USB PCI Express device remains unresponsive.
USB PCI Express device remains unresponsive.
I recently purchased an Orico PME-4U PCI Express card to connect four USB 3.0 devices for PCVR. After installing everything—including the Molex power connector and the card into the PCI slot—I confirmed power via a multimeter, and the card shows up in Device Manager with the downloaded drivers. Yet when I try to connect peripherals, nothing happens and the device doesn’t function. I’m unsure how to obtain the drivers from the Orico website since they’re encrypted text files; the Microsoft versions seem valid but don’t work. It appears the card is receiving power as expected, but it’s not activating anything. If you need help troubleshooting, just let me know what you’re seeing!
I recall USB add-in cards sometimes working inconsistently across different Windows updates. Each major update can cause drivers to fail, leaving you to resolve the issue yourself. To help troubleshoot your card, first confirm you've installed the correct drivers. Double-check your motherboard manual to verify if your PCI-e slot remains active—some boards disable certain slots for GPU operation in PCIe x16 mode. Test another PCIe slot; it might make a difference. Remember, a PCIe x1 card can fit into x4, x8, or x16 slots. If you're using integrated graphics, consider removing the GPU and inserting the card directly into the x16 slot. Have you tried using an adapter for SATA to Molex-4 pins? You could also plug a Molex straight into the card if needed. If only the power connectors work, it may indicate a faulty USB hub. Let me know if this clarifies things.