(help) USB target address changing

[whynotpizza]

Hi all,

Anyone know how to deal with this problem? I am currently using a LAPTOP to drive my cabinet, and turns out M A M E (and really windows) re-addresses the USB BUS target numbers everytime I plug and unplug the laptop from the cabinet.

I hope the only answer isn't "buy a dedicated PC" ...

Any thoughts to keep using my LAPTOP as a cabinet machine as well as a real laptop (i.e. plug and unplug from the cabinet)?

Do I disable something in Windows XP? or should I change something in M A M E?

Any pointers would be appreciated.

 

   David

[Fozzy The Bear]

Anyone know how to deal with this problem?

Not sure how to deal with it exactly... somebody may know....

BUT the reason it happens is because WindowsXP dynamically assigns USB device numbers and remaps them every time something changes. Which doesn't really help us with Mame.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[whynotpizza]

Thanks Julian.

Hmm, that stinks. That means even if I goto a Desktop solution dedicated to the cabinet I'll still have to figure out how to maintain the same USB designations across a system reboot.

Gotta love microsoft stuff. 

If anyone has ideas ... please pass along. 

Happy New Year...

   David

[Kremmit]

Using USB devices with a different USB ID can help keep Windows from switching them around.  What USB devices are you plugging in, exactly?

[whynotpizza]

I am plugging the laptop into a mini docking station which has USB 1.1 output going to a 7-port powered USB 2.0/1.1 mini HUB. The devices all connect to the HUB:
  2 ACT LABS USB light guns
  1 Apache Controls Blackhawk push/pull spinner (also driving HAPP trackball)
  1 KB
  1 Mouse
 
The targets on various components all change each time I connect from hibernate or reboot the laptop (yuk)

How can I hard-set the ID's in windows XP?

[Kremmit]

I don't think you can change the USB ID on any of those.  Many GGG and Ultimarc products can have different USB IDs set, but no consumer products that I know of.  With them all plugging in to the same USB port on the computer (via the hub), you can't adjust things by plugging the cables in to different USB controllers on the mobo (probably can't do this on a laptop anyway), so that's out too.

The only thing I can think of is to plug each device into the hub at a different time.  Always do it in the same order, for example:

1:  Keyboard (leave this plugged in all the time)
2:  Mouse (also leave this plugged in all the time)
3:  Spinner & TB on Apache controller (plug in first after boot)
4:  Act Labs gun for Player 1 (plug in after the Apache has been detected and installed)
5:  Act Labs gun for Player 2 (plug in after Windows finds and installs the first gun)

You might get away with leaving the P1 lightgun plugged in all the time, too.  If you always do it the same way, Windows ought to always assign things the same way.  Keep your fingers crossed, and no warranty, guarantee, or returns, please, all sales final!

[whynotpizza]

Hmm, is this what everone else does running a cab? i.e. plug in each USB device whenever their cabinet system (laptop or desktop) is rebooted?

Or is this just a onetime thing?

Seems like lots of others would also experience this issue too.

Maybe people just leave their PC running all the time for their cabinet.

Ah, the joys of the PC world. 

[Kremmit]

Most people aren't using a laptop.

[zelony]

It is because your devices do not have USB Serial Numbers.  If they did Windows would remember them.  Linux behaves the same way, so no blaming Windows here.

The problem results from you using a hub.  Since all of the devices are sharing the same port, Windows has to reassign them each time.  If you had each device plugged into a separate port on your Laptop it would remember them.  That is why most people with a Desktop PC do not have this problem, there are more USB ports on a desktop PC.

One possibility would be to find a port replicator with multiple USB ports.  That might help.

Jeff