Problems with USB 3.0 VIA USB 3.0 Headers/Hubs on Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H

[generalmx]

So after some Googling it seems I'm not the only one having this problem! I did the latest BIOS update and I'm still having these problems with the VIA USB 3.0 Headers / Hubs on the motherboard (only tested the ports connected to the motherboard itself so far):

(Note: Of course, I'm using an Ivy Bridge processor)

- No matter what driver I install (off CD or VIA's website), Windows 7 64-bit always has an exclamation point over it for "VIA USB 3.0 Root Hub"

- The ports have never worked, even with the drivers installed and even with devices hooked up to the two Intel USB 3.0 ports.

- This system now has BSODs associated with USB, FE and C2. It didn't have these BSODs before with my old X58 setup, even though I didn't do a fresh install of Windows (and I'm not going to do this, I keep multiple images and file backups to avoid doing this). It especially gets BSODs if it tries to enter sleep mode, which I know is a problem with some USB drivers.

- My BIOS was flashed to the latest available so far (F17), which did seem to reduce the BSODs.

I bought a "Pluggable" 10-port USB 2.0 external Hub off of Amazon, seeing it has great reviews, to use all my USB 2.0 devices so I don't have to use the VIA ports at all. It seems they're still rather unstable, as well as dug out some USB 2.0 slot headers. I'll probably be buying an *external* USB 3.0 hub in the future.

[Dark Mantis]

- This system now has BSODs associated with USB, FE and C2. It didn't have these BSODs before with my old X58 setup, even though I didn't do a fresh install of Windows (and I'm not going to do this, I keep multiple images and file backups to avoid doing this). It especially gets BSODs if it tries to enter sleep mode, which I know is a problem with some USB drivers.

Hi

From your post it sounds as if you never start with a clean install when you upgrade just load a clean image of the OS etc. If that is correct then I am not surprised that you get problems as your system will have remnants of other parts now long gone. It is fine to use a backed up image for renewing your installation of a system but when the hardware changes you need to start afresh.

Try clearing the CMOS thoroughly and then loading Optimised BIOS Defaults before making any other changes to the BIOS that you want. Make sure that all USB options are enabled whilst there. Then you are free to make a fresh installation of the operating system and latest drivers.

If you still have any problem at least we know that it is not some lingering bit from a previous setup.

[generalmx]

This problem (all of these problems) still occurs with a fresh install of Windows 7 64-bit, which I did test on a separate HDD. So sorry, it's not that. And Google has loads of people with problems just like me with the Gigabyte Z77 motherboards.

Going through the stack in the minidumps, it seems to be directly related to the VIA USB 3.0 drivers.

[Dark Mantis]

OK then. Have you tried the Gigabyte drivers from their website as opposed to the VIA ones ?

http://uk.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4153&dl=1#dl

[generalmx]

Yep -- from the CD, from VIA's website, and from Gigabyte's website. I just reinstalled today using the drivers from Gigabyte's website, this time just updating the drivers through Device Manager instead of updating them using the setup program. I did this for the drivers from the CD and for the drivers from VIA's website already, just not these drivers. Even though the drivers from the website seem to be the same ones from the CD, we'll see how this goes.

[supernovi]

Hi I've recently bought the UD3H and also have this problem. As far as I'm aware the D3H has the same VIA chipset so I don't think this isolated to the U version?

Anyway I didn't have this problem yesterday, the ports for the most part were working fine within Windows, but last night I was notified of a service pack update in Windows so I install SP1 and since booting back up today I've not been able to use my keyboard, which was previously working in these ports.

So I uninstalled, re-installed the drivers, tried website drivers, tried drivers direct from VIA but no joy. In the device manager it's still marked as not working (See below).



I don't really understand why they're not all Intel controlled but that aside this is really not on and a bit sloppy on Gigabytes part. When can we expect a solution?

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

I am sorry to hear that you too have a problem, however I really don't see why you lay it at Gigabyte's feet in such a manner. You have everything working alright and then go and instal a Microsoft file(group of files) that mess things up and complain that Gigabyte should have done something already!

I am sure they will rectify it if it is within their power with a BIOS update or other file/driver update but I think that you should give Micro$oft some grief on their forums.

[supernovi]

Because it's Gigabytes job to make their products work on Windows 7, I've never experienced such poor drivers in my life and I've been using computers most of it. To be fair this is VIA's fault not Gigabytes but Gigabyte chose to use the VIA chipset (I'm guessing to save money) so it's their responsibility to get on VIA's case and sort it out.

All I want is a decent driver and an update from Gigabyte so I at least know it is being looked into. I'm willing to carry on using my front USB 2.0 ports for now.

[Wentworth]

Good morning

This is what Gigabyte advise you to do under their USB specs.  "Due to a Windows 7 limitation, please connect your USB device(s) to the Intel controlled USB port(s) (located below the RJ-45 LAN port) before the VIA USB 3.0 controller driver is installed"  Please refer to your manual as well to know which port is an Intel or Via.  It seems for some reason that specially USB 2.0 peripherals need to be also connected to the port before you install the driver if you want them to be recognized and work.  This is a Windows problem not a Gigabyte one as the problem does not exist under Linux.

Furthermore, Windows has hdw mapping problem since XP and have gone haywire since USB 3.0 is available working with to set of drivers (Intel which needs to be installed first then Via after the first boot because you need to plug the peripherals in).  It is the very same problems with MTB that have two ethernet ports when you need to have them work together.

Cheers

[supernovi]

It's primarily a driver issue though, I have no problem with using the Intel ones for my mouse and keyboard (I do) but I essentially at the moment have 4 more ports I can't use at all. I've tried devices in, devices out when installing the drivers and it hasn't made a blind bit of difference.

[supernovi]

What I'd love to know is if anyone who has this motherboard has the VIA chipset working fine under Windows 7 x64 ? Should it work? The feeling I'm getting is that it says in the manual to use the intel one... and that's fine, I'm supposed to just use them.

[Wentworth]

Hi supernovi

Did you uninstalled the driver before you intalled it back with your peripherals.  To do so go through the control panel and use the device manager to delete the VIA USB.  Then shut it complete off (cold boot) restart and you will have Windows recognized the USB and will ask if you want to install it, answer yes then go to the procedure manually instead of leaving Windows to do the job.  Your best bet would be to use the driver supllied with your system instead of the one on VIA website.  Make sure your BIOS is set properly as some MTB has a BIOS where you can enable/disable the VIA chipset all together.

Hope this will help

Cheers

[generalmx]

@supernovi -- Yeah this is most likely a problem with Windows needing to re-detect your USB devices after an update that changed something which caused Windows Vista/7 to require a re-detection, and Windows Vista/7 currently has problems with re-detection due something, somewhere, with either the BIOS, drivers, or Windows itself...probably just Windows itself, as reports are the native xHCI in Windows 8 doesn't seem to have nearly as many problems. See here for lots of cool technical talk:

http://communities.intel.com/docs/DOC-19413

(Note: Not an official Intel document)

Now that un-official community-spread report has a great deal of information on this USB 3.0 bug and offers a fix by using a prototype driver directly from usb.org. You can also test USB 3.0 compliance using this tool, explained here: http://forums.tweaktown.com/windows/48643-windows-7-problem-usb-3-0-part-5-rollin-news.html

(Note: You do not need to disable UAC.)

This fix should probably be only for people that have tried everything else and failed.

It fixes my original problem, the problems with the VIA USB 3.0 hub not working / not working correctly, and reinstalling the drivers from Gigabyte's website seems to have so far fixed the BSODs (have yet to do a thorough S1/S3 test).

[supernovi]

I figure I should update this in case this helps someone else.

If you're having a similar issue to me try this driver http://via-labs.com/en/downloads/firmware/V1.80A_WHQL.zip it's not as up to date and I don't really know what the newer one fixes (if anything) but with this driver Windows picks it up perfectly and everything is working great.