I would try a Reatek or NEC based USB card

I have the same experience, it is a P5A-B board and it does not post with a PCI USB 2.0 Via board connected (it is a red Conceptronic model). This same USB board does work in a Jamicon Aladdin V board i have, so it seems an Asus bios problem.

This is a simple PCI version compatibility issue.

The VT6212L is designed for PCI 2.2 and doesn't work with older PCI versions ALi Aladdin V (and i440BX and most other contemporary chipsets) only offer PCI 2.1. PCI 2.2 stuff won't work, which is an issue with a lot of USB 2.0, SATA and NIC chipsets. You need to specifically find ones that will work with PCI 2.1, such as the NEC uPD720101. It's also PCI 2.2-compliant but backwards compatible as well.

More people have this issue:

http://www.vcfed.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-40090.html
http://www.vcfed.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-40240.html

dionb wrote on 2020-02-10, 12:51:

This is a simple PCI version compatibility issue.

The VT6212L is designed for PCI 2.2 and doesn't work with older PCI versions ALi Aladdin V (and i440BX and most other contemporary chipsets) only offer PCI 2.1. PCI 2.2 stuff won't work, which is an issue with a lot of USB 2.0, SATA and NIC chipsets. You need to specifically find ones that will work with PCI 2.1, such as the NEC uPD720101. It's also PCI 2.2-compliant but backwards compatible as well.

Now that you say this, I remember that this USB card also does not work with i440BX boards, but if I remember correctly it does work with VIA Apollo Pro 133 boards (update: looking that up over here you need the 133T )

I've ordered an older USB 2.0 card, based on the ALi M5273 host controller chip, hopefully that one does work. I have a couple NEC uPD720101 based cards, but I can't find a working driver for Windows 98SE (spent hours on this issue in the past).

SpectriaForce wrote on 2020-02-10, 13:22:

I have a couple NEC uPD720101 based cards, but I can't find a working driver for Windows 98SE (spent hours on this issue in the past).

Have you read this thread: A (Very Short) Guide to Having USB 2.0 in Windows 98 SE with a NEC-Chipset USB 2.0 PCI Card
You might want to try the NEC cards using the driver as described. http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … 035&menustate=0

Horun wrote on 2020-02-11, 00:37:

SpectriaForce wrote on 2020-02-10, 13:22:

I have a couple NEC uPD720101 based cards, but I can't find a working driver for Windows 98SE (spent hours on this issue in the past).

Have you read this thread: A (Very Short) Guide to Having USB 2.0 in Windows 98 SE with a NEC-Chipset USB 2.0 PCI Card
You might want to try the NEC cards using the driver as described. http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … 035&menustate=0

Thanks, that's new for me, I will try that out for sure.

SpectriaForce wrote on 2020-02-13, 19:38:

Horun wrote on 2020-02-11, 00:37:

SpectriaForce wrote on 2020-02-10, 13:22:

I have a couple NEC uPD720101 based cards, but I can't find a working driver for Windows 98SE (spent hours on this issue in the past).

Have you read this thread: A (Very Short) Guide to Having USB 2.0 in Windows 98 SE with a NEC-Chipset USB 2.0 PCI Card
You might want to try the NEC cards using the driver as described. http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … 035&menustate=0

Thanks, that's new for me, I will try that out for sure.

Please remember to post your findings as i am also looking to add a PCI USB 2.0 board to my P5A-B build

Thanks

Good news and bad news:

Received the ALi M5273 card, but it looks to be damaged:

The ebay seller claims that the trace is in the PCB, not on it (just 'paint'), so the scratch shouldn't matter. Is this true?

Good news is that the Asus P5A boots with my Syba USB card with NEC host controller chip. I still have to install the driver though.

that's space between a trace and the groundplane, I don't think it's damaged.

Scuffed mark, Give it a try, I get that sometimes and this is not a issue.

Cheers,

imi wrote on 2020-02-21, 14:40:

that's space between a trace and the groundplane, I don't think it's damaged.

I agree ! have some cards that were "cleaned up" after manufacture where it appears the etchant did not eat enough copper between some traces and was physically removed post process.

dionb wrote on 2020-02-10, 12:51:

This is a simple PCI version compatibility issue.

The VT6212L is designed for PCI 2.2 and doesn't work with older PCI versions ALi Aladdin V (and i440BX and most other contemporary chipsets) only offer PCI 2.1. PCI 2.2 stuff won't work, which is an issue with a lot of USB 2.0, SATA and NIC chipsets. You need to specifically find ones that will work with PCI 2.1, such as the NEC uPD720101. It's also PCI 2.2-compliant but backwards compatible as well.

Just to avoid any misconception, I have a VIA VT6212L PCI USB 2.0 card perfectly working under Win98 on an Intel 440BX motherboard (MSI MS-6156 1.0 BX7). The same card does not work in a P5A-B. So it seems the 440BX supports PCI 2.2, or the issue is anywhere else.

The Intel 440BX chipset supports PCI 2.1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_c … II/III_chipsets) and VIA Vectro VT6212L supports PCI 2.1. So there is no problem.
I have an old Shuttle motherboard with Intel 430FX chipset that only supports PCI 2.0. Does anyone know if there is an USB adapter card out that supports PCI 2.0?

Did you ever try out the ALi card? I've been trying to find a card for my P5A with front panel headers and an ALi card is the best I've found so far.