Anyone have USB 2.0 Problems with T61?

Hi I have a new T61 and I keep getting an error message when I am adding devices to my USB 2.0 ports (only 2.0 devices) saying they will run faster if I connect them to USB 2.0. It is a USB 2.0 laptop and all my devices are 2.0.

I asked Lenovo tech support for help and they had me install updates, flashed the BIOS etc. This still did not help and in a second call the guy said my drivers must be corrupted and that I must have taken a USB device out while the computer was on. I don't know if I did this but he said the computer would have to be sent back to them, wiped clean and restored to factory settings.

I cannot really do this right now because I am working on a book and have thousands of photos on my computer for the book (they are backed up on the external drive of course but it's just not feasible now). One of my friends suggested re-installing XP SP2 (which is the OS, I did not want Vista). It was pre-installed by Lenovo.

Is this a good idea or does anyone have any other ideas or workarounds? Or has anyone had this problem and is it really caused by taking out a thumb drive if the system is on (I don't know if I did that but I can't be sure, I pulled an all-nighter the other night and I was getting a bit rummy).

Thanks for any tips.

 

This happens to me quite often, but I've got a Dell Vostro 1400. I haven't been able to figure out what's causing it, but I haven't looked into it much. Rebooting usually gets rid of the problem for a while.

 

There are lots posts on this issue on other forums and It seems that they have disabled this feature by default on their motherboards, so no software restore will help

 

I have a T40 that I use for work that has the same problem. I remember reading that other people with T40s were experiencing the same issue. I was never able to resolve it. However, I had my computer replaced, sans the hard drive, and the new one worked for a few weeks then developed the same problem. I almost didn't buy my T61 for fear this would happen to it. I hope yours is not the same issue.

 

Oh great does not sound good. So Hotboy, when you say "It seems that they have disabled this feature by default on their motherboards, so no software restore will help" you mean Lenovo right? They disabled USB 2.0 drivers? That is really weird it does not make sense.So when they suggest a factory re-install do you think it would solve the problem or it will just reoccur...

Thanks everyone so far. Sounds like it is an issue ugh.

 

Therese, factory reinstall is not gonnna help. I have done it a couple of times trying to solve it, but no luck. This issue has been present on thinkpads starting from T40. If you really need a USB 2 then you might consider buying a PCMCIA USB2 adapter. I wonder if there's anyone here who has USB2 working. Please guys tell me if not all T series thinkpads have this issue

 

Cool I am glad I asked! I will not send it back and go through the hell of a re-install.

Maybe I will try an adapter. It's just really slow going back and forth to the external drive when I am making duplicates. I have a bunch of big axx TIFF files that I am trying to copy and it seems to have slowed down since I started getting these messages..I don't think it has always been this slow but I could be wrong. I guess I will just live with it, but I am really glad I posted this because I thought I corrupted the drivers myself....

Thanks hotboy and everyone else.We should complain to Lenovo that they are not really offering USB 2.0 if it is disabled it on their motherboards. Do you have any idea why they do this?

 

Is anybody still reading this thread? I just found out that my T61 does not react well with a usb2 stick that I just got (first usb2 thingy I try)... crashes the computer, in fact. I went online to learn how to see if usb ports are 1.1 or 2.0 and the page I found said I should look for "enhanced host controller". See pic attached, it looks like I have one usb2 port and 2 usb1.1 ports. (I'm guessing, cause I have 3 usb ports of course) Is lenovo disabling the usb2?? wtf?? Why on earth would they do that? Is it worth calling Lenovo? If all they'll recommend is a factory reinstall it's not even worth the 20-min wait to talk to someone there.

thanks for any help, I hope people are having the same problem

 

Hmm, I thought all modern USB ports support 2.0. Have you tried plugging in your USB Drive into another USB Port? And what do you mean it crashed your computer? Does it provide an error message?

 

Hmmmm, the data sheet for the T61 specifically states 3 USB2 ports.

 

Just did some experiment with my 4GB Sandisk stick.....as far as I can tell all three USB ports are functioning correctly under USB2 hi-speed mode. I verified this by

1. Plug and unplug the memory stick while monitoring the status of the ICH8 USB2 controllers (2836 and 283A) using Everest.

2. Run HD Tune to monitor the transfer rate through each port (14.1 MB/sec avg).

By the way, the USB controller report in your screen shot looks almost like mine, with both 2836 and 283A Controllers for USB2 devices. What version of the Intel Chipset driver are you using?

 

Thanks guys for the quick replies. I'll try to answer all your questions.

Arkit3kt, I tried all 3 ports and that usb stick doesn't work in any. Its little blue activity light briefly flashes but doesn't turn on as it does in my wife's old computer (thinkpad x24). What I mean by 'crashing' is that when I click on 'computer' (the window to see all drives) it takes forever to show the drives (with a white veil on the window, as in vista saying "I'm overwhelmed!!!", but it ultimately does show up there), and when tried restarting the computer it would get stuck on the screen "windows is shutting down..."

RedDogMan, that reminds me that I can't find my t61 model (7662cto) in the tabook. Do you know why?

galin, thanks for the ideas. I ran HD Tune with a usb hard drive that my wife also just gave me (came back from China.. it was christmas before christmas ) and it works wonders. Screenshot attached. I don't know how to check the Intel Chipset version that I have, but I did a reinstall of my computer with Stallen's guide (thanks Stallen!) and updated a couple times since then with Lenovo's system update, so I should be having the latest stable version.

In the end I think it's the key that doesn't work. The usb hard drive works great, files get transferred to it even faster than from one partition of my HD to another... go figure. (16-19 MB/sec vs. 10-14 MB/sec).

Thanks again guys!

 

tabook ?? not sure what you are referring to jbauchet. . . . i have read on other forums about some usb2 port problems but have not read a final answer to the issue yet ....

 

He is referring to this: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitute/psref/tabook.pdf

I also have a 7662CTO and my USB ports are working fine.

 

Thanks .. did not know what the tabook was !!!

 

tabook is the bible!

did you find the 7662cto in the doc your linked to Arkit3kt? Or is it not in there because it's customized?

 

I searched it didn't find 7662 anywhere, but id assume its most similar to the 7664, but mine is a 7662cto and they are heavily customized from the base model.

 

I think it's not listed because it's Custom-to-Order.