Windows 2000 Older PC slows down with USB 2.0 printer

  • Thread starter Thread starter dave xnet
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dave xnet

Hello,
I added a USB 2.0 PCI card to an older PC to accomodate
a new Canon USB 2.0 inkjet printer.

The card installed fine and is working, but here's the
problem. All it takes is for the printer to be turned on,
and the PC becomes very slugginsh.

Running HDtach shows about 40mbps (on an Ultra66
Promise controller) while it runs at 58mbps when the
printer is turned off.

Why would the USB device cripple the PC?
I've been in the BIOS to see if there's anything, but
for now all I did is disable the legacy (onboard) 1.1
USB controller.

Any thoughts appreciated.
 
"dave xnet" <davexnet02DEL@ETEyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:qvqc04leaq53b3dg1o8ke6f380p8f2qon7@4ax.com...
> Hello,
> I added a USB 2.0 PCI card to an older PC to accomodate
> a new Canon USB 2.0 inkjet printer.
>
> The card installed fine and is working, but here's the
> problem. All it takes is for the printer to be turned on,
> and the PC becomes very slugginsh.
>
> Running HDtach shows about 40mbps (on an Ultra66
> Promise controller) while it runs at 58mbps when the
> printer is turned off.
>
> Why would the USB device cripple the PC?
> I've been in the BIOS to see if there's anything, but
> for now all I did is disable the legacy (onboard) 1.1
> USB controller.
>
> Any thoughts appreciated.


USB can take some CPU resources...but it's usually not noticable...
When you say "older computer"...I imagine the CPU is a bit on the slow side
 
On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:09:41 -0500, "philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote:

>
>"dave xnet" <davexnet02DEL@ETEyahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:qvqc04leaq53b3dg1o8ke6f380p8f2qon7@4ax.com...
>> Hello,
>> I added a USB 2.0 PCI card to an older PC to accomodate
>> a new Canon USB 2.0 inkjet printer.
>>
>> The card installed fine and is working, but here's the
>> problem. All it takes is for the printer to be turned on,
>> and the PC becomes very slugginsh.
>>
>> Running HDtach shows about 40mbps (on an Ultra66
>> Promise controller) while it runs at 58mbps when the
>> printer is turned off.
>>
>> Why would the USB device cripple the PC?
>> I've been in the BIOS to see if there's anything, but
>> for now all I did is disable the legacy (onboard) 1.1
>> USB controller.
>>
>> Any thoughts appreciated.
>
>
>USB can take some CPU resources...but it's usually not noticable...
>When you say "older computer"...I imagine the CPU is a bit on the slow side
>
You're right about that. It's a 1999 VIA MVP3 based board with
AMD K6-3 cpu @ 550 MHz.

Just having the USB 2.0 card installed slowed it down a little,
but having the printer connected and turned on
(just sitting idle) brings it to it's knees.

For now, I've created a 2nd hardware profile with all USB disabled
and using that, the computer is responsive again.

I've looked in msinfo32, there are no "problem devices"
some devices are usng the same IRQ, I'm ot suire if it's an
issue or not. No errors are reported.
 
"dave xnet" <davexnet02DEL@ETEyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:lsue04deqsba92murhbh8ntcp2gurrql4j@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:09:41 -0500, "philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >"dave xnet" <davexnet02DEL@ETEyahoo.com> wrote in message
> >news:qvqc04leaq53b3dg1o8ke6f380p8f2qon7@4ax.com...
> >> Hello,
> >> I added a USB 2.0 PCI card to an older PC to accomodate
> >> a new Canon USB 2.0 inkjet printer.
> >>
> >> The card installed fine and is working, but here's the
> >> problem. All it takes is for the printer to be turned on,
> >> and the PC becomes very slugginsh.
> >>
> >> Running HDtach shows about 40mbps (on an Ultra66
> >> Promise controller) while it runs at 58mbps when the
> >> printer is turned off.
> >>
> >> Why would the USB device cripple the PC?
> >> I've been in the BIOS to see if there's anything, but
> >> for now all I did is disable the legacy (onboard) 1.1
> >> USB controller.
> >>
> >> Any thoughts appreciated.
> >
> >
> >USB can take some CPU resources...but it's usually not noticable...
> >When you say "older computer"...I imagine the CPU is a bit on the slow
side
> >
> You're right about that. It's a 1999 VIA MVP3 based board with
> AMD K6-3 cpu @ 550 MHz.
>
> Just having the USB 2.0 card installed slowed it down a little,
> but having the printer connected and turned on
> (just sitting idle) brings it to it's knees.
>
> For now, I've created a 2nd hardware profile with all USB disabled
> and using that, the computer is responsive again.
>
> I've looked in msinfo32, there are no "problem devices"
> some devices are usng the same IRQ, I'm ot suire if it's an
> issue or not. No errors are reported.


Though I have setup a number of win2k machines on amd-450/550 cpu's
and it ran fine...I have never used USB2 on one of them and probably won't
give it a try.

I have heard that "firewire" is not so CPU intensive...
but I have never managed to get it working right...so on my newer machines I
always use USB2
 
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