Enable/Disable Firewire Port

[Ben E Lou]

My Desktop isn't recognizing a connected Firewire device. Could it possibly be disabled? If so, how can I enable Firewire?

[yabanci]

first check in device manager for the IEEE 1394 bus controller, it will show you the status of the driver.

[Ben E Lou]

first check in device manager for the IEEE 1394 bus controller, it will show you the status of the driver.Under which sub-heading would that be?

[yabanci]

right click my computer>properties>hardware>device manager

It should be listed with everything else under desktop

[Antmeister]

Also, if you firewire is built into the motherboard, check the BIOS.

If it is a card, do what yabanci says. If it still doesn't work, check to see if the card if properly connected and try again.

[Ben E Lou]

right click my computer>properties>hardware>device manager

It should be listed with everything else under desktopRight. I knew how to do that part, but which sub-heading should it be under? I'm not seeing, but I'm wondering if I'm not looking hard enough:

Computer
Disk Drives
Display Adapters
DVD/CD-ROM drives
Floppy disk controllers
Floppy disk drives
IDE ATA/ATAPIcontrollers
Keyboards
Mice andother pointing devices
Monitors
Network adapters
Ports
Processors
Sound, video and game controllers
System devices
Universal Serial Bus controllers

[yabanci]

Right. I knew how to do that part, but which sub-heading should it be under? I'm not seeing, but I'm wondering if I'm not looking hard enough:

Computer
Disk Drives
Display Adapters
DVD/CD-ROM drives
Floppy disk controllers
Floppy disk drives
IDE ATA/ATAPIcontrollers
Keyboards
Mice andother pointing devices
Monitors
Network adapters
Ports
Processors
Sound, video and game controllers
System devices
Universal Serial Bus controllers

There should be an separate entry (usually under IDE controllers) that says, "IEEE 1394 Bus Host Controllers." Also, there should be an entry under network adapters for "1394 Net Adapter"

Is it a desktop/laptop? Is the firewire port on the motherboard or a PCI card? Did the firewire port ever work? Windows xp? What is being connected (i.e., camera, external hard drive, etc)?

Windows XP should automatically recognize firewire ports and automatically install the appropriate drivers.

Here's the microsoft support for the problem, though it doesn't seem that helpful: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314873

It sounds like Windows isn't recognizing the firewire port at all. If it's a PCI card, try taking it out, putting it back in, and rebooting. Hopefully Windows will find new hardware and install the drivers. If the port is on the front of the computer, maybe one of the wires/cable came unplugged. You might try setting a restore point and updating your motherboard drivers.

[Ben E Lou]

There should be an separate entry (usually under IDE controllers) that says, "IEEE 1394 Bus Host Controllers." Also, there should be an entry under network adapters for "1394 Net Adapter"Hmmmm...Neither.

Is it a desktop/laptop? Is the firewire port on the motherboard or a PCI card? Did the firewire port ever work? Windows xp? What is being connected (i.e., camera, external hard drive, etc)?Desktop. It is on the front of the machine, so I assume motherboard. I've never used it before, so I don't know whether or not the port has worked in the past. Yes, XP. A video camera is being connected.

Windows XP should automatically recognize firewire ports and automatically install the appropriate drivers.

Here's the microsoft support for the problem, though it doesn't seem that helpful: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314873I'll check there after I finish this post.

It sounds like Windows isn't recognizing the firewire port at all. If it's a PCI card, try taking it out, putting it back in, and rebooting. Hopefully Windows will find new hardware and install the drivers. If the port is on the front of the computer, maybe one of the wires/cable came unplugged. You might try setting a restore point and updating your motherboard drivers.Thanks for the help. I'll start with the Microsoft support.

[yabanci]

Desktop. It is on the front of the machine, so I assume motherboard. I've never used it before, so I don't know whether or not the port has worked in the past. Yes, XP. A video camera is being connected.


It sounds like a connection problem. Check to see if there's a firewire port on the back of the computer. If so, connect the video camera to the back and see what happens. If you only have front ports, you might have to open the case to make sure the cable that goes from the motherboard to the port on the front of the computer is connected and connected properly (i.e., plugs connected to proper pins). Sometimes front ports can be a bitch if the motherboard and case don't have the same connections (my front firewire port doesn't work because of this problem).

[Franklinnoble]

Is this a homemade machine, or what?

I put a bank of ports in the front of my machine.. it included a firewire port that basically does nothing. I have no firewire actually installed on the PC anywhere... the port just came with the USB/card reader bank that I bought.

[Ben E Lou]

Is this a homemade machine, or what?

I put a bank of ports in the front of my machine.. it included a firewire port that basically does nothing. I have no firewire actually installed on the PC anywhere... the port just came with the USB/card reader bank that I bought.Hmmmm...the machine was built by a small company, to specs. I didn't specifically request firewire. I wonder if it is the same thing: just a port that does nothing.

[Franklinnoble]

Hmmmm...the machine was built by a small company, to specs. I didn't specifically request firewire. I wonder if it is the same thing: just a port that does nothing.That's a distinct possibility. If you don't have a firewire port on the back, then you probably don't have any real firewire.

If there's nothing on the back, the only way you have it is if it's built into the motherboard. If you can get your motherboard model number, I can find out for sure. You can sometimes find the model number in the BIOS POST. Otherwise, you'll need to open the case and poke around for it.