I can't seem to find squat on specifics of that BIOS...

the best I come up with is this: http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/ma...ID%20Guide.pdf

one of the sub sections is "Setting Up The BIOS"...yep, its for RAID, but it does give a picture of the main screen of the BIOS...my best guess is the USB configuration settings are in the Advanced Chipset Features section

follow the directions in that manual to get into the bios from boot up, then use the arrow keys to navigate to the chipset section and hit enter, that will pop up what you can play with...you may have to use the arrows and hit enter again to navigate further (can't say as I can find no manual for the BIOS)...

for my BIOS, on an Asus P4C800xxx MoBo, the usb settings have the ability to enable usb 2.0 and to also set its speed (high preferably)..I also take the time to disable legacy usb support as that is known to cause issues in some cases and having it disabled causes no use of usb problems for me...

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

Peerless & PickaxeFairy

I just want to make a suggestion here that may save PickaxeFairy a lot of hassle.

Now, as I said before, my PC is older than PickaxeFairy's and I had the problem of running external USB2.0 HDs on and older PC with only USB1.1 facilities.

Well, the easiest thing to do is install "PCI to USB2.0 card", available from Dabs 4 Port USB2.0 PCI Card (with CD-ROM manual and drivers). It can be installed in minutes, there is no fiddling with the BIOS or anything else, just straight forward plug and play USB2.0 facilities without any fuss or bother.

PickaxeFairy may require help to open her PC to install this card but it is very easy to do and only takes a few minutes.


UK Bob

that could be a viable option, but the machine is supposed to support usb 2.0 according to the rather sparse manual that is available....my thought is that possible usb 2.0 is not enabled in the bios...

another thought is that for some reason windoze might not be operating correctly....here is a little article that explains how to verify if usb 2.0 is being used: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/connec...faq_intro.mspx

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

Thanks Bob and Peerless for your replies....

Will look into all your suggestions and advice over the weekend....

Your help and input is very much appreciated!

Thanks for your answers Peerless & Bob.

Peerless - Have checked out the info you gave me....
Seems I am USB 2.0 'enabled'....

If I'm being totally honest though - the rest of it was like a foreign language to me....

I get the concept of it all (well kind of ) - but I guess I'm just not confident enough to fiddle about with stuff that I don't *really* understand or know enough about. The last thing I wanna do is muck about with my pc when I don't have sufficient knowledge to know what I'm actually doing....

Obviously I need to look into this subject more comprehensively - but I'm grateful to you for getting me started and on the right track....






Bob - I read what you said - and checked out that 4 Port USB2.0 PCI Card you mentioned....

It's just the opening of my pc that worries me slightly....
Tbh, I wouldn't have the first clue on how to go about it....

Sure, I know how to open my pc.... but 'installing' things - well that's a whole different ball game....

I am though still under warranty.... so if I was to go ahead and buy said item - maybe I could get the engineer to fit it....?

I had a computer with USB 2.0 on the back, while the front USB ports were 1.0.
I don't know why they did that. Anyway, I mention it just in case.

As far as installing a PCI card, it's not much more difficult than changing a lightbulb (and you don't need anyone to turn the ladder!). You probaby know someone who has installed something; ask them to show you how. It really doesn't get any easier than installing a USB card.

Cheers Blackhorse.

So this installation thing isn't that difficult then....?
Well if that's the case and there's a chance it might improve performance - then I guess it's worth a try....

I might even take the bull by the horns, get brave and have a go myself....

Now that could prove interesting!

When it came to it - I kinda thought better of it....

Me being the dozy cow I am - I'm sure I'd have done something I shouldn't have and *inadvertently* invalidated my warranty.
I've therefore taken the easy way out and got an extended warranty bloke out

He's coming tomorrow afternoon....

Bearing in my mind my recent pc 'issues' - is there anything I *really* need to ask or bring to his attention....?
Things perhaps I haven't thought of that one of you lot has....?

All replies/suggestions will be most appreciated.

seems as if the issue is pretty straight forward...USB issues are plaguing you, simple as that....

__________________


So Long and Thanks for All the Files
_____________________________________________

Beware of the big 3 insurance companies in Texas! Read your policies carefully (maybe you'll need a lawyer) Allstate, Farmers & State Farm are overextended and their 'coverage' is worthless...a true waste of your money Read This

I agree with you Peerless....

Am just rather interested as to what the so called 'experts' have to say....

They've not exactly helped me much in the past - it has to be said....

They come round, fiddle about with my pc, push some buttons, act like they know what they're doing, re-start - and lo and behold - everything's still exactly as crap as it was before....

I pity the poor guy who's coming round tomorrow - I'm gonna keep him hostage 'til he sorts everything out!