Novatel V620 Causes Vaio V505 to Freeze

eugenefl

Greetings all.

PROBLEM: I am a pc/network tech for my office. We are currently experiencing a problem with a new Novatel V620 card in a Sony Vaio V505DC2P.

SYMPTOMS: During the portion of the VZAccess software install I am prompted to insert the PC card into the PCMCIA slot. After doing so, WindowsXP loads drivers and displays balloon messages in the tray indicating some kind of progress. During this time I can clearly hear the hard disk activity. At some point during the install the hardware freezes disabling any keyboard input or any other type of interface with the laptop. The hard disk activity ceases immediately upon freezing. Upon ejecting the card from the PC card slot, the laptop automatically reboots.

POINT OF FAILURE: The actual point of failure appears to be at the point where WindowsXP displays the following:

"Found New Hardware, NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller"

TROUBLESHOOTING: Tried V620 in a 2nd identical Vaio with the same result; Tried V620 in a Dell - verified good V620; Attempted to boot with card in Vaio PC slot, same result as in "Problem"; Checked for Sony Vaio driver updates - all are current and up to date; Checked NEC's website for USB controller updates - all are current; Uninstalled/Reinstalled USB host controller from Device Manager; Uninstalled/Reinstalled VZAccess Manager - no success; Checked for latest VZAccess software - current version; Checked BIOS for power options on PC card slot - no options available

CLOSING THOUGHTS: I found a post on the web from a user that was experiencing the same problem with a 4 year old Vaio but they were never responded to or offered a resolution.

Any suggestions that can be offered here would be taken into considerations. Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Eugenio

badboy1967 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 3

Just curious, I ran into the same problem with another EVDO PC card on two laptops that were running the Ricoh Card Bus controller (5C476)....and I'm wondering if your Sony is using the same Card Bus controller? You can verify within Device Manager under PCMCIA adapters.

bradsjm · EVDO User Joined: 05 May 2005 Posts: 29

This is the same issue I ran into this week with my Dell Inspiron 6000. Thankfully, Dell and Verizon know this issue exists and Dell is going to replace my motherboard with a newer version that they have corrected this problem on.

This laptop does have the Ricoh 5C476 or Compatible Cardbus Controller.

It would appear this may be to do with the power consumption of this card although I can't confirm that.
_________________
Jonathan Bradshaw

Michael · Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:51 pm Post subject:

This thread may be related:

http://www.evdoforums.com/about149.html
_________________
EVDO :: EVDO News :: EVDO Antennas :: Buy Verizon :: Buy Sprint :: EVDO Amplifier

eugenefl · Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject:

eugenefl · Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject:

eugenefl · Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 6:51 am Post subject:

w1ley · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 21

My Sony Vaio tr3a has the same controller, it works great with a v620.
<shrug>

w1ley · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 21

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

sorry,
more data:
xp home edition
Ricoh driver details:
driver provider: microsoft
driver date 7/1/2001
driver version 5.1.2600.0

Novatel Wireless Merlin CDMA EV-DO Modem details:
Driver provider: Novatel wireless inc
Driver date 8/30/2004
driver version 2.0.1.6X

again, on my laptop this works fine.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP Desktop 9.0.0 (Build 2001)

iQA/AwUBQoIZfBoXt5QXzb/6EQLXIQCgzFvxcdRwvvf+5L8w8tDosFXg+iIAnjZ1
EgN+spOMUPDMkwiAH40oDnA+
=gL7y
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

eugenefl · Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 9:51 am Post subject:

w1ley, we have the same driver versions.

Here is a little more information from my end:

WindowsXP Professional SP2

Sony Vaio V505
P4 M 2.2GHz
512MB RAM

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Upon ejecting the PC card the laptop auto restarts. I disabled auto restarting and discovered a blue screen. Below are the blue screen details:

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION

Technical Information:

*** STOP: 0x0000009c (0x00000000, 0x8054D370, 0xA2000000, 0x84010400)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

I also have a text printout of the system resources that are possibly conflicting. It's odd to me that the bulk of the devices involved in this problem are sharing the same IRQ. See below:

System Information report written at: 05/11/05 11:45:10
System Name: ******

[Conflicts/Sharing]

Resource Device
Memory Address 0xF0000000-0xF7FFFFFF Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
Memory Address 0xF0000000-0xF7FFFFFF MOBILITY RADEON

I/O Port 0x00000000-0x00000CF7 PCI bus
I/O Port 0x00000000-0x00000CF7 Direct memory access controller

I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF MOBILITY RADEON

I/O Port 0x00003000-0x00003FFF Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
I/O Port 0x00003000-0x00003FFF MOBILITY RADEON

IRQ 9 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
IRQ 9 MOBILITY RADEON
IRQ 9 LAN-Express AS IEEE 802.11g miniPCI Adapter
IRQ 9 Ricoh R/RL/RT/RC/5C475(II), R5C520 or Compatible CardBus Controller
IRQ 9 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
IRQ 9 NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller
IRQ 9 NEC PCI to USB Open Host Controller
IRQ 9 Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
IRQ 9 Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection
IRQ 9 YAMAHA AC-XG Audio Device
IRQ 9 CXT AC-Link Modem for Intel

Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF PCI bus
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF MOBILITY RADEON

I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB MOBILITY RADEON

Memory Address 0xE8100000-0xE81FFFFF Intel(R) 82845 Processor to AGP Controller - 1A31
Memory Address 0xE8100000-0xE81FFFFF MOBILITY RADEON

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks again for any information you can provide. Hopefully this will help stir some more ideas.

Eugenio

eugenefl · Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 2:38 pm Post subject:

w1ley · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 21

bradsjm · EVDO User Joined: 05 May 2005 Posts: 29

The Dell engineering reference is #F5081A695D579889E030030ABD6227C6 but no one on the tech phone line will know what to do with that reference!

You can see the rest of the story at http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_periph&message.id=10477

eugenefl · Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 7:06 am Post subject: Problem Resolved!

Alright folks, I found a solution!

Unfortunately, Sony, Ricoh, and Verizon provided little assistance in resolving this problem. Everyone referred me back to Sony but since the laptop is out of warranty Sony refused to offer me assistance.

Other things I tried before finding the solution: Searched for new BIOS, none available; searched for new Ricoh & "NEC to PCI USB Open Host Controller" drivers, none available;

Resolution: I went into Device Manager and disabled both instances of "NEC to PCI USB Open Host Controller." After doing so I restarted. Once up and running I inserted the Novatel V620 and BAM...WindowsXP picked up 2 new instances of "NEC to PCI USB Open Host Controller." All other drivers loaded as expected. Once everything was up and running I looked back in Device Manager and there were now 4 instances of "NEC to PCI USB Open Host Controller" - 2 disabled, and 2 functioning.

Closing Thoughts: I'm still not convinced the system is 100% free and clear of errors. The Vaio will still lock up if I insert a USB device while the V620 is in the PCMCIA slot. Odd...in any case I will leave it be since it is now working.

THANKS TO EVERYONE that replied and offered corrective suggestions. I sincerely hope someone else finds this thread and it resolves their hardware freeze issue.

- Eugenio

w1ley · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 21