Card reader words externally, but not internally

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flip Wilson
  • Start date Start date
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Flip Wilson

I have a card reader that I previously connected via USB port and worked
fine. After upgrading my mobo, I decided to connect the same card reader
to a set of USB pins on the motherboard (accomplished by connecting the
included adapter with a female USB on one end and connectors for
motherboard pins on the other). Now the card reader isn't discovered by
windows xp, not even when displaying hidden devices in device manager.
The card reader also doesn't show up when I boot to Mandriva

If this was simply a driver issue, I would expect the card reader to at
least show up, if not work correctly. It seems to me that the device
isn't getting power.

Not sure where to go from here.
 
Flip said:
I have a card reader that I previously connected via USB port and worked
fine. After upgrading my mobo, I decided to connect the same card reader
to a set of USB pins on the motherboard (accomplished by connecting the
included adapter with a female USB on one end and connectors for
motherboard pins on the other). Now the card reader isn't discovered by
windows xp, not even when displaying hidden devices in device manager.
The card reader also doesn't show up when I boot to Mandriva

If this was simply a driver issue, I would expect the card reader to at
least show up, if not work correctly. It seems to me that the device
isn't getting power.

Not sure where to go from here.
Click to expand...

Could you mention the brand and model number of motherboard ?

Some motherboards have less than ideal pin assignments, and
in some cases, you have to modify the adapter.

The diagram at the bottom of this page, shows how the wiring
on a 2x5 can be moved around, if it turns out the motherboard
and adapter are not compatible. The little plastic tabs can
be lifted with a hobby knife, and the pin and wire then
slide out. I did one just the other day, and it is pretty hard
to hold the tab open without snapping it, and guide the pin and
wire out at the same time. Took a few tries.

http://www.frontx.com/head_con.html

Also, if you mention the card reader make and model, maybe
I can download a manual for that as well and have a look.

Paul
 
Could you mention the brand and model number of motherboard ?

Some motherboards have less than ideal pin assignments, and in some
cases, you have to modify the adapter.

The diagram at the bottom of this page, shows how the wiring on a 2x5
can be moved around, if it turns out the motherboard and adapter are not
compatible. The little plastic tabs can be lifted with a hobby knife,
and the pin and wire then slide out. I did one just the other day, and
it is pretty hard to hold the tab open without snapping it, and guide
the pin and wire out at the same time. Took a few tries.

http://www.frontx.com/head_con.html

Also, if you mention the card reader make and model, maybe I can
download a manual for that as well and have a look.

Paul
Click to expand...


Mobo is an XFX nForce 610i GeForce7050. Don't know about the card reader.
May be a Creative I/O. Certainly wasn't was memorable brand.
 
Flip said:
Mobo is an XFX nForce 610i GeForce7050. Don't know about the card reader.
May be a Creative I/O. Certainly wasn't was memorable brand.
Click to expand...

After registering on the XFX site, this is the manual I got for the 610i/7050.
There are two models, and both models seem to have the same manual.
(MG-61MI-7059 and MG-610I-7059). Even though one of those
motherboards has two onboard 2x5 USB connectors, and the other
has three of them.

http://www.xfxsupportb.co.uk/MCP73 Series_Ver10 070928.zip

The USB pinout looks standard. There are two ways to interpret
the "No Connect" label of the tenth pin. Some interpret to mean
"make no connection", meaning there could be something electrically
connected, but the user is not to connect to it. That definition
is generally frowned upon (designers shouldn't do that!). Ideally,
NC means there is no electrical connection of the motherboard to
the pin, so the cable that is connected will make no difference,
if it connects something to the tenth pin. (My motherboard
manual calls pin 10 "dummy", which is another way to label it.)

1 VCC X X VCC 2
3 D- X X D- 4
5 D+ X X D+ 6
7 GND X X GND 8
9 X NC 10 NC = No Connect

The original intent of that header, may have been to have shield GND on
the tenth pin. The shield ground would connect to the foil or braid
surrounding the other wires (good USB cables are shielded). But the
cable assemblies in use now, might just as easily connect
the shield to the same ground as pins 7 and 8.

The header has two interfaces on it. Pins 1-3-5-7 make a
four pin interface supporting one USB2 device. Pins 2-4-6-8
make a second interface supporting a second USB2 device.
Some card readers come with a 1x4 internal cable, which would
connect to one column or the other column of pins.

When the adapter cable sports a 2x5 connector on the end, the purpose
of the missing pin, is for keying. It is intended to prevent
the end user from plugging it in the wrong way. In the case of the
1x4 type cable, there is more potential for screwing it up. (You
could easily reverse the connector 180 degrees, or shift it down
a pin.)

So I don't see anything wrong with this one. There is no "OC#" on the
tenth pin, and the other pins look "normal". Inserting the cable wrong,
could make all sorts of trouble for you.

Paul
 
After registering on the XFX site, this is the manual I got for the
610i/7050. There are two models, and both models seem to have the same
manual. (MG-61MI-7059 and MG-610I-7059). Even though one of those
motherboards has two onboard 2x5 USB connectors, and the other has three
of them.

http://www.xfxsupportb.co.uk/MCP73 Series_Ver10 070928.zip

The USB pinout looks standard. There are two ways to interpret the "No
Connect" label of the tenth pin. Some interpret to mean "make no
connection", meaning there could be something electrically connected,
but the user is not to connect to it. That definition is generally
frowned upon (designers shouldn't do that!). Ideally, NC means there is
no electrical connection of the motherboard to the pin, so the cable
that is connected will make no difference, if it connects something to
the tenth pin. (My motherboard manual calls pin 10 "dummy", which is
another way to label it.)

1 VCC X X VCC 2
3 D- X X D- 4
5 D+ X X D+ 6
7 GND X X GND 8
9 X NC 10 NC = No Connect

The original intent of that header, may have been to have shield GND on
the tenth pin. The shield ground would connect to the foil or braid
surrounding the other wires (good USB cables are shielded). But the
cable assemblies in use now, might just as easily connect the shield to
the same ground as pins 7 and 8.

The header has two interfaces on it. Pins 1-3-5-7 make a four pin
interface supporting one USB2 device. Pins 2-4-6-8 make a second
interface supporting a second USB2 device. Some card readers come with a
1x4 internal cable, which would connect to one column or the other
column of pins.

When the adapter cable sports a 2x5 connector on the end, the purpose of
the missing pin, is for keying. It is intended to prevent the end user
from plugging it in the wrong way. In the case of the 1x4 type cable,
there is more potential for screwing it up. (You could easily reverse
the connector 180 degrees, or shift it down a pin.)

So I don't see anything wrong with this one. There is no "OC#" on the
tenth pin, and the other pins look "normal". Inserting the cable wrong,
could make all sorts of trouble for you.

Paul
Click to expand...


The card reader I'm using only has a 1x5 connector, so there were only
two ways to connect the thing. Unfortunately, neither worked.
 
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