Firewire problem

Sole · 06-06-2007, 11:42 AM

I have an Asus p4pe mobo... with no firewire controllers onboard and I recently purchased a camera where the only way I can capture the video is through firewire (usb for still images).

I bought the appropriate cable (4pin to 6pin firewire) and a PCI Firewire card. I plugged the firewire card into my comp and it recognized it fine (box indicated it had drivers built into windows and came with no disc, and no driver updates online). So far so good... I plug in my camcorder and nothing. I know the camera works because it did on my friends laptop no problem... so I figured it must be the cable. Got a new cable and still the same thing.

At this point I'm thinking good cable, good camera, bad card... so I troubleshoot on a friend's comp and it works without a hitch. We're both running XPsp2. So everything is good with the peripherals... but there's something going on in my comp. I've tried every possible PCI slot there is for the card, different boot up procedures, surfed through my bios looking for conflicts, checking out IRQs and just about everything you can imagine.

Is there something I'm missing? Should I just wipe the install of windows (haven't done that in about a year and half) or do any of you guys have some advice? I'd really appreciate it, thanks.

mattsb84 · 06-06-2007, 12:18 PM

I'd start by going to Start -> Right Click My Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager.

Look for any question marks for devices windows sees but does not have the appropriate drivers for.

Also did you install the most recent drivers for the adapter card? Do you have any other fire wire devices to test with?

When the camera worked on your friends computer, was it assigned a drive letter? If so, do you have multiple peripherals plugged in to the computer that use drive letters? OR perhaps something similar to Daemon tools that assigns drive letters? If so check in If so, go to Start -> Right Click My Computer -> Manage -> Disk Management to see if its not being assigned a letter.

Thats where I would start at least.

Sole · 06-06-2007, 12:26 PM

Thanks.

Card shows up fine in device manager and no question marks or exclamation points. I don't have any other firewire periphs... and the only two periphs I have are 2 60gb external usb hdd's.

There only drive letters assigned on either comps were for HDDs / CDRoms and virtual CDRoms.

Also there's no updates for this specific card... it should automatically work with windows, and it does, just not on my computer... and no other firewire devices to test with... the whole setup works on my friends laptop and his desktop... so the devices are good. Its gotta be something with my PC or my windows installation... everything else is ruled out periph wise.

mattsb84 · 06-06-2007, 12:28 PM

Can you reseat the adapter in another pci slot on your comp?

Sole · 06-06-2007, 12:37 PM

its occupied every one of them... that was my initial guess. Same symtpoms in every slot, exactly identical.

mattsb84 · 06-06-2007, 01:48 PM

Have you tried removing it from device manager and reinstalling it? I assume it at least shows up there?

Sole · 06-06-2007, 03:10 PM

yep I've tried that too man... just about anything hardware related I've given a shot. I got a strong feeling its something to do with my windows installation.

mattsb84 · 06-06-2007, 03:34 PM

Yeah, thats definitely weird.

Your OS(i assume xp pro) is up to date and legit right?

Sole · 06-06-2007, 04:44 PM

completely legit... and yes xp pro sp2

I've been reading some stuff about SB live value (which is what I have) causing conflicts with firewire.... fixing to test it out. Got an X-Fi... but haven't installed it yet because I want some better speakers; I'll keep you all updated.

Thanks alot for your help Matt.

Zeste · 06-06-2007, 05:06 PM

I've never seen a firewire card that needed drivers. They all just plug and play instantly.

Remove all your other cards and see what happens.

Sole · 06-06-2007, 05:50 PM

I've removed everything but my network card and it's working fine. I just need to find out what was causing the conflict... and like I said I have strong suspicions of the sound card (chipset embedded with firewire).

Computer recognized my cam now... I just don't have any audio other than the onboard.... might be time for the X-Fi.... fuck it.

Thank yall, I can now start my video editiing project.

06-06-2007, 11:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	Firewire problem I have an Asus p4pe mobo... with no firewire controllers onboard and I recently purchased a camera where the only way I can capture the video is through firewire (usb for still images). I bought the appropriate cable (4pin to 6pin firewire) and a PCI Firewire card. I plugged the firewire card into my comp and it recognized it fine (box indicated it had drivers built into windows and came with no disc, and no driver updates online). So far so good... I plug in my camcorder and nothing. I know the camera works because it did on my friends laptop no problem... so I figured it must be the cable. Got a new cable and still the same thing. At this point I'm thinking good cable, good camera, bad card... so I troubleshoot on a friend's comp and it works without a hitch. We're both running XPsp2. So everything is good with the peripherals... but there's something going on in my comp. I've tried every possible PCI slot there is for the card, different boot up procedures, surfed through my bios looking for conflicts, checking out IRQs and just about everything you can imagine. Is there something I'm missing? Should I just wipe the install of windows (haven't done that in about a year and half) or do any of you guys have some advice? I'd really appreciate it, thanks.

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06-06-2007, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
mattsb84 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 45 +0 Internets	I'd start by going to Start -> Right Click My Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager. Look for any question marks for devices windows sees but does not have the appropriate drivers for. Also did you install the most recent drivers for the adapter card? Do you have any other fire wire devices to test with? When the camera worked on your friends computer, was it assigned a drive letter? If so, do you have multiple peripherals plugged in to the computer that use drive letters? OR perhaps something similar to Daemon tools that assigns drive letters? If so check in If so, go to Start -> Right Click My Computer -> Manage -> Disk Management to see if its not being assigned a letter. Thats where I would start at least.

06-06-2007, 12:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	Thanks. Card shows up fine in device manager and no question marks or exclamation points. I don't have any other firewire periphs... and the only two periphs I have are 2 60gb external usb hdd's. There only drive letters assigned on either comps were for HDDs / CDRoms and virtual CDRoms. Also there's no updates for this specific card... it should automatically work with windows, and it does, just not on my computer... and no other firewire devices to test with... the whole setup works on my friends laptop and his desktop... so the devices are good. Its gotta be something with my PC or my windows installation... everything else is ruled out periph wise.

06-06-2007, 12:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
mattsb84 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 45 +0 Internets	Can you reseat the adapter in another pci slot on your comp?

06-06-2007, 12:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	its occupied every one of them... that was my initial guess. Same symtpoms in every slot, exactly identical.

06-06-2007, 01:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
mattsb84 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 45 +0 Internets	Have you tried removing it from device manager and reinstalling it? I assume it at least shows up there?

06-06-2007, 03:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	yep I've tried that too man... just about anything hardware related I've given a shot. I got a strong feeling its something to do with my windows installation.

06-06-2007, 03:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
mattsb84 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 45 +0 Internets	Yeah, thats definitely weird. Your OS(i assume xp pro) is up to date and legit right?

06-06-2007, 04:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	completely legit... and yes xp pro sp2 I've been reading some stuff about SB live value (which is what I have) causing conflicts with firewire.... fixing to test it out. Got an X-Fi... but haven't installed it yet because I want some better speakers; I'll keep you all updated. Thanks alot for your help Matt.

06-06-2007, 05:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
Zeste Ben's Secret Assassins - HIPPITY HOP RABBIT Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,791 +24 Internets	I've never seen a firewire card that needed drivers. They all just plug and play instantly. Remove all your other cards and see what happens.

06-06-2007, 05:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
Sole I love me some me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 415 -3 Internets	I've removed everything but my network card and it's working fine. I just need to find out what was causing the conflict... and like I said I have strong suspicions of the sound card (chipset embedded with firewire). Computer recognized my cam now... I just don't have any audio other than the onboard.... might be time for the X-Fi.... fuck it. Thank yall, I can now start my video editiing project.