USB 2.0

Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently so had
never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB 2.0 to have
the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it correctly, for Win
98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and later O/S's, the software
may be downloaded by way of updating from the Microsoft website. If so, I
can't seem to find that at the Microsoft download site. Would appreciate
guidance at your convenience.

Many thanks

Dan

Does the hardware (motherboard) support USB2.0?

Without that...

Zee




"Dapper Dan" wrote in message
...
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently so
had
never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB 2.0 to have
the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it correctly, for Win
98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and later O/S's, the
software may be downloaded by way of updating from the Microsoft website.
If so, I can't seem to find that at the Microsoft download site. Would
appreciate guidance at your convenience.

Many thanks

Dan

Hi Dan,

My impression has been that the software that comes with the USB2.0 device
you want to use will update Win ME. But that because it's a hardware thing
USB 2.0 devices will still only run at USB 1.1 speeds anyway. So just about
every machine that came with Win ME installed may run USB 2.0 devices but at
no benefit other than that they will run.

Possibly this is irrelevant, but if you know otherwise I'd be interested, or
if you weren't aware of it I'm sure then it will be relevant.

Shane

Dapper Dan wrote:
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently
so had never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB
2.0 to have the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it
correctly, for Win 98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and
later O/S's, the software may be downloaded by way of updating from
the Microsoft website. If so, I can't seem to find that at the
Microsoft download site. Would appreciate guidance at your
convenience.
Many thanks

Dan

Don't think it's that simple Dan, you need to add a USB 2.0 card
to the motherboard.

George Gee


"Dapper Dan" wrote in message
...
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently so
had
never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB 2.0 to have
the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it correctly, for Win
98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and later O/S's, the
software may be downloaded by way of updating from the Microsoft website.
If so, I can't seem to find that at the Microsoft download site. Would
appreciate guidance at your convenience.

Many thanks

Dan

USB2 speeds are acquired if you MOBO supports them and usually you need to
install drivers from machine/mobo maker to get USB2. USB1.1 is native to
hardware and OS since last version of 95. Although drivers in OS at that
time were iffy, best install with hardware manufacturer support for product.
98SE was supposed to have everything for USB1.1, but still optimized drivers
from hardware manufacturer could be beneficial.

Charging may be a non issue since the power should be at USB port whether it
is USB1, 1.1, or 2.0. Only thing possibly stopping it from charging is if
the player is setup needing software control (player software) over the
charging process, say switch inside the player enabling charging.
Unless the player softare just won't get along with USB1.1, there should be
no problem with it working, but at the much slower speed. My USB2 HDD and
DVDRW are that way, and OHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDD is it slow that way.
But, USB2 is no speed demon either.

Backing up a moment, from the hardware, you have to have a USB2 controller,
on board or via maybe pcmia socket. Other major change, involving physical
connections, shielding is required to meet specification. That is all cables
have a shield jacket around the other four wires connected to 4 pins you can
see inside jack or on plug. The shield connects to the metal housing of the
plugs and jacks, acting also as a fifth wire. Too many manufacturers missed
that part of the requirement, yet labeled their equipment as USB2. Breaking
the shielding rule yields varying complications. Sometimes it slows the
transmission of the signal. Sometimes it will create a nonfunctioning
device.

But in all situations, USB2 devices never run at the highly advertised
480Mb/s. That is an absolute maximum possible and you will only get near
that if you have say 3 HDD plugged all transferring at the same time. Closer
to real speed would be 16MB/s, in bits, 128Mb/s, X3 = 384Mb/s, leaving some
room for overhead. And the closer you get to the full 480, the more likely
it is to break. Within the software/firmware of each device is a set max
limit aimed at stopping any one or several devices from taking the entire
bandwidth. That is they don't share it, it is doled out according to device,
always trying to keep plenty in reserve for additional devices plugged.
"Shane" wrote in message
...
Hi Dan,

My impression has been that the software that comes with the USB2.0 device
you want to use will update Win ME. But that because it's a hardware thing
USB 2.0 devices will still only run at USB 1.1 speeds anyway. So just
about
every machine that came with Win ME installed may run USB 2.0 devices but
at
no benefit other than that they will run.

Possibly this is irrelevant, but if you know otherwise I'd be interested,
or
if you weren't aware of it I'm sure then it will be relevant.

Shane

Dapper Dan wrote:
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently
so had never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB
2.0 to have the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it
correctly, for Win 98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and
later O/S's, the software may be downloaded by way of updating from
the Microsoft website. If so, I can't seem to find that at the
Microsoft download site. Would appreciate guidance at your
convenience.
Many thanks

Dan

"Dapper Dan" wrote in message
...
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently so
had
never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB 2.0 to have
the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it correctly, for Win
98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and later O/S's, the
software
may be downloaded by way of updating from the Microsoft website. If so, I
can't seem to find that at the Microsoft download site.

Don't think you will either, Dan, because they terminated support for WinME,
besides those things which have been pointed out already by Zee, Shane and
George. H.

Would appreciate
guidance at your convenience.

Many thanks

Dan

Thanks for responding, Zee, Shane. Norman, George and Harry.

I thought it might just involve a driver download, but alas, nothing is so
simple. In fact, the mobo does not support USB 2.0. So dearly beloved will
have to plug her MP3 player into my Desktop to charge the battery. I assume
we can purchase a USB 2.0 Controller via a pcmia slot, although I'm not sure
if I understood that even with that, we will be limited to USB 1.1 speeds.
Haven't looked into it but can probably also purchase a docking station,
which may be the most cost effective option.

Again Gentlemen, thanks for the education, it was greatly appreciated.

Dan

"webster72n" wrote in message
...

"Dapper Dan" wrote in message
...
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until recently so
had
never really paid much attention to it. Evidently we need USB 2.0 to have
the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it correctly, for
Win
98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me and later O/S's, the
software
may be downloaded by way of updating from the Microsoft website. If so, I
can't seem to find that at the Microsoft download site.

Don't think you will either, Dan, because they terminated support for
WinME,
besides those things which have been pointed out already by Zee, Shane and
George. H.

Would appreciate
guidance at your convenience.

Many thanks

Dan

Cheers Norman. Very useful information that I shall save. I'm still stuck on
1.1 here and look forward to trying 2.0 - but less now than I did earlier
today! :-)




Shane






Norman wrote:
USB2 speeds are acquired if you MOBO supports them and usually you
need to install drivers from machine/mobo maker to get USB2. USB1.1
is native to hardware and OS since last version of 95. Although
drivers in OS at that time were iffy, best install with hardware
manufacturer support for product. 98SE was supposed to have
everything for USB1.1, but still optimized drivers from hardware
manufacturer could be beneficial.

Charging may be a non issue since the power should be at USB port
whether it is USB1, 1.1, or 2.0. Only thing possibly stopping it from
charging is if the player is setup needing software control (player
software) over the charging process, say switch inside the player
enabling charging.
Unless the player softare just won't get along with USB1.1, there
should be no problem with it working, but at the much slower speed.
My USB2 HDD and DVDRW are that way, and OHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDD is it
slow that way.
But, USB2 is no speed demon either.

Backing up a moment, from the hardware, you have to have a USB2
controller, on board or via maybe pcmia socket. Other major change,
involving physical connections, shielding is required to meet
specification. That is all cables have a shield jacket around the
other four wires connected to 4 pins you can see inside jack or on
plug. The shield connects to the metal housing of the plugs and
jacks, acting also as a fifth wire. Too many manufacturers missed
that part of the requirement, yet labeled their equipment as USB2.
Breaking the shielding rule yields varying complications. Sometimes
it slows the transmission of the signal. Sometimes it will create a
nonfunctioning device.

But in all situations, USB2 devices never run at the highly advertised
480Mb/s. That is an absolute maximum possible and you will only get
near that if you have say 3 HDD plugged all transferring at the same
time. Closer to real speed would be 16MB/s, in bits, 128Mb/s, X3 =
384Mb/s, leaving some room for overhead. And the closer you get to
the full 480, the more likely it is to break. Within the
software/firmware of each device is a set max limit aimed at stopping
any one or several devices from taking the entire bandwidth. That is
they don't share it, it is doled out according to device, always
trying to keep plenty in reserve for additional devices plugged.
"Shane" wrote in message
...
Hi Dan,

My impression has been that the software that comes with the USB2.0
device you want to use will update Win ME. But that because it's a
hardware thing USB 2.0 devices will still only run at USB 1.1 speeds
anyway. So just about every machine that came with Win ME installed
may run USB 2.0 devices but at no benefit other than that they will
run.

Possibly this is irrelevant, but if you know otherwise I'd be
interested, or if you weren't aware of it I'm sure then it will be
relevant.

Shane

Dapper Dan wrote:
Haven't had the need for USB 2.0 for our Win Me laptop until
recently so had never really paid much attention to it. Evidently
we need USB
2.0 to have the ability to charge an MP3 player. If I understand it
correctly, for Win 98SE, one needs to buy software but for Win Me
and later O/S's, the software may be downloaded by way of updating
from the Microsoft website. If so, I can't seem to find that at the
Microsoft download site. Would appreciate guidance at your
convenience.
Many thanks

Dan

PCMCIA USB2.0 cards are readily available with one to four connections.
One source is eBay where I can see Buy It Now examples from US$4 or so
plus postage. If you decide to go that route check that it has Win Me
drivers, most do but don't take it for granted.
--
Mike Maltby



Dapper Dan wrote:

Thanks for responding, Zee, Shane. Norman, George and Harry.

I thought it might just involve a driver download, but alas, nothing
is so simple. In fact, the mobo does not support USB 2.0. So dearly
beloved will have to plug her MP3 player into my Desktop to charge
the battery. I assume we can purchase a USB 2.0 Controller via a
pcmia slot, although I'm not sure if I understood that even with
that, we will be limited to USB 1.1 speeds. Haven't looked into it
but can probably also purchase a docking station, which may be the
most cost effective option.
Again Gentlemen, thanks for the education, it was greatly
appreciated.

Thanks Mike. Just an additional question because I'm not sure if I
understood Norman's point. If I should go the PCMIA route, will it perform
to USB 2.0 or will it be limited to the USB 1.1 speeds.

Thanks again.

Dan

"Mike M" wrote in message
...
PCMCIA USB2.0 cards are readily available with one to four connections.
One source is eBay where I can see Buy It Now examples from US$4 or so
plus postage. If you decide to go that route check that it has Win Me
drivers, most do but don't take it for granted.
--
Mike Maltby



Dapper Dan wrote:

Thanks for responding, Zee, Shane. Norman, George and Harry.

I thought it might just involve a driver download, but alas, nothing
is so simple. In fact, the mobo does not support USB 2.0. So dearly
beloved will have to plug her MP3 player into my Desktop to charge
the battery. I assume we can purchase a USB 2.0 Controller via a
pcmia slot, although I'm not sure if I understood that even with
that, we will be limited to USB 1.1 speeds. Haven't looked into it
but can probably also purchase a docking station, which may be the
most cost effective option.
Again Gentlemen, thanks for the education, it was greatly
appreciated.