USB card not working. Driver required perhaps?

Question

Hello,
I received a G3 beige (233 MHz) from a friend and it has been working fine - until I loaded a new operating system. Now the USB port doesn't work. The USB port is a USB card from Ratoc (card # PFU1U0000631). This card has two USB ports and two firewire ports - all external ports.
The original operating system that came on the computer (where the card does work) was OS 8.6. Now that I am trying to load OS9, it doesn't work - my USB keyboard and mouse do not work when connected with this card. Strangely, it does work in OSX - it just doesn't work in OS9 and in my OS 8.6 boot up CD.
Is there supposed to be a driver that comes with this card? How am I supposed to install a new OS if I can't use my keyboard because my keyboard and mouse set are USB and the card doesn't seem to work?
You see, I do not have access to the old OS 8.6 system tpo find the driver - if there is one.
My computer does support an ADB port for the older style keyboard and mouse.
I have a feeling I am going to have to buy an old used ADB mouse just so I can control my computer so that I can install OS9. (I already have an ADB keyboard).
Do you think I am right that the card is not working because it needs a driver? Or might it be another issue? I installed it in the first PCI slot at the edge of the motherboard.

Answer 1

Hello rainforest,
As Grant has noted, as you have discovered, and as I can certainly attest to, installing USB cards on beige G3s can be a frustrating experience; there are Gremlins galore. Nonetheless, it can be done.
To run it down, try this: In OS9 go to the Apple Menu > Apple System Profiler > second tab - Devices and Volumes, and look in the upper left hand corner. You should see a line with USB 0 above it and 1.5.5 below it. This will tell you if your Mac "sees" your card and what drivers and support it associates to it. 1.5.5 is the latest and should work. 1.4.6 is earlier and should also work. 1.4.1 is earlier still and will not work.
If your Mac sees the proper USB drivers and support, it should work.
The usual problem is that it doesn't see drivers and support.
The easiest way to install proper drivers and support is to perform a clean install/re-install of OS9.2.1(with the USB card installed). This will install a new OS9 system folder and leave your old system folder renamed 'previous system folder' and leave you with the task of dragging all your old files from the old system folder to the new. This works every time.
If you merely do an 'over install' or 'upgrade install' which installs the new OS over your old one, often the installer will see the (old) drivers and support files already installed and conclude that your Mac doesn't need any new ones. This is how you get 1.4.1 drivers that don't work with OS9. (To install anyhow, find a USB device such as a printer, plug it into your USB card, and turn it on. Usually this is enough to inform the installer that you need the updated drivers - worked once for me and my H-P printer, but I don't guarantee it for you)
You can also do a custom install, or install by Tome Viewer, but these are more difficult.
This should do it.....hopefully. One more gremlin that I haven"t encountered but has been reported, is that sometimes the 233mhz Mac with the Rev A ROM chip $77D.40F1 and/or Rev A motherboard 820-0864 A isn't good at seeing USB cards. (If you plan on installing multiple drives you should change these anyhow)
Think that covers what I know..... a clean install from a retail, full install, gold-9-on-a-white-background OS9.2.1 CD does it every time for me.
Regards and good luck......Jon
If you