Win XP USB port stopped working all of a sudden

[joshc]

So I have a Sony Vaio R505 notebook running Win XP. I have a Netgear MA111 802.11b USB adapter. I had this plugged in to the USB port on my laptop for 3 months or so then all of a sudden I booted up my computer one day and Windows said something about there being malfunctioning hardware or something and the USB adapter wasn't recognized.

If I plug in my docking station which has 2 USB ports, the wireless USB adapter works in both of these 2 ports. However, if I connect the USB adapter in to the troublesome USB port then I get that message about malfunctioning hardware and in Device manager the USB adapter shows up as Unkown Advice. I tried uninstalling the unknown device and reinstalling the USB adapter drivers from CD but WinXP won't recognize the drivers on the CD as valid drivers for the USB adapter.

The weird thing is that as soon as I plug in the USB adapter it's power light will go on but after a second or so the light goes off. This obviously means there is power being supplied through the USB port so it can't be completely bad, right? Could my USB port actually have gone bad all of a sudden?

 

[DennyD]

Have you tried to uninstall the usb devices in the device manager and then let windows redetect it?

 

[joshc]

I uninstalled the problematic USB Root Hub and then let windows redetect it if that's what you are talking about. The thing is that windows reinstalls the drivers for the Root Hub and in device manager it says it is working properly. However, when I plug in the wireless Adapter then when I put in the Drivers CD windows says no appropriate driver was found on the CD and installs it as an unknown device.

I'm sure someone knows what this means. I don't know enough about windows to know what the hell the problem is. I guess I'll try plugging in a USB mouse into that USB port but I didn't try that since the wireless adapter works in the other 2 usb ports on the laptop.

any help would be great! thanks.

 

[montag451]

What does event viewer say about this.

Include SOURCE, EVENT ID and any text if you want some help.

 

[Paperlantern]

there is only one usb hub on a computer, all devices plug into it, its just split into however many ports you have, if the usb root hub works with other ports, then your software is fine, your port is bad.

 

[joshc]

Originally posted by: Paperlantern
there is only one usb hub on a computer, all devices plug into it, its just split into however many ports you have, if the usb root hub works with other ports, then your software is fine, your port is bad.

3 USB hubs show up in deveice manager. This could be because 2 of the USB ports are in the docking station. I will check event viewer as montag suggested and let you know.

thx.

 

[joshc]

Originally posted by: montag451
What does event viewer say about this.

Include SOURCE, EVENT ID and any text if you want some help.

Event viewer doesn't log any events related to this. When I plug the USB Adapter in then I get a little balloon saying "USB Device not recognized" and something about malfunctioning hardware. Obviously the Wireless adapter is fine since it works in the 2 USB ports on the docking station. Any other ideas? I'm just curious as to how a USB port goes bad all of a sudden...it doesn't seem completely dead as it is lighting up the USB adapter's power light for a few seconds when I first put it in.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Paperlantern]

USB consists of 4 wires, 2 for data and 2 for power, the power wires can function speparately form the data, if the data wires malfunction, the computer can sense the presense of the device, and power it, but obviously since the issue with the data wires exists, it cant communicate properly, i still think your USB port is bad, if the vaio is under warranty, id have it repaired, 99% sure its hardware

 

[joshc]

Good point about data and power...I'll try and get it repaired.