I have bought an external USB 2 HD and a USB 2 PCMCIA card for my laptop, a Toshiba Satellite 4090 running Windows ME.
: : : : : : : : : : : The drive works fine with the built-in USB 1.1 port. On the cardbus USB 2.0 port, it will work for a few minutes, then it is disconnected and Windows asks me to insert a disk in removable drive D. When disconnected and reconnected, the same thing happens.
: : : : : : : : : : : I've read most of the old messages here and have tried the following:
: : : : : : : : : : : update BIOS, reinstall Windows with p\i options, reassign IRQ for USB 2 manually (USB 2 no longer recognised though USB 1.1 works on card), disable serial ports to free IRQs etc.
: : : : : : : : : : : All USB ports are always assigned IRQ 11, sharing with video, sound, PCMCIA and infrared port. Reassigning them seems impossible as they're hardwired together, and reassigning the USB ports of the cardbus card in Safe Mode works for USB 2.0 but not USB 1.
: : : : : : : : : : : USB mouse works fine on the PCMCIA ports. The USB controllers are Intel for the built-in one, NEC for the cardbus ports.
: : : : : : : : : : : Any ideas?