USB Tips #2



*1.   EXTERNAL STORAGE DRIVES 

Need more storage for your PC? Several companies are using USB as 
the interface for their latest external storage drives. Iomega, at 

http://www.iomega.com 

now sells a USB version of its popular 100MB Zip drive. 
WinStation offers a 120 USB SuperDisk removable storage drive. 
And La Cie, at 

http://www.lacie.com 

now ships a 6GB external hard drive with a USB interface. 

As with other product lines, the USB interface of these drives 
allows for quick, easy, and flexible installation. 


*2.   TROUBLESHOOTING USB--PART 1 OF 5 

With any new PC technology comes new tips and tricks to help 
troubleshoot problems. USB technology is no different. Over the 
next few tips, I'll list some ways to approach problems with 
your USB devices. 

First, if you're running under Windows 98, take advantage of the 
free utility called USB Viewer that's included on the Windows 98 
installation disc. The USB Viewer presents a complete snapshot 
of your current USB setup--with a listing of all devices and all 
hubs. It's a great help when you need to debug a problem on 
the USB bus. 

However, the USB Viewer isn't copied to your hard drive with a 
typical installation of Windows 98. It's part of the Sample 
Resource Kit that Microsoft included on the Win98 CD. To install 
the Sample Resource Kit, run the SETUP.EXE program under the 
TOOLS\RESKIT folder on the CD. 

Once you've installed the Sample Resource Kit, you'll have a new
option on your Windows Start\Programs menu: Windows 98 Resource 
Kit. Launch the Tools Management Console from this menu and look 
for the USB Viewer under the U to Z folder. 


*3.   TROUBLESHOOTING USB--PART 2 OF 5 

Power consumption may become a problem when you run multiple USB 
devices on your system simultaneously. In theory, the USB bus 
supplies and manages power to all the devices attached to it. 
But, in reality, it's possible to overtax your PC's power supply
by running too many devices off it at the same time. 

The best way to handle this problem is to organize your USB 
device chain around USB hubs. Hubs are not devices themselves,
they are simply ports that let you add more USB devices to your
system. USB hubs can either be "bus-powered", meaning they draw
power from the PC, or "self-powered", meaning they use an 
external power source such as an electrical outlet. 

If you plan to run several USB devices on your system, make sure
that some of your USB hubs are self-powered. This will ease the
burden on your PC's power supply. 


*4.   TROUBLESHOOTING USB--PART 3 OF 5 

If you connect a new USB device to your system and it doesn't 
work, don't automatically assume that the device itself is the 
problem; it may be a problem with your PC's USB port. Because 
USB technology is still in its infancy, not all PCs come with 
working USB ports from the factory. 

Your very first step in debugging a non-working USB device should
be to check your computer's BIOS (a.k.a. setup program) settings.
Read your documentation on how to do this. If your PC has USB 
ports, you should find a BIOS setting that lets you enable and 
disable these ports. Make sure your BIOS has the USB 
ports enabled. 


*5.   TROUBLESHOOTING USB--PART 4 OF 5 

Following up from yesterday's tip, your second step in debugging
a non-working USB device should be to switch the device to 
another USB port. Some PC users have reported problems with their
USB ports--this technology is still very new. In some cases, one
PC USB port might work properly and the other (most new PCs come
with two USB ports) might not work at all. If switching ports
solves your problem, run the device from the working port and
have your other port looked at when you next turn your PC in
for repair. 


*6.   TROUBLESHOOTING USB--PART 5 OF 5 

If you've tried the previous debugging hints and your USB device
is still not working, talk with your PC manufacturer about your
PC's USB firmware. The first PCs that offered USB ports used
something called an A-1 stepping chip. Unfortunately, Windows 98
does not support this chip. Ask your PC manufacturer (or browse 
the technical support section of its Web site) about the type of
USB firmware your system features. It's possible your PC maker 
offers a free USB firmware upgrade. 


*7.   WHY BUY A USB MOUSE? 

You may wonder why any PC user would buy a USB mouse. After all,
every PC still comes with its own non-USB mouse ports. For the 
desktop, it's true a USB mouse isn't very practical. However, 
for notebooks, a USB mouse makes sense. If you like to switch 
between your notebook's touchpad (or trackpoint) and a standard 
mouse, a USB mouse lets you attach (or remove) a full-size mouse
without restarting your system. 


*8.   GAMING WITH USB--PART 1 OF 3 

If you're a computer game player, familiarize yourself with all
that USB devices can offer. Many of the latest gaming gadgets 
come in the USB interface as well as other interfaces. Over the
next few tips, we'll discuss some things you should know while 
you shop for USB game gear. 

First, do a quick inventory of the USB devices you currently 
have running on your PC. PC users running with multiple USB 
devices still report occasional performance hiccups due to 
heavy traffic over the USB bus. Sometimes one or more devices 
may slow down dramatically or temporarily stop working. In 
gaming, these types of interruptions can ruin a game session. 
With only one or two USB devices, you shouldn't have any trouble
at all, but with seven or more, you may want to consider an 
alternate interface for your game hardware. 


*9.   GAMING WITH USB--PART 2 OF 3 

With USB speakers, you can get audio from your computer without 
a sound board--you can just plug USB speakers into a USB port. 
But, do you get the same level of high-fidelity audio from USB? 
Not really. 

-From my own informal tests, and those of friends, USB speakers 
can't match the depth and breadth of audio produced by a 
high-end PC sound board. USB sound is good; it just isn't as 
impressive as a good sound card and speakers. If audio quality 
is important to you, stick with the traditional hardware. 


*10.   GAMING WITH USB--PART 3 OF 3 

USB joysticks are more flexible than the serial or game-port 
variety. Why? Because of USB's plug and play capability, you can
attach your joystick without powering off your PC. And, you can 
remove it whenever you want. With a USB joystick, you can play 
games at your convenience but keep your system up and running the
whole time. 
