USB port issues

[Vermontster1919]

First let me say that I'm really not tech savy... It seems that no matter what I plug into my multiple USB ports Windows replies with 'USB Device Not Recognized'. I don't believe I've done anything to cause this. Any ideas?

I'm new to the site.

Thank you!

 

[Harvey]

Do you have USB ports enabeled in your CMOS?

 

[Vermontster1919]

I apologize. There are two USB ports which are working. One for my external hard drive and another for my wireless mouse sending unit (don't know what it's called). I don't know what a CMOS is.

My printer isn't recognized when I plug it into a port on the back, and the two ports on the front don't recognize flash drives when plugged in (or anything else, i.e. camera, iPod).

 

[Harvey]

The CMOS is the same as the BIOS (Basic Input Output System). It's the screen you see when you hit to enter the setup when starting the machinem typically < Del > or F1 or F10.

More info about your machine may help. Is it a box store brand (Compaq, Dell, Gateway, etc.) or is it built from components? If it's from components, whoever assembled it may not have connected the extra USB ports to the motherboard, or there may not be enough connections on the board to hook up all of your external USB connectors.

If it's a box store brand, and it's still under warranty, contact the manufacturer's tech support people for assistance.

Got to run for dinner so no more replies, tonight. I'll be back tomorrow. Hope you have it solved by then.

 

[Vermontster1919]

It's a Dell of about 4 years old. Pentium 4 CPU 2.80GHz. 2.79 GHz, 1.5 GB RAM. XP Professional with Service Pack 3.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Did this just start to happen?

 

[octopus41092]

This used to happen for me when my PSU was dying. You might want to look into that. It sounds like it could be the problem since your external HD works and it's probably got it's own AC adapter for power.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Maybe reinstall the USB drivers?

 

[corkyg]

Quite often when a USB devioe is not recognized, it leads one to check BIOS (made of CMOS chips) to insure that Legacy USB devices are enabled. The other common problem is power. USB devices can suck up power if there are a lot of them. The best solution for that is to use a powered hub that provides power to the devices without taking it from the main PSU. If any USB devices work, it is usually not the drivers.

To isolate possible power problems, unplug all USB devices you don't actually need right now. Then try the one that had the problem.

 

[Vermontster1919]

Thank you! I unplugged the non-working printer, and then the external hard drive from the back ports, leaving the mouse connected... When I then plugged my flash drive into the front port it was 'recognized' and I was able to access the files. So, does that mean it may be a power issue with the USB ports? Can you help me understand why this would suddenly become a problem, where before I was able to use multiple devices plugged-in at the same time. I'm willing to purchase a multiple port hub to buy a little more time for the ol' dinosaur.

I can imagine the machine is getting tired as well. It's quite 'old' by computer standards. I plan to probably buy a new one within a year, especially now that Windows 7 is sounding like a very good platform.

 

[corkyg]

Yes - it does sound like a power issue in the USB ports. USB can get flaky that way. A powered hub should resolve that problem and buy lots of time. It is also useful on a new machine as well. I have one on each of my three machines. Make sure it is a hub with its own power brick/module.

 

[Vermontster1919]

Thank you! I'll look into it tonight.

 

[corkyg]

Yes, but you have to add a card to do it. Then you can put in a front port panel and have more on the back plane and in front. But, the simplest and most reliable solution is to simply connect a self-powered 7-port hub to one of your back ports, and place it conveniently on your desk.

 

[Bernardg]

I followed your advice and bought a powered USB hub. it work great the first time that I used it and I was impressed. However I plugged my backup drive this month in the USB hub and the system does not see it.

I shut off and disconnected the PC power. It did not make any difference.

What should i do next?

Thanks
Bernard

 

[corkyg]

Is your backup HDD powered or does it use USB power? If the drive is a 3.5-in, it really needs separate power. Some 2.5-in drives can run off of USB power, but need a "Y" cable to access TWO ports.

USB power is often unreliable.

 

[Bernardg]

Hi corkyg,

Thank you for your advice.

The 2.5" HDD drive is USB powered. I will look for a "Y" USB cable as you suggest.

Thanks
Bernardg

 

[ripster55]

You can blow away your USB hubs in Device Manager and let Windows rebuild. Or your HID database may be corrupt and you can blow that away too.

Not for the timid and often even that doesn't work.