Omen X by HP 900 *AND* ASUS Z590M SD Card Reader not working (but detected by Windows 10)

[bolsoncerrado]

Hi,

I've installed an ASUS PRIME Z-590M motherboard on an OMEN X by HP 900 case and everything works fine as intended, I can even control the outer case LED lights, BUT the SD card reader does NOT read the SD cards I insert (in FAT format which read perfect on a Mac computer I have sideways). Yes, I've tried more than 2.

Disk admin reports a "SD/MMC USB Unit" with "NO MEDIA" inserted.

Device admin reports Generic SD/MMC/USB Device installed, no (!) shown anywhere, all devices "working properly.

All USB ports on the front deck of the Omen work fine too so I'm a bit puzzled why would the SD wouldnt read the cards.

I've checked the BIOS for any specific settings but nothing caught my attention.

I even went to HP OMEN support section and when I download and install the "Realtek SD Card Reader" driver found here
https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp76501-77000/sp76723.exe
the Device Manager stops showing the "SD/MMC USB Unit"! aka it disappears!!

Any other clues/tests I could try?

Thanks!

[TheOldMan]

The obvious answer to the question about the driver from HP - since you are no longer using the HP motherboard, then the drivers from HP will not work for the ASUS PRIME Z-590M motherboard.

As far as the SD card reader - those usually operate from the USB header on the motherboard.  Did you connect the leads from the card reader to the USB header on the ASUS PRIME Z-590M motherboard?  Check the user manual to find where those are located.

[bolsoncerrado]

Well, here's the point.... Its true i'm not using the original OMEN motherboard, but.... the SD card reader is preinstalled in a "special" circuit board which is NOT replaced when placing a new motherboard on the OMEN case...

Hence if that circuit board has chips on it that require drivers or not, is unknown to me.
(Not my picture, this is the circuit board the USBs and SD card reader are soldered to: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z6tcqu45vdcaeyr/OMENX_UPPERBOARD.png?dl=0 )

Re the USB header, I guess the connection is right, since the USB ports at the side of the SD card reader work fine, and I assume they go thru the same wires to the ASUS motherboard, right?

[TheOldMan]

If that picture is for the card reader board, there must be more than just the card reader on there.  I can see what seems to be a power lead, the USB header, a power lead, front panel audio, some sort of WiFi connection, and maybe a USB 3.0 header.  From the part number lookup, it is a Front IO board and has many other items on there than just the card reader.

I suspect you will not get that to function properly without the OMEN motherboard with all the other connections.

If what your main concern is the card reader, you might want to consider a USB card reader, IMHO.

[bolsoncerrado]

Well, that was my point exactly, given I am able to use every other LED, button, USB port and light control on the front part itself, I found weird the SD card reader would not work, specially when it's a "regular", standard, piece of hardware (Realtek), discovered by Windows without issues...

May be I'm just wrong... 

[TheOldMan]

I find that interesting - all the other things work.  Hmmm  I have no other thoughts.  Card readers are usually generic and use common USB drivers, so something on that board is interfering with that function.

[TheOldMan]

One other thing - what is the complete model number of the HP OMEN X by HP 900 ?

[bolsoncerrado]

The thing is.... HP sold both "full" computers and DIY "just the empty Omen" case, which I got. It was sold by HP so you could source your own parts, so I must assume all kind of compatibility was to be provided....

I can't find an exact part number.... Because there are too many.

If you go to partsurfer.hp.com and type in" omen x by hp 900" you'll see what I mean. All of the "desktop" results are valid and they list every single component separately.