Need help with Aspire ? PLEASE!!

Hi all,

Yep I’m new here and I have a problem with my Aspire 3100 series (3103WLMi) Which uses Windows Vista Home Premium and has 4GB ram 120GB HD.

We recently had to install a new HD and decided to install Windows Vista Home Premium we downloaded ALL the required Drivers & Utilities and also the Empowering Technology and Utilities and successfully installed them as well.

Now comes the big bang!!

1) NO USB devices will work I receive the following message:

“USB Device Not recognized
One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it. For assistance in solving this problem, click this message.”

When you click on the message a box comes up with all the USB Ports (which says 4 ports BUT I only have 3) One port is Unknown Device and the other 3 Unused Port. All the USB ports have the same message I have tried a mouse, keyboard, flash disk, external HD all with the same result, when I put theses USB devices on my other Vista PC they ALL work fine.

2) NOW for some unknown reason the Orbi cam does not function at all as well since the Vista install.


The laptop is working great except for the above 2 problems.

Can anyone help me out here PLEASE!!

 

Did you downloaded/installed the chipset? http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID=816&DwnldID=13499

 

Just tried it and got the following message:


This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software.

Setup will exit.

 

Hmm I guess you don't have an Intel chipset..
What is your chipset? Download CPU-Z if you don't know.

 

Software related for sure, I would try uninstalling chipset and may be trying an older INF version to see what happens. If not, I would re-install Vista, then Vista SP1, then Chipset INF (try to avoid al Acer Emp Cr@p if you don´t really need it for some reason). That´s what I should do...

BtW: Your Orbicam doesn´t work cause it´s connected via Usb, so if Usb is not working, neither your cam will be (and your 4th port is the one corresponding to the cam)

Regards and Good Luck!!!

 

The chipset is ATI Xpress 200 (RS480)

I hope that is what you are looking for.

 

Thanks for the advice. I have allready reinstalled Vista and with Vista SP1 and it did not work

With regard to the Orbicam I did not know it is connected to a USB as it is inbuilt in the suround on the screen.

 

So it's AMD..sorry I'm not familiar with AMD

 

Yep AMD, Thanks anyway I appreciate your help.

 

AMD Chipset Drivers

 

Yeah, it´s inbuilt but connected to mbo by usb platform

Have you tried this site for chipset drivers???

http://www.acerpanam.com/flex/acerdrivers/bin/drivers.html?CFID=308895&CFTOKEN=60027800

I will now do some searching to see if I can find your chipset drivers.

Good Luck!!!

EDIT: Didn´t find any chipset driver for your specific model in any Acer download site

 

Thank you for your help i appreciate it.

 

I have the drivers but STILL have the same USB problem... HELP!!!

 

Hmm...what USB devices do you have? You have a cd-rom? Put a bootable cd and see if it starts.
Or usb keyboard? Enter in the BIOS using the keyboard and see if it work.
This way will could exclude hardware failure..

EDIT: Do you have Vista SP1 installed?

 

Mate as I said in my first post:

NO USB devices will work I receive the following message:

“USB Device Not recognized
One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it. For assistance in solving this problem, click this message.”

When you click on the message a box comes up with all the USB Ports (which says 4 ports BUT I only have 3) One port is Unknown Device and the other 3 Unused Port. All the USB ports have the same message I have tried a mouse, keyboard, flash disk, external HD all with the same result, when I put theses USB devices on my other Vista PC they ALL work fine.



I have tried all that with the same result and yes I have SP1 it was the same result with and without SP1

 

I meant on a computer start up, not in Windows. If, for example, you have an external keyboard, and you can enter in BIOS with it and browse around, this means your USB problem is not hardware related-therefore it's Vista's fault..I just want to be sure it's software related before doing researches.

EDIT: Did you ever tried to DELETE(uninstall) all the USBs from the 'Device Manager'? Usb Root Hub etc? If not you may try it. Delete 'em all and Windows should automatically reinstall them on restart.
View attachment 19797

 

OK here we go:

I deleted all the USB's from the device manager and re-booted my laptop and yes they automaticly reinstalled BUT 2 strange things happend.

1) When it was reinstalling the same error message came up 3 times although NO USB devices where installed:

“USB Device Not recognized
One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it. For assistance in solving this problem, click this message.”

2) This is what it installed in order:

ATI/O Communications Processor USB 1.1 OHCI controller
ATI/O Communications Processor USB 1.1 OHCI controller
ATI/O Communications Processor USB 2.0 EHCI controller
Unknown Device
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub

I may be wrong but why should it install USB 1.1 two times when all my USB's are 2.0


I tried the start up with an external keyboard in the USB but it did not work and why should it work in bios mode or safe mode etc if there is no driver anyway...I may be wrong again as I am a novice.

 

Hmm this is bad. You don't need a driver to use your external kbd in BIOS..What did you do on start up? Did you pressed F2(on the external kbd) to enter in the BIOS? I think we may have a hardware problem here..I'll do some research and let you know when I have something.

EDIT: Ok this is kinda weird but it worked for some people. Turn off the laptop, disconnect the power cord and pull out the battery. Leave it like this for a 30minutes..Check this thread. It's old but you could give it a shot.

 

unknown is the orbicam so you have three external USB's
that's that out of the way
no usb is being seen.what are you conecting to the usb to check its working ?
and you have the launch manager installed so all the media buttons work ?
have you installed any drivers for a usb device instead of waiting for vista to build them ?
lets start simple first and work our way up

 

To answer your questions:

I have tried a mouse, keyboard, flash disk, external HD all with the same result.

Yes launch manager is installed and works.

I have installed all the Vista drivers Acer provides and also i tried Vista to install them as well.


Thanks

 

Did you tried the power off method?

 

ok thats all the easy questions asked and answerd.
we have tried all the drivers we can find ?
so maybe like my pc you have to load the drivers in order !
have you been through the bios for any usb related commands ? (silly question i know but got to ask).

 

When installing from an original Vista DVD the mouse on the USB port aswel the toughpad should be detected directly!

Ensure you don't have to do with a Vlited install and otherwise try Acer Recovery (press Alt-F9, during post).
If this won't work it is a defect.

This notebook won't handle Vlited versions fine I heard, but I don't know exacly why, sorry. But the source is a reliable source from my work.

I hope it works for you

 

I still keep thinking it´s software related. It would be so weird that usb´s stop working just after reinstalling the OS (due to hdd replacement). What are the odds???

Just thinking outloud...

Later

 

we seem to be thinking out loud alot on here

it does sound like the wrong drivers or a conflict but with most conflicts you would see a yellow warning in device manager.
have you taken a look at your error log, maybe that has posted an error code we could google

just thinking out loud and getting a headache

Phil

 

The external keyboard should be working during POST.. and should be able to enter in BIOS using it..no matter the OS or the drivers..And the OP said that it doesn't work.

 

you only get the yellow device warning when the drivers fail to load...

obviously whatever drivers are installed are loading properly,, but they aren't controling the hardware

my suggestion... give XP a shot... see if you still have the problems w/ XP
if not... note the DRIVERS XP is using for the USB devices and maybe that will help you get info on the drivers that you need for VISTA..

i know it's the "long way to solve a simple problem" but it can give you insight

bigO

 

have you loaded up the drivers for the cam ?

 

Yes I have

 

Would it be due to the BIOS needs to be updated?

I have Acer V2.60 which was released on 11/27/2006 If you believe it could be the BIOS please head me in the right direction.

 

I don't think its BIOS fault but here you can download the latest version(3.10).

Edit: just checked the README...actually there was some USB issues that should be fixed in 3.10..
Btw the update is for XP/DOS..don't know if under vista will work.

 

Ok Acer just contacted me after waiting 2 weeks and they advised not to upgrade the BIOS as the laptop is running very smoothly and fast....EXCEPT for the USB problem Help is still being sort after....

 

You never told me if you ever give 'the power off method' a shot..

 

Sorry about that

Yes I did try it with no luck

 

When Acer finally replied to my support email request this is what they wrote and nothing else:

“Just to confirm, have you installed your own version of vista? We would not recommend flashing your BIOS due to the inherent risk of rendering your machine inoperable.”

WOW I am impressed with the reply after waiting for 2 weeks. So I am still looking for an answer HELP…please

 

UPDATE from Acer!!

They don't know what it could be and simply told me to install all the drivers from the Acer site which I did in the first place...so I am back to where I started

I am going to do ANOTHER clean install......

 

Do yourself a favor and give a chance to Xp to see if USB functions there.

Acer response about Bios update seems a little "paranoid" to me, it´s not THAT dangerous to update your Bios.

Good Luck and Kind Regards

 

best of british to you mate,
Phil

 

Acer would tell you not to plug the PC into the wall if you didn't have to charge it up..... they don't want to tell you to do anything the MIGHT have a 1% chance of causing a failure....

i have updated my BIOS over 50 times
with no problems.... just follow thier instructions

bigO

 

could there be issues with WinFash and vista ?

 

isnt there a FREEWARE DOS outthere??

somone should sell thumb drives with that dos preloaded just for such occasions...

 

DOS.

now thats a blast from the past.

i can only find issues with 64bit vista and winflash.
but on the microsoft site they have a winflash vista ver:

 

DOS 6.22 best thing to come out of Redmond in a long long long time

 

i do miss DOS sometimes, no one uses it any more.
but it has its good points.

times like this it would be useful. scandisk

 

After telling them I have indeed downloaded the Vista drivers from the Acer site they gave me BUT I still have the same problem the response was as follows:


It appears the drivers you have downloaded are not compatible with your version of windows. The drivers on our website are only designed for the pre-installed OEM version of windows.


NOW I am really pissed off!!! ARE they really that f------ stupid???

SO does anyone out there know where I can get NON OEM drivers for my Acer laptop that runs Vista Home Premium Because Acer does not have them!

I really appreciate all your help so far

 

Hi guys, new here.

I have an Acer 5102WLMI running Vista Ultimate, and at the risk of sounding repetitive and noobish, I have the same issues as 1,000s of Acer Aspire laptop owners out there: Camera does not work, USB does not work.

Here's some insight I have discovered... maybe if we all put our heads together, we can actually come up with a real solution (Acer wants $400.00 to replace the motherboard on a 3 y/o laptop )

First off, the guys here that mentioned that the camera is USB are correct. The port where the camera connects is under the keyboard, to the top right hand side. It will not look like a regular USB port. I unplgged the camera and one of the unknown drivers disappeared. I suspect the other is the Bluetooth module but I am not going to disassemble the laptop again to look under the mobo for disconnection (I had to put new speakers already).

Now with that said; I have found that (in Vista, and I assume XP will behave the same) if you go to the DEVICE MANAGER and remove the ATI I/O Communications Processor USB 2.0 EHCI controller driver, your USB will work with no issues... albeit a bit slower. Why? Because we just took the PC capability to read at USB high speeds.

Now, upon reboot, the OS will install this driver again.

I have also read that forcing the Bison Drivers for the web cam for Vista will make the camera work. Since I don't care about the camera, I have not tried it... but I may, just for kicks.

What this means to me, I believe that there is an incompatibility issue with this "Processor/Controller" that no one up there has seen or decided to look at.

By the way, the Acer drivers for Vista on their website work well with non-OEM OS versions. I have Ultimate, and was running XP PRO and Media Center before it. Bummer that the USB stuff had to break.

I will be checking in from time to time to see what we have found. I have been actively working with this issue for the better part of a month and I believe the ATI I/O Communications Processor USB 2.0 EHCI controller issue is one step in the right direction.