Space Explorer USB won't stay configured after Reboot

[mpranger]

Barbara,

Thanks for the reply.

I plugged the device into the back of the computer as suggested to verify if the device is loading properly and rebooted the computer.

The 3DxWare icon is not in the system tray
The blue LED's are on.
I don't believe the driver is starting. (3dxsrv.exe is not in task manager)
The 3D Mouse Home window does open but when I click on any of the boxes, nothing happens.

When I click on the "Start Driver" in the start menu, nothing happens.

If I do the following, I can get it to work:
1 - Unplug the device from the USB on the back of the computer
2 - Wait about 5-10 seconds
3 - Plug the device in the same USB port
4 - Manually start the driver.
When this is done, the 3xsrv.exe is loaded in the task manager and I can click on the properties box in the 3D Mouse Home program. The 3DXware Icon is in the system tray.

I am using Windows XP Professions SP3 on an Intel Core 2 CPU 2.13 GHz and 4 Gig of RAM.

[UtaSH]

Hi mpranger,

please check if your device is recognized by Windows and let us know.

[mpranger]

Hi mpranger,

please check if your device is recognized by Windows and let us know.

When I plug the device into the back of the keyboard (Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro by the way) I do see the device.

I unplug the device from the keyboard, plug it into the back of the computer and reboot.
The lights come on but the device does not show up in the device manager.
When I unplug and plug it back into the same usb port in the back of the computer, the device then shows up in the device manager and all is good until.... next reboot.

[UtaSH]

What is the serial number/PID of your device?

[mpranger]

P/N = 3DX-600028
PID = N4210520941

[UtaSH]

Hmm ... weird. I have another report about a device with the same symptoms. Please bear with me for a while - I'll check with my colleague from Hardware.

[UtaSH]

Hi,

we could solve the problem at the other customer with an update of the BIOS (Intel). Could you please check if this helps on your machine, too? Please post here your findings. Thanks!

[DocMaverick]

Thanks uludwig,

Updating the BIOS really solves this issue, at least for me. After my last post, the same old behavior has been happening all over. I'd all but given up on using my USB Space Exploroer. I've been monitoring this thread, however, hoping you might make a break-through. So, when you suggested it this morning, I gave updating the BIOS a shot, what did I have to lose?

To my surprise (and great relief), the original behavior has been fully restored!

I have even shutdown my computer several times today, trying to keep the SE from working properly, but it now appears to be rock solid. I no longer have to tweak the Device Manager each time I want to use it. Until recently, my SE had been nothing more than a paperweight. Now it is back to it prior glory. Thanks for the continued diligence and follow-through.

[UtaSH]

Hi DocMaverick,

this is good news! Thanks for posting your experience here. It would be helpful for our hardware development if you could tell me the PID of your 3D mouse.

We are currently trying to find a solution that is a bit easier than a BIOS update.

[DocMaverick]

Uta,

Certainly, my PID is E4008452119 and my P/N is 3DX-600029. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help!

[mpranger]

I did manage to convince our IT department to do a bios upgrade to the latest bios. Sadly, this does not help in my case.

I can still use the USB in the back of the Microsoft Natural Keyboard just fine and comes up every time I reboot. However, plugging the device in the back of the computer does not work. I would need to unplug it, replug it, and then manually start the driver.

I noticed a software update, so I did a hard reset (pushing the two buttons while unplug / replugging the device. I reinstalled the newest software. This did not help either.

Some system spec if that would help:

Windows XP Pro - SP3
Intel Core 2 CPU 6420 @ 2.13 GHz
4 Gig ram
Intel DP965LT motherboard
ATI FireGL V3400 Graphics card
Input devices: Mouse, Keyboard Space Navigator

[UtaSH]

I'm glad you have a solution with the device connected to your keyboard ...

It's a matter of at which time the port is scanned by the system during boot up and what commands are sent to it. Thanks for the detailed information.

[mpranger]

Just an update:

Our IT department had a new CAD system arrive. (Old system is about 3 years old or so but am not sure exactly how old) I was able to take the faulty device (faulty on my system) and try it out on the new system. This device worked perfectly on all the usb ports even after multiple shut downs and reboots.

There is something between my current system and the 3D mouse that are not cooperating.

Sadly, the new system was not for me. I will buy my time with keeping this plugged in the USB port in the back of the keyboard and hope for a new system someday.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Matt

[DocMaverick]

Yeah, I'm getting tired of this. My device worked great for almost a month, but once again is completely dead again. I've hesitated in the past to send it back for service, but there appears to be no other recourse.

I have reset all of the USB ports, and have the most recent BIOS update. The darn thing will not activate at all, under any circumstances.

How do I return the device for service?

The only thing that I can note, is that it stopped working about the time I used Remote Desktop (which we use around here, from time-to-time). Could that have anything to do with this behavior? Like I said, it was working fine (for almost a month), then I remotely accessed this machine from a different terminal and life left my poor Space Explorer USB...will it ever return?!

[ngomes]

Hi DocMaverick,

How do I return the device for service?

sorry to see that you're still having problems with your 3D mouse.

Please get in touch with our Tech Support team. Contact details are here.