Epox 8RDA+ Front USB header problem

[flycaster51]

I have a Chenming/Chieftec Xpider case that has 2 front USB2 ports. I attached the USB cable supplied with the case to the USB header on the mobo. I cannot get USB2 card readers to function on these ports. The readers are a Datafab and a Sandisk. I am using Win2K SP4 so there are no extra drivers to install for the readers. In the device manager, it is listed as an unknown device. Under properties, it says that "the driver for this device is not installed (Code 28)". When I try to install a driver I get a message "an error has occurred during installation of the device. The installation failed because a function driver was not specified for this device instance". The readers work on the rear USB ports. My printer and cable modem work on the front USB ports. I also tried attaching the supplied USB bracket that came with the board. The card readers work on the bracket. I have checked and rechecked the connections according to the pinouts in the manual. Can anyone help me with this? Do I need a different type of cable from the front ports to the USB header? Thanks for your help.

[timbob2469]

You have to be carefull that you don't mix USB port 0 and USB port 1, If you have 8 seperate wires they should be marked as
vcc1 vcc2
data01 data02
data0- 1 data0- 2
gnd 1 gnd 2
If it is a module connection ,it may just be incompatible.
Bob

[flycaster51]

Originally Posted by timbob2469

You have to be carefull that you don't mix USB port 0 and USB port 1, If you have 8 seperate wires they should be marked as
vcc1 vcc2
data01 data02
data0- 1 data0- 2
gnd 1 gnd 2
If it is a module connection ,it may just be incompatible.
Bob

Thanks, for each port there is a 3 pin connector containing data-, data+ and grd pins, and a single pin connector for vcc. Why it isn't one connector I'll never know. The connectors are not mixed between ports. Why would another device like a printer work and not the card reader? Why does the card reader work in the supplied USB2 bracket when it's connected? One of the mysteries of the universe I guess... I am going to take the front of the case off and compare the front panel connector to the Epox bracket.

[Áedán]

USB2 is much more sensitive to cabling problems than USB1.1.
For USB2, each port must have shielded cabling (IE, a seperate ground wire AND an overall shield).

Hence, you should have 5 cables, D+ and D-, VCC and Ground, and shield.

[flycaster51]

Originally Posted by Áedán

USB2 is much more sensitive to cabling problems than USB1.1.
For USB2, each port must have shielded cabling (IE, a seperate ground wire AND an overall shield).

Hence, you should have 5 cables, D+ and D-, VCC and Ground, and shield.

I looked at the connector for the Epox USB2 bracket and there are only four wires for each port. The manual says pin 9 = key and pin 10 = over current. The Epox connector does not have a wire going to pin 10. Why does that work?

[Áedán]

Cuz Epox used better quality cabling? I can't answer why your front port works and the bracket does off the top of my head I'm afraid. I can only provide conjecture, as I haven't yet managed to order the parts I need to build up a front panel connector.