USB-Compact flash boot problem

[cpu-uk]

Just bought a couple of Compact Flash readers. They work just fine. The problem is that if they are left plugged in at boot-up time the system will not boot from hard disk. You see the usual POST, then it recognises the CF reader and stops without any attempt at another boot device.

I'm guessing that the BIOS recognises the CF as being removable storage and is attempting a boot up from the CF card?

I've tried the CF readers on other systems, and they boot up just fine. I'm guess the Epox has a somewhat more sophisticated BIOS ;-)

[EPoX Tech]

It is due to the boards ability to boot from such a wide array of devices and its recognition at boot of the USB Storage Device (You will see this on the system properties page that comes up after POST whilst DMI Pool Verifies).

[cpu-uk]

I thought as much.

What is the fix, as you cannot make Compact Flash card bootable anyway, so the PC always halts, even if I leave the CF reader without a card installed? The reason I ask is that I bought 3 readers so that I wouldn't have to keep plugging\ unplugging (honest).

[BobyJo]

I also have the compact flash card reader, the instructions that came with my reader states "DO NOT LEAVE A FLASH MEMORY CHIP IN THE READER WHILE SHUTTING DOWN OR STARTING THE SYSTEM".

Further advise says damage to the flash memory or reader could possibly orrur if the above is not followed.

I never leave a memory card in the reader, I have several in the desk drawer just under the area where the reader is.

I keep one in the camera. Always be sure the system is completely booted up befrore inserting the memory card into the reader. Remove the memory card before shutting down the system.

The system reads this memory card reader as another drive, and will attempt to boot from it. That is why it is not good idea to leave a card in the reader..

The instructions also state "Do not attempt to unplug or plug the reader into a USB port while the system is booted up" !!

So the appliance is not hot swappable.

[cpu-uk]

Thanks for warning. No such message with my reader, they are the new generation PnP (no drivers needed), and transfer data faster than my old CF reader which needs it's own (ZIO) drivers. Ha, the old CF reader doesn't stop boot-up (go figure) 'cuse it isn't a PnP.

[BobyJo]

I have had this one for over a year.

[up2Tim]

I am also having the same problem.

I cannot leave my smart media reader plugged in or the system will not boot.

I never leave a card in the reader.

Is there a fix that will allow me to leave the reader plugged in at all times?

[BobyJo]

Do you have anything in bios for boot sequence that would look for this drive to boot from?? If so remove it and problem solved.

If not, I have no idea why this is happening.

[up2Tim]

I have the bios set to boot from the floppy and hard drive only and I still have the problem.

It appears as though the smart media reader is trying to trade places with my CDRW and DVD. That is, my CDRW is drive "E" and DVD is drive "F" and when I plug in the card reader the card reader becomes drive "G & H", as it will read 2 types of cards.

When I reboot the card reader is is becoming drive E & F and pushing the CDRW & DVD to drive G & H.

I am not sure if this is part of the problem.

[BobyJo]

My memory card reader installs as drive "G" or the last drive in line. The HD is "C"&"D" the Burner is "E" the cdr is "F". It does not make sense that your card reader installs in front of the other drives.

Don't know what to tell you at this point. I would suggest you contact tech support at the card reader mfg. and see if they can suggest anything.

[up2Tim]

My last post was not accurate.

I went back into the bios and noticed that the CD Rom was still enabled as a boot device. I disabled the CD as a boot device so that now the only boot devices are the floppy and hard drive.

The system will boot with the card reader plugged in now but it won't restart. When I go to "Start > Shut Down > Restart" the screen goes black and hangs. At this point I must hit the restart button.

Any ideas?

[cpu-uk]

I think the problem stems from the fact that modern systems need to recognise USB - and USB attached devices - as part of POST. The best examples are those people who have USB mouse or keyboards, these need to recognised immediately on POST as you may need to enter a password so you cannot wait for the OS to boot before being able to use the keyboard\ mouse.

So, I'm thinking that the CF reader (not the card) is being recognised as a USB and a bootable, therefore it counts as a legit boot device, and gets initialised prior to HD. I think Epox bios didn't think that USB would have a PnP bootable device, and therefore need to include USB storage as a bootable device that can be included in the boot order.

[BobyJo]

CPU-UK::My memory card reader is USB and my system does not attempt to boot from it.

It only gives problems with a memory chip installed and booting.

I never leave a memory chip in the reader for reasons stated in the (manual) piece of paper that came with the hardware.

I still think you should contact the manfacturer and discuss this with them. They may have a new driver that will eleminate this problem.

[up2Tim]

I seems as though I have fixed the problem w/ my card reader.
It is now recognized as drive G & H and restarts with no probs.

I downloaded an updated driver and unzipped it to a file.
Uninstalled the old driver.
Removed the device from the device manager.
Restarted and pluged the reader in.
When Windows asked where the driver was I directed it to that file.

Now everything seems to be fine.

You know, I had almost forgotten about this little pest of a problem, and was just unplugging the reader when I wasn't using it, until I read this thread and got me to thinking about it again.

Anyway, thanks to all for your time and consideration. It sure helps to have someone around to bounce some ideas off and get some suggestions from.

[BobyJo]

Glad you have that problem behind you.

[cpu-uk]

I'm sure I mentioned above that my CF Reader is new generation, it is true PnP with NO drivers to install as Win2K caters for it. So whether I have the flash card in the Reader or not, it is the Reader that Epox BIOS recognises, not the little memory card.

Now the old CF reader uses a driver, and Epox bios does NOT recognise this Reader or memory, but the OS does, so when booted it shows up as the next drive.

When I ordered the Readers I was expecting the same "old" style Reader, but got the new one, and I couldn't be bothered to send them back as it only causes problems for the Epox. So I put the "old" Reader on the Epox and the other PC's get the new style Reader.

It's not life and death, I just posted it back to forum so that Mr Epox can send it off as another bug fix notification. And as I found it first, I claim the prize! :-D

What's the prize Mr E? A holiday, a complete new AMD 3Gig system ?