Q: How do you install the 861 driver in Windows 98se?

A: Follow this procedure.

1. Put the Windows 98 CD in the CD-Rom.
   
2. Shutdown System and install the USB card in a PCI slot.
   
3. Turn on system and Windows will detect the device and will install the driver automatically.
   

Q: How do you install the 861 driver in Windows 2000 and Me?

A: Follow this procedure.

1. Shutdown System and install the USB card in a PCI slot.
   
2. Turn on system and Windows will detect the device and will install the driver automatically.
   

Q: Where can I get the driver for the 82C861?

A: Drivers are located as follows.

• For Windows 98 and 98se, you need the Windows CD to get the driver.
  
• For Windows 2000 and Me, it is in the OS already and the Windows CD is not needed.
  

Q: Can I get the drivers somewhere else? Can OPTi Technologies provide them?

A: No, you cannot acquire the drivers anywhere else. OPTi Technologies cannot send them to you. These drivers are written by Microsoft and only they are allowed to distribute them.

Code 10 Error

Q: Windows did not install the drivers correctly or there is a Code 10 error when checked on the Device Status. How do I resolve this?

A: You can resolve this by shutting down the system and installing the USB card to a different PCI slot. Then follow the installation procedure mentioned above for the Windows OS you are using.

Ntkern.vxd Error

Q: In Windows 98se, after Installing the USB card, I get the following message in the Device Status: "Ntkern.vxd cannot load the driver. Pls. update driver." or there is an exclamation point or a question mark on the 82C861 USB controller in the Device Manager.

A: Shutdown the computer and reinstall the USB card in a different PCI slot. Restart your system then follow the installation procedure for Windows 98se. If this does not work, try the instructions below.

You need to copy four files from the Win98SE CD to the following directory in your system. (Note: Easiest way to look for these files in the 98 CD is to right click on START and do a Find.)

• openhci.sys to c:\windows\system32\drivers
• Ntkern.vxd to c:\windows\system
• usbhub.sys to c:\windows\system32\drivers
• usbd.sys to c:\windows\system32\drivers

Before you copy these files to your system, make sure that you take out the USB card from the PCI slot. Then:

1. Copy the files to the designated directories
2. Shut down your system
3. Install the USB card in a different PCI slot
4. Turn on your system (make sure that your 98SE CD is still in the CD-Rom drive). When the system boots up, it will detect the device and will ask you where to look for drivers.
5. Select 'Search for the best driver for your device'
6. Click on 'Specify Location'
7. Type in c:
8. Click on 'Next'
9. Click on 'Finish'

System Lockup Error

Q: I installed the USB card in my system. The system recognizes the OPTi Technologies 82C861 USB controller and installs the drivers. But when I start-up the system, it locks up after windows tries to load. The only way to get my system to completely boot up is when I remove the USB card.

A: The most likely culprit is the interrupt, or the IRQ, line being used. There is also a chance that your motherboard is not equipped to handle what is called "IRQ Steering."

The first thing you want to do is try the USB card in a different PCI slot. If you have all of your PCI slots filled, you may have to experiment and swap the USB card with other PCI cards.

If the above did not work, proceed as follows.

1. Go to the Device Manager - Computer - Properties - Reserve Resources
2. Type in the number of the IRQ that the USB card has been assigned and click 'Reserved'. This procedure forces the card to use another IRQ. Windows will object and say it's being used, but ignore it.
3. Start the system in Safe Mode
4. Go to Device Manager
5. Manually click on and remove any 82C861 entries you see (there may be more than one if you've tried the card in multiple slots).
6. Shut down.

Device Error

Q: My new device does not work when hooked up to the OPTi Technologies 82C861 USB controller, but other devices work with it. How do I get my new device to work?

A: If you go to the device manager, with your new device hooked up to the USB port, and you see a different device under the 'Root Hub,' then your system is using the wrong driver for your new device. Delete the wrong device under the Root Hub. Your system will instantly look for the driver of your new device. If nothing happened after the deletion of the wrong device, remove the new device and plug it back in.

Audio Card Support (82C9xx)

OPTi Technologies sold its audio chipset business in 1997. Please keep in mind that even prior to 1997, OPTi Technologies never made sound cards. We previously sold chips for these cards to other companies, who are responsible for providing and updating drivers. OPTi Technologies does not offer any audio drivers. If you need technical support or drivers, you will need to contact the company that made your sound card.

• Who makes my sound card?

Graphics Card Support (82C264, 92C178)

The OPTi Technologies 82C264 Graphics Controller chip was discontinued before the advent of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, so there are no newer drivers than those on our Drivers page. However, the Windows 95 drivers should work fine for Windows 98.

The OPTi Technologies 92C178 LCD Controller chip is used in embedded designs, so the drivers for these designs are provided by the system manufacturers. You can find generic drivers on our Drivers page, but these are not guaranteed to work in your system and are therefore not recommended.

Motherboard Support

Please be aware that OPTi Technologies has never sold motherboards. We are a semiconductor (chip) company and we only sell direct to manufacturers, who are then responsible for support and BIOS upgrades.

Unfortunately, we do not have access to manuals for motherboards that other companies built using our chips. Often these boards will say "OPTi Technologies " on them, but their manufacturers did not generally provide us with any information when they designed and sold these boards.

Also, we have no updated BIOS for these boards. The board manufacturers themselves arranged with the BIOS companies for BIOS support, and did not supply us with updates. So the best approach is to go to the Web site of the manufacturer of your board.

You can check out our reference page to some of the known board manufacturers at:

www.opti-inc.com/my_html/part_mb.html