[SOLVED] Problem with Renesas® Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller

writhziden · Dec 7, 2012

Ever since I bought this system, I have had issues with an older Kingston 8 GB USB 2.0 flash drive. If I try to move files off my system onto the flash drive and then also try to move/copy files within the flash drive to a different folder, the drive disappears from the system and I get a message that the destination path does not exist anymore. I do not have this problem if I use the one and only USB 2.0 port on the system.

I have a SanDisk 16 GB USB 2.0 drive that works fine.

I believe this is a driver issue related to the blue screens that occur with the driver version installed on my system. No updates are available through Sony, and I am having a difficult time finding them through Renesas Support.

nusb3xhc.sys Thu Dec 9 21:50:35 2010 (4D01B19B)
NEC Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller Driver (previous BSOD issues with 2010 version)
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nusb3xhc.sys

nusb3hub.sys Thu Dec 9 21:50:35 2010 (4D01B19B)
NEC Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller Driver (previous BSOD issues with 2010 version)
http://www.carrona.org/drivers/driver.php?id=nusb3hub.sys

Digerati · Dec 8, 2012

I have been very disappointed in USB3.0, which was supposed to fix all the problems with 2.0, which was supposed to fix all the problems with 1.x!

Device makers tout the improved bandwidth with each new revision but what good is speed if it comes at the cost of stability and reliability? :banghead: USB 3.0 is supposed to be backwards and forwards compatible, yet the forums are awash with issues like yours.

Do other USB 3.0 devices work fine in your USB 3.0 ports? Does that flash drive work with other computers with 3.0?

What is the model# of your Sony? With notebooks in particular (which tend to have many proprietary detriments... err, I mean features) I recommend sticking with drivers from the notebook makers, rather than the component makers.

Did it ever work right? If so, you might consider rolling back to the out-of-the-box drivers.

writhziden · Dec 8, 2012

Digerati said:
I have been very disappointed in USB3.0, which was supposed to fix all the problems with 2.0, which was supposed to fix all the problems with 1.x! Device makers tout the improved bandwidth with each new revision but what good is speed if it comes at the cost of stability and reliability? :banghead: USB 3.0 is supposed to be backwards and forwards compatible, yet the forums are awash with issues like yours.

I have noticed this, as well. I thought 2.0 was stable; were there similar issues with 2.0 when it was first released? I know I never had any problems with it myself.

Digerati said:
Do other USB 3.0 devices work fine in your USB 3.0 ports? Does that flash drive work with other computers with 3.0?

I have no USB 3.0 devices to test. I may have to purchase a USB 3.0 flash drive soon to see how it performs in this system.

Digerati said:
What is the model# of your Sony? With notebooks in particular (which tend to have many proprietary detriments... err, I mean features) I recommend sticking with drivers from the notebook makers, rather than the component makers.

Did it ever work right? If so, you might consider rolling back to the out-of-the-box drivers.

I have had this problem as far back as I can remember. I actually bought the SanDisk 16 GB drive due to the problems I was having with the Kingston because I thought it was just that the Kingston drive was old. The same problem occurred with the SanDisk on a few occasions and felt I had wasted my money, albeit not much money given the price drop in these drives over the past few years.

I have really had nothing but problems with this system; it's bulkier than my previous VAIO, the hard drive issues I had with it were a nightmare to track down and required two drive replacements before the problem was fixed, and the USB 3.0 ports are not reliable with all my devices. This is a VPCF232FX/B.

I am currently running with the Microsoft USB 3.0 drivers to see if there is any difference in reliability. No luck so far. Seems like the USB 3.0 ports themselves are the issue. My next step would be to find a newer VAIO and see if I can use its Renesas USB 3.0 drivers instead.

Digerati · Dec 8, 2012

I thought 2.0 was stable; were there similar issues with 2.0 when it was first released? I know I never had any problems with it myself.

It was/is pretty stable but there were problems some problems with compatibility - but nothing like we are seeing between 2.0 and 3.0.

My next step would be to find a newer VAIO and see if I can use its Renesas USB 3.0 drivers instead.

Yeah, that might be worth a try because it seems Sony has nothing new.

Note this could be a data transfer problem, or a power problem with the port. No way of really telling, except maybe with a self-powered hub stuck in between the device and the port.

writhziden · Dec 15, 2012

After updating my drivers to the latest Microsoft drivers supplied with Windows 8 for USB 3.0 ports, the problem seemed to vanish for a week. Then I tried to delete a bunch of user folders from OPs I am helping with blue screen crashes, and the flash drive disappeared from the system mid-deletion, resulting in a message that a file no longer existed to delete...

I have now updated my chipset drivers to Intel's Windows 8 version. I will let you know if that provides better support for the hardware.

writhziden · Dec 18, 2012

Driver changes have not helped. I even tried the Oct. 2011 Renesas USB 3.0 drivers.

So far what I tried:

Originally shipped 2010 Renesas USB 3.0 drivers.
Microsoft 2012 USB 3.0 drivers provided with Windows 8 Professional
Latest 2012 Intel Chipset drivers
Oct. 2011 Renesas USB 3.0 drivers

Sony has decided it must be a hardware problem and is replacing my motherboard... :-{

Digerati · Dec 18, 2012

Sony has decided it must be a hardware problem and is replacing my motherboard... :-{

Well that's cool! A real PITA, but cool! How old is this system?

writhziden · Dec 18, 2012

The system is 10 months old, and this is the third service call I've had to make.

My last VAIO went two and a half years without any major issues. I brought it in under extended warranty for a minor issue, and the system was destroyed by the inept service center for the retail store. This was the replacement I paid extra for to get a system that was comparable.

Digerati · Dec 18, 2012

I know it is irritating when you pay good money for a major brand and they let you down. The problem is, who do you really fault? These major makers are really just assemblers of parts from other makers. There's a good chance that motherboard, for example, is made by Foxconn or maybe ASUS.

writhziden · Dec 18, 2012

Assuming the motherboard is the problem. I still think it is a driver issue since it only happens in Windows and not in Ubuntu with the same USB 3.0 ports...

I am going along with Sony since I feel they should have replaced the motherboard when the replaced my previous hard drive. I feel like I am working with a ticking time bomb and the motherboard might fry me new drive at any moment.

Digerati · Dec 19, 2012

I still think it is a driver issue since it only happens in Windows and not in Ubuntu with the same USB 3.0 ports...

Yeah, that does make it look like a driver issue.

I have never seen a failed motherboard fry a drive so that it is unusable after that. But I have seen a failed motherboard corrupt a drive so badly, it had to be fixed with chkdsk, reformatted, and the OS reinstalled - and of course, the client did not have a current backup of his data. :frown6:

writhziden · Dec 19, 2012

In my case with the previous two drives, the hard disk drive controller seemed to be magnafoozled on both. Both drives were fine when I initially used them, and the first drive started failing after months of use. The second drive started failing after four or five days of use. This one has been fine for over a month now.

With the previous two drives, the behavior was erratic, but it was repeatable on nearly every boot. The system was slow: Mouse clicks did not respond immediately and sometimes took anywhere from 2-10 seconds to register, directory listings were slow to load, browser windows were the worst and just scrolling up and down a page could take 5-10 seconds for the scroll bar to even move, and when the scroll bar on the browser did move, it was often jerky. Also, VAIO Gate, one of the programs built in that loads on startup, would cause my mouse to hang, not move for a couple seconds, and then start to move from where it should have been based on the motion I used to move it. That behavior would go on for the first 15 minutes of boot, and perfmon showed a long disk queue length during that fifteen minutes. Once the disk queue length dropped down to 1-2, the system was manageable again.

Don't know if that problem will repeat with the new drive at some point, but I would care not to take chances and just get the board replaced at this point. Maybe it will fix the USB issue, too. They seem to be somewhat related.

Digerati · Dec 19, 2012

Maybe it will fix the USB issue, too.

Maybe. I would inspect your current board and look for a revision number. Then compare that to the new board.

writhziden · Dec 19, 2012

I'll mention that to the technician when he arrives next week with the new board. The nice thing about having them come to the residence to fix the system is I can inspect things myself as they proceed. Might come in handy for when my warranty is up in case I ever need to take this laptop apart to fix something; I'll know the correct steps to disassemble it. I've found in the past that all laptops disassemble differently. Some systems actually require some force to pull things apart, while with others if you apply force, you are doing something wrong. I believe Sony systems come apart mostly from the bottom and everything pulls out. That was how my previous system was, at any rate.

Digerati · Dec 19, 2012

I've found in the past that all laptops disassemble differently. Some systems actually require some force to pull things apart, while with others if you apply force, you are doing something wrong. I believe Sony systems come apart mostly from the bottom and everything pulls out. That was how my previous system was, at any rate.

That is part of the reason I don't like working on notebook. They are too proprietary and from a technician's standpoint, service manuals tend to be severely lacking, if they exist at all.

writhziden · Dec 28, 2012

I learned a bit about assembling and disassembling a laptop. Unfortunately, the motherboard replacement caused the problem to manifest in Ubuntu and Windows, so the system is now heading back for a refund. I give Sony a lot of credit for trying to fix the problem and eventually providing a refund. :-}

I have a Toshiba arriving later today. My last Toshiba is what I am typing this on, and it is five years old. My girlfriend's sister has a Toshiba that is eight years old and still functions (when she doesn't kill the OS). Research online suggests Toshiba, ASUS, and Sony are the three best manufacturers for reliability.

niemiro · Dec 28, 2012

That is great news. My fingers are crossed for you that it brings peace at last.

Digerati · Dec 29, 2012

I've had my Toshiba A505-s6009 for 3+ years now - replacing an old Dell. So far, and unlike the Dell, it has been problem free. If you need a notebook, I have no problems recommending Toshiba.

Tekno Venus · Dec 29, 2012

Never had a Toshiba, but heard they are OK. I/my family have had a lot of Dells in my time (I've had 2, Dad's got 1 and Mum's got 1) and had no hardware issues with any of them.

That's good news though Mike, hopefully you'll have more luck with this one.

Digerati · Dec 29, 2012

I really don't know how valid those reliability studies are because Dell, Toshiba, and all the others are really just assemblers of parts from other makers. As noted above, ASUS and Foxconn are major suppliers of motherboards. NVIDIA and ATI supply most of the graphics. Drives come from Seagate and WD. Display panels come from just a few suppliers. Nobody really makes their own notebooks and they all buy their components from the same OEM makers.

[SOLVED] Problem with Renesas® Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller

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