USB 3.1 and the Vive Pro - constant, ongoing issues across multiple laptops

[jamie.betts]

My company run several dozen Vive Pro, and since upgrading our VR laptops we are having continual issues getting the the Vive Pro to work consistently on any of them.

Our previous laptops were USB 3.0 and worked just fine. These new laptops use 3.1.

Now, we are lucky to get a Vive Pro working for 10 minutes without issue. The only thing that seems to sometimes resolve it is running a fresh install of SteamVR every single time we start it up. But the second time you use it? Nah. Constant tracking issues, headset not being recognised, controllers not connecting etc.

I'm not even sure who I should be seeking help from here. The laptop manufacturer (MSI) say nothing is wrong. The Vive Pro's work with USB 3.0 just fine. SteamVR sometimes allows them to run on a fresh install but is then of a mind to to let them work.

Should I just send all the laptops back and assume that USB 3.1 is not compatible with the Vive Pro/Steam VR? Is there some kind of fix?

Has anyone else had anything like this issue?

It seems inconceivable that a product would be released and not tested on one of the most common USB ports. Just astonishing that it could happen. Any assistance gratefully received.

[--ranXerox--]

It's a hit and miss. Sounds like signal interference similar to what many users experienced with an Asus wireless ac68u where we could not use the USB 3.0. Users had an option to disable USB 3.0 and forced that port to run on USB 2.0 due the probable hardware interference from inshielded connectors and it being near a cat 5 connector. Later, Asus released a firmware that fixed the problem.

Anyway..........

[jamie.betts]

Thanks for the reply. If this were the case, why does it work okay on a fresh SteamVR install? And then, the next time you try to run it... doesn't work at all. We've been running it today after a fresh install for 8 hours straight with no problem.

Something is going on here and it isn't interference.

[--ranXerox--]

power management? power and sleep settings in windows settings. make sure its setup correctly. laptops usually are set for power savings I assume. make sure it is set for gaming or create a new profile with everything maxed.

[jamie.betts]

Power management is set up correctly. Selective USB suspend is disabled. We run 35 of these VR laptops and haven't had any issues like this until moving to laptops with USB 3.1 rather than 3.0...

[--ranXerox--]

How about disabling USB 3.1 in bios and using 2.0 For those ports. Not sure if you have that option but worth a try. Or download the latest drivers or firmware update.

[SintKebab]

I spent a week getting the Vive Pro to work on my desktop PC.
My solution was a powered 3.0 hub between the linkbox and the 3.1 port.
Worked perfectly for about two weeks.

But it died again soon enough.
No rough use either, I mostly play seated and I'm anal about not breaking anything.
HTC took the HMD in for repair, got it back today, still won't function.
Symptoms and potential fixes are so vague that I have no idea if it's hardware fault or incompatibility at this point.

Could be the latest Windows Update, that's the only thing I haven't been able to rollback and test.

[jamie.betts]

I tried playing with bios USB setting, to no avail. I updated to latest bios.

Some context:

We are running twenty (20) MSI GT62 7RE (USB 3.0) = no issues at all

We are running three (3) MSI GT63 8RF (USB 3.1) = none of them work with the Vive Pro, occasionally they will but never consistently, and the problems are aligned with some kind of USB issue which prevents the smooth flow of tracking data

We have pile of the MSI GT63 8RF to upgrade some other laptops, and it seems they simply will not work with the Vive Pro.