Any good USB diagnostic software out there?

AndyM99999 · 11-21-2008, 11:42 AM

Hi, I hope this is the right forum for a USB query - apologies if not.

I've been having some massively variable benchmark speeds from two USB hard drives, and have been playing around with connecting them to different native ports, to an additional PCI USB card - but I'm finding it very hard to make sense of what all the USB ports are doing and how they're performing.

What I would love to have is a good, reasonable straightforward, USB diagnostic app - but sniffing around the web I haven't been able to find much. Can anyone recommend a good USB utility please?

Thanks

Andy

**magnethead** · 11-21-2008, 04:20 PM

what is your particular issue you are investigating? Specific ports not being full speed, devices not full speed, or different combinations?

AndyM99999 · 11-22-2008, 11:54 AM

I'm having several USB-related problems:
When I boot up, I very often get a notification bar balloon saying 'This device can perform faster - click to see a list of available USB ports' or words to that effect. The list this brings up gives me no information that I can make sense of - doesn't say which USB port or which device it's referring to.

Second, I'm having lots of problems with 2 external USB HDDs - a Seagate 320GB and an Iomega 500GB (which physically crashed a couple of days ago). Using HD Tune to benchmark the Seagate (and the Iomega before the crash) showed 3 very different speeds at different times:
a steady 30MB/s
a steady 17-18MB/s
a steady 0.9MB/s
Clearly there is something badly wrong with the 0.9 speed.

I have connected the Seagate to every native USB port (most of which should be 2.0) and I always get the 'can perform faster' bubble and generally speeds of 0.9MB/s.

I have attached a shot of the USB devices in my dev manager. How do they look?

Any help would be much appreciated. I'm concerned that the Iomega crash might have something to do with the USB issues, and I have had a number of BSODs which I suspect may be USB related (the minidump debug infos were inconclusive.)

On top of all this I'm frustrated that there is no physical identification on the USB ports, outside, inside or on the mainboard that I can see.

To conclude, I'm anxious about the status and performance of all my USB ports and all the devices attached to them, and I would appreciate some advice, and ideally a good piece of software that can help me understand, test and control all things USB!

Many thanks

Andy

AndyM99999 · 11-22-2008, 11:55 AM

Device Manager - USB devices - screenshot

**wrench97** · 11-22-2008, 12:10 PM

What is the Brand and Model of your PC?

**magnethead** · 11-22-2008, 07:49 PM

have you changed usb drivers?

brand and model?

is your computer loaded down?

11-21-2008, 11:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
AndyM99999 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP3	Any good USB diagnostic software out there? Hi, I hope this is the right forum for a USB query - apologies if not. I've been having some massively variable benchmark speeds from two USB hard drives, and have been playing around with connecting them to different native ports, to an additional PCI USB card - but I'm finding it very hard to make sense of what all the USB ports are doing and how they're performing. What I would love to have is a good, reasonable straightforward, USB diagnostic app - but sniffing around the web I haven't been able to find much. Can anyone recommend a good USB utility please? Thanks Andy

11-21-2008, 04:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
magnethead Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 3,552 OS: Vista ultimate 32bit My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Any good USB diagnostic software out there? what is your particular issue you are investigating? Specific ports not being full speed, devices not full speed, or different combinations? __________________ For proper support: what are you running? graphics, cpu, m/board, ram, PSU brand wattage PCI-E requires 26 amps at 12 volts. That's a 650W PSU. Power Supply Info and Selection . Info on thermal compounds & application . TEST PSU USING MULTI-METER . Bench Testing Your System

11-22-2008, 11:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
AndyM99999 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 5 OS: XP SP3	Re: Any good USB diagnostic software out there? I'm having several USB-related problems: When I boot up, I very often get a notification bar balloon saying 'This device can perform faster - click to see a list of available USB ports' or words to that effect. The list this brings up gives me no information that I can make sense of - doesn't say which USB port or which device it's referring to. Second, I'm having lots of problems with 2 external USB HDDs - a Seagate 320GB and an Iomega 500GB (which physically crashed a couple of days ago). Using HD Tune to benchmark the Seagate (and the Iomega before the crash) showed 3 very different speeds at different times: a steady 30MB/s a steady 17-18MB/s a steady 0.9MB/s Clearly there is something badly wrong with the 0.9 speed. I have connected the Seagate to every native USB port (most of which should be 2.0) and I always get the 'can perform faster' bubble and generally speeds of 0.9MB/s. I have attached a shot of the USB devices in my dev manager. How do they look? Any help would be much appreciated. I'm concerned that the Iomega crash might have something to do with the USB issues, and I have had a number of BSODs which I suspect may be USB related (the minidump debug infos were inconclusive.) On top of all this I'm frustrated that there is no physical identification on the USB ports, outside, inside or on the mainboard that I can see. To conclude, I'm anxious about the status and performance of all my USB ports and all the devices attached to them, and I would appreciate some advice, and ideally a good piece of software that can help me understand, test and control all things USB! Many thanks Andy

11-22-2008, 12:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 14,216 OS: XPSP3	Re: Any good USB diagnostic software out there? What is the Brand and Model of your PC? __________________ Power Supply and Selection

11-22-2008, 07:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
magnethead Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 3,552 OS: Vista ultimate 32bit My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Any good USB diagnostic software out there? have you changed usb drivers? brand and model? is your computer loaded down? __________________ For proper support: what are you running? graphics, cpu, m/board, ram, PSU brand wattage PCI-E requires 26 amps at 12 volts. That's a 650W PSU. Power Supply Info and Selection . Info on thermal compounds & application . TEST PSU USING MULTI-METER . Bench Testing Your System