Laptop USB Ports

[CDC Mail Guy]

My wife's Dell laptop has "loose" USB ports. This problem has seemed to develope over time, and I have had to put tape around her USB Optical Mouse so it will work. It's not exactly falling out of the port, just doesn't make a good conection. Any advise for a permanent fix? How hard is it to replace the USB ports on a laptop?

 

[pcgeek11]

Originally posted by: CDC Mail Guy
My wife's Dell laptop has "loose" USB ports. This problem has seemed to develope over time, and I have had to put tape around her USB Optical Mouse so it will work. It's not exactly falling out of the port, just doesn't make a good conection. Any advise for a permanent fix? How hard is it to replace the USB ports on a laptop?

It can be done, but that being said it is small tedious soldering on the motherboard. If not done correctly you can rapidly turn the laptop into a paperweight.

pcgeek11

 

[HannibalX]

Send it in for warranty work?

 

[Lord Evermore]

If it's happening with all the ports, wouldn't it be more likely the mouse at fault? How often is she plugging and unplugging?

If you didn't mind the risk of just breaking it, you could try to bend out the tabs inside the port that provide the pressure, or perhaps bend the metal of the mouse plug a bit. Tiny work though.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
If it's happening with all the ports, wouldn't it be more likely the mouse at fault? How often is she plugging and unplugging?

If you didn't mind the risk of just breaking it, you could try to bend out the tabs inside the port that provide the pressure, or perhaps bend the metal of the mouse plug a bit. Tiny work though.

Not hardly at all with the plugging and unplugging. She plugs in the webcam once in a blur moon, but other than that, the mouse is constantly plugged in.
I'll try bending the pins a tiny bit.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Make sure you unplug it and pull out the battery.