Have the USB3-HUB81X4 recently purchased from Amazon.com and after using it for a few weeks, noticed that devices I have plugged into the hub do not appear after the computer sleeps and awakes.
Not clear if this has something to do with the USB 3.0 port into which the hub is plugged or the hub itself. The USB 3.0 port I have is a WD PCIe card based port, and what leads me to suspect the hub is that the other port on this card which hosts my internet connection usually (though not always) re-establishes connectivity after waking the computer from sleep. And in the Device Manager, the hub shows as present and active while none of the devices are present after the PC wakes.
Finally, plugging a device into the hub does not cause it to show up on the computer, but unplugging the USB 3.0 cable from the port to the hub and replugging it in does cause devices plugged into the hub to show up.
Is there another way to refesh the hub besides disconnecting and reconnecting the cable to the hub? My operating system in Windows Vista (32).
Mike
Hi Mike-
Thanks for posting with your issue, I’ll be happy to help.
I anticipate being able to resolve this either with firmware updates to your hub, or with USB 3.0 driver updates for your PC.
Let’s start with the hub firmware. I’ve written about checking your firmware version at the link below- please let me know what firmware version AKA rev is reported in device manager for the hub and I can recommend the next steps.
http://plugable.com/2013/01/29/via-us…
Best wishes-
Jeff Everett
Plugable Technologies
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for being prompt in reply on this issue and happy to help.
Re: Hub firmware, the version reported in the device manager for the hub is:
USB\Vid_2109&Pid_0811&Rev_3198 which maps to the latest firmware for the VL811 Chipset.
Also, as a request for additional review on your firmware article which I had read prior to posting, I noticed the words posted with the chipset info as follows that don’t jive with actuality:
“All versions purchased from Amazon US after November 16, 2012 (January 17, 2013 for Amazon UK orders) have the VL812 chipset.”
I purchased from Amazon.com on 3/29/2013 and got a USB3-HUB81X4 with VL811. This chipset is consistent with the product listing both on amazon and information on Plugable’s website that says only the 7-port hub has the latest chipset; so it seems the article could use an edit to have the chipset expectation jive.
Presume looking next at driver, and with gratitude, I invite your reply.
Mike
Hi Mike-
Thanks for your close attention to detail! The VL812 is used in our 7 port unit, while the 4 port hub uses the VL811; I believe this accounts for the version matching not jiving. I do need to update the note on the VL811 based 4 port section to reflect that the current units are v9.83 (rather than 9.82) however the chip expected in the 4 port unit is the VL811. I’ll double check the dates for when that started shipping and update accordingly, thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Since we know we’re on the latest firmware, let’s next check to see if your USB 3.0 host controller driver (the one for the WD PCIe add-in card you mentioned) is updated. Sometimes a firmware update for the host controller is also available to help with this sort of issue. If you can share the model number for the card I’ll be happy to help look for driver updates.
Best wishes-
Jeff
Great, Jeff. You’re welcome. And thanks for taking on an update to the note in the article.
Re:> Driver updated, the WD PCIe add-in card as USB 3.0 host/controller is model WDBFNJ0000NNC-WASN (acquired new 6/2012).
Thanks for being attentive and helpful.
Mike
Hi Mike-
Thanks for the kind words! I think we’re on the right track with the USB3 host controller driver update.
I did some research and turned up the following page for a driver from WD for the card in a review on Newegg (none were found when searching for this number on the WD site). Since the driver on the page below is so old (and I can’t find a newer one), I doubt it will help. We’ve seen a lot of issues with the USB 3 host controller drivers older than roughly mid-2012, varying by host controller, so hopefully we can find a newer one with further detail.
http://support.wdc.com/product/downlo…
If you can share a screen shot from device manager of the hardware ID’s for the device, this could help in finding a newer driver compatible with whatever USB 3 host controller chip is actually on this card.
To get the hardware ID’s, press windows + r, type devmgmt.msc, expand USB controllers, right click the entry for the PCIe card (you may have to view by devices and look for something connected to the card to figure out what this is).
Sample hardware ID’s are shown in the images below, however please let me know of any questions.
!](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891775/select%20harware%20IDs_inline.png?1366840629)](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891775/select%20harware%20IDs.png?1366840629)
!](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891776/show%20hardware%20IDs_inline.png?1366840762)](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891776/show%20hardware%20IDs.png?1366840762)
Sorry to keep asking for more info but I’m just not confident that a nearly 3 year old driver will help. If you can also verify what driver is listed under the device details, it will help to know which one is currently loaded on your system as well- this might be an easier way to determine what chip the card uses, and thus what updated drivers might work.
Best-
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
You’re welcome.
On the driver update, I did a search on the WD support website and didn’t get any results. I checked the driver info, and what came with the add-in card is an NEC Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller driver 1.0.18.0 dated 11/20/2009. Yes, about 3+ years old.
I search via Google and came up with data to weed through and found an update from Lenovo’s website in support of a few Thinkpads, so I installed the 1.0.19.0 version dated 1/22/2010. I’ve also seen other versions since and not gotten clarity on what is workable or the latest for Vista and this card.
On another website forum at http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=… , I learned that the 1.0.19.0 update provided a “fix” for “Discontinue storage access after sleep(S3) and hibernation(S4) in PC system” yet also that version 2.0.4.0 also provided another fix because “Although we fixed ‘Discontinue storage access’ issue in V1.0.19.0, we found some cases where this issue was reproduced.” I have not yet identified a reliable source for V2.0.4.0 or if another version since then is appropriate, and the after awaking the PC from sleep with the updated driver, the devices did not show up. Curiously, under V1.0.18.0, the lights on the hub lit up with devices plugged in both before and after sleep, and under V1.0.19.0, the lights on the hub do not light up after awaking from sleep.
Lenovo and another website PC Pitstop only show 1.0.19.0 as the latest version for Vista (32) and shows V2.1.16.0 dated 4.13.2011 as the latest. Still another (Techspot.com) showed even later versions were workable with Vista under the Renases Electronics–the name to which the driver is reported to have changed with V2.0.4.0. It seems to have something to do with a UPD# to determine which versions support what; and I do not have experience in this area. I am eager to learn what you discover or recommend.
As for the info you requested, attached is an image of the driver hardware id (if the “add image” function worked; I wrote out one reply earlier today and clicked to submit it, and nothing posted.
!](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891905/NEC.Host.Controller.DM.Prop_inline.png?1366868951)](https://d37wxxhohlp07s.cloudfront.net/s3_images/891905/NEC.Host.Controller.DM.Prop.png?1366868951)
With gratitude,
Mike
Hi Mike-
This happens to be the same chipset used in one of our older discontinued products. I’m pretty sure this driver will take care of the resume from sleep issues, but plesae let me know either way:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/plugable/bin…
Best wishes-
Jeff
Great, Jeff. The Renesas USB 3.0 host controller driver (2.1.28.0) you provided worked; resume from sleep issue is gone and full capability is present.
Thank you for being an effective, friendly, and reliable resource. I’m grateful for your skill and commitment to workable results with ease and for Plugable’s commitments to product reliability and customer satisfaction, even when a related hardware item’s driver was cause in the dysfunction.
With gratitude and cheers for abundant prosperity,
Mike
Glad to hear Mike, thanks for confirming this worked, and especially for the kind words!
Don’t hesitate to let us know if we can help in the future.
Best-
Jeff
You’re welcome. Perfect, and will do.
Cheers,
Mike
