dongle not working when boot from cd - ok in windows

[electronbox]

I have this problem where the CD will boot ok but wont recognise the dongle. If I start the Pc and run the cd from within Windows I get the normal insert usb device and all is ok. There is just the one led when booting from the Cd (green) and the LEDs seem to be functioning ok when running within windows on the same machine (all 3 colours). any suggestions?
Further Info.
All the files seem to be on the dongle, the backup I made is the same file sizes as on the dongle (no i have not over written the files) there is only a test log file on the dongle as an extra. I have since deleted this 1 file and retried, no change.
It works OK on another machine (both with XP) usb ports all function in Windows and it does recognise the device and assign a drive letter, but when booting from the CD on this PC it refuses to recognise the dongle though the usb mouse works. I have tried it without the usb mouse but still no joy.

[fwilson]

Hi,

This is from the FAQ located at:  http://www.pc-doctor.com/faq.php


Answer: Use the following troubleshooting steps in the order they are listed:

   1. Does the Multipurpose USB Device function in Service Center 6 for Windows? If     
      not, restore the device by using the Restore Multipurpose USB Device link on
      the Service Center for Windows installer menu.
   2. Does the Multipurpose USB Device function on other systems running Service
      Center 6 for Windows? If not, contact technical support
   3. Can you boot directly from the Multipurpose USB Device into DOS? If not,
      restore the device using the Restore Multipurpose USB Device link on the
      Service Center 6 for Windows installer menu.
   4. Ensure the BIOS is set to enable USB hard drive (HDD) booting.
   5. Ensure the BIOS has the Multipurpose USB Device set as the first boot device.
   6. Ensure the BIOS is set to support legacy USB.
   7. In the BIOS, change the USB emulation to Auto. If that does not work, change
      the USB emulation to Hard Drive (HDD). If that does not work, change the USB
      emulation to Floppy Disk (FDD).
   8. You may need to try various combinations of the above BIOS settings to support
      the Multipurpose USB Device.
   9. Some systems require you to change the USB speed in order to boot.
  10. Some systems require you to disable legacy floppy support to boot from USB.
      NOTE: Some systems may require a BIOS update. Consult the system manufacturer's
      website.
  11. If you have not restored the Multipurpose USB Device in a previous step,
      restore the device at this time. Select Restore Multipurpose USB Device from
      the Service Center 6 for Windows installer menu.
  12. Try booting from the Service Center 6 CD instead of from the Multipurpose USB
      Device. Set the system BIOS to boot from CD as the first device. Insert the
      Service Center 6 CD into the CD or DVD drive and ensure the Multipurpose USB
      Device is inserted. Reboot the system.
  13. If the above steps have not resolved your issue, contact technical support

[ACIOCALA]

I've got the same problem & none of the troubleshooting steps work.  The problem isn't on all machines, just some.  The MUD even shows up in the drive list (BIOS) when booting along with the hard drive, CD drives, etc. but I can't boot from it & booting from the CD does no good because the DOS software doesn't see the key either.

[fwilson]

ACIOCALA,

On some older machines (and a small percentage of newer ones) the USB ports are not enabled in BIOS.  If the machine does not enable the USB port at this stage and relies solely on the windows drivers to do so, there is little that can be done to run Service Center 6 on said machine.

For these older machines the only option is to run the legacy support disk.  This will do a very good job of diagnosing older machines.  It does not have some of the features that Service Center 6 has but these older systems usually don’t have the hardware to use them anyway.

Please contact PC-Doctor support to order a Legacy Support CD.  The quickest way is to enter the info on the support form located at:
http://www.pc-doctor.com/technical_support.php?s=1
Please put “Legacy Support CD request” in the problem summary field. 

-Fred

[ACIOCALA]

Thanx for the help!

The most recent machine that I had this issue on is now repaired & out-the-door so I can't give any specifics.  I can say that it really wasn't "that" old but... who knows.  I will, however, take your advice & request the SC5 for DOS CD so as to be prepaired for the next one.

[Kim Seymour]

I understand how the term "legacy" can be misleading. The problem lies in the BIOS of the machine. If the BIOS will not enable booting to USB in DOS, you will need a legacy disc. We have seen this occur in 2% of systems in the field, and they are generally legacy systems, but not always.

[fwilson]

The BIOS does not have to allow booting from USB (although if it does it will definatly work), The BIOS need only expose the USB subsystem at POST to allow proper locking.