Quite often people come to us asking why the USB ports on their laptop or computer do not work. USB ports may stop working after reinstalling Windows, after updating drivers, or at any inopportune moment. Of course, the problem may be faulty USB ports, but before taking your laptop/computer to a service center, you should check the settings to make sure that the problem is not in the software.
So, let's see what you can do in a situation where the USB ports on your computer or laptop are not working.
Check USB ports
The first thing you need to do is check the USB ports for physical damage.
A simple test is this: Insert a USB device into a port on your laptop and see if the connected device moves up and down easily. Be careful! You should not yank the USB port too hard to avoid breaking it.
If the USB port moves too freely, the problem is likely due to physical damage. You should contact a service center to replace the USB port.
To restart a computer
You can also try the good old method of any technical support department: turn it off and on. Sometimes this actually works because the operating system rescans the hardware, including USB ports, making them work.
If this doesn't help and the USB ports are still not working on your computer, then it's time to check the Device Manager.
Check Device Manager
You can run device Manager several ways, but we'll tell you about the fastest one: press the Win + R keys and enter devmgmt.msc. Click "OK" or key « Enter». Device Manager should immediately appear on your computer screen.
In this window we are interested in the section “ USB controllers" Click the arrow next to this label to expand the section. You will see something like the window below:
Here you should find a device that has words USB Host Controller in its title. For example in my case it is Intel(R) 5-Series/3400 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller. Some letters may be different for you, but in general you should have a similar device. If it simply isn't there, that's probably the problem why the USB ports on the laptop aren't working.
In this case, you should right-click on “ USB controllers» and select "Update configuration" The computer will recheck the hardware and you will see USB Host Controller in the list.
Remove USB Host Controller
Next, you need to act carefully. If you are working on a computer, then most likely you have a USB mouse and keyboard connected. After you remove USB Host Controller, your mouse and keyboard will not work. This is not a problem as they will work again after rebooting your computer.
So, as you understand, you should right-click on the USB Host Controller device, and select “ Delete" Perform this action for all devices named USB Host Controller.
After removing USB Host Controller, restart your computer or laptop. After restarting, the computer will automatically install the necessary drivers for the USB ports to work.
Find the DisableSelectiveSuspend registry key
If the USB ports are still not working, then we will go one step further and make some changes in the Registry Editor.
To go to the Registry Editor, press the keys Win+R, enter regedit, and press the " Enter" The Registry Editor window will open.
Next you need to find the registry key DisableSelectiveSuspend. It is located in the following folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CurrentControlSet -> Services -> USB. Next, in the right window, right-click on the file “ DisableSelectiveSuspend", and select " Change».
In field " Meaning» enter number 1 . This way you will disable the Selective Suspend feature and power will always be supplied to your USB ports.
If there is no USB folder
If the USB folder doesn't exist in your registry, it's easy to create one. Just go to the Services folder, then on the toolbar click " Edit»> « Create»> « Chapter" Name it USB.
Next, select the new USB partition, right-click in the empty window on the right. You will only have the option " Create" Click on it and select the value " DWORD value (32-bit)" Enter the title DisableSelectiveSuspend.
As we wrote above, right-click and select "Edit". In the Value field, enter the number 1. For the changes to take effect, you need to restart your computer.
Ready! Our tips should help in a situation where the USB ports on your computer have stopped working. If you know other reasons why USB ports on a laptop do not work and how to fix it, write in the comments below.
The reasons for problems due to which USB ports on a laptop do not work can be completely different - from hardware failure to “lost” motherboard drivers or the controllers themselves.
However, usually the user can cope with most problems on his own, without turning to specialists - if he knows how to do it.
If there are a lot of USB ports on the laptop (for example, 3 or 4), the problem may not be so critical, and its solution can be postponed.
But if there are only 2 connectors or there is a constant need to use connected devices - flash drives, and even printers - the issue should be resolved as soon as possible.
Moreover, some methods will take no more than a few minutes.
First Troubleshooting Steps
A message that appears on the screen about the USB ports stopping working or the laptop not responding to a drive installed in the corresponding slot may indicate.
Sometimes you can solve them with a simple reboot - there is a small chance that the fix will happen automatically.
Increase the likelihood of the positive effect of a reboot, which actually sometimes helps, You can do it in a not quite usual way:
1 Completely disconnect the laptop from the power supply (if it was, for example, charging);
2 Remove the battery and leave the laptop in this state for about 5 minutes;
3 Insert the battery back and turn on the device.
If no messages about non-working ports appear on the screen, but the flash drive is still not readable or a peripheral device cannot be connected to the laptop, it is possible that the problem lies with this equipment.
The assumption is tested by connecting gadgets to other ports of the laptop - or to another computer.
Other USB devices
Another problematic situation with USB ports arises when a large number of external devices are simultaneously connected to the laptop.
For example, a user has already connected three gadgets to four ports ( , and ), and then tries to install a flash drive as well.
Sometimes such a drive simply will not be detected by the system - and turning off 1-2 peripheral devices allows you to check the assumption.
Simultaneously connect a large number of USB devices and adapters to the laptop.
Most often, this situation occurs not when connecting peripherals directly to the laptop, but when using a “hub” (USB hub that increases the number of connections).
You can solve the problem by reducing the number of connected devices - or even better, by removing the hub and connecting all gadgets directly.
Incorrect BIOS configuration
You can find a list of ways to solve problems with USB ports.
Sometimes using this interface it is possible to enable self-disabling controllers on the motherboard.
To activate, you need to perform several steps:
- Reboot the system while simultaneously pressing the function keys to enter the BIOS (for some laptops this is F1 or F2, for others - Del or Esc).
- Select the Advanced or Integrated Peripherals section.
- Go to the USB Configuration menu item and change the parameter value in the USB Controller section (there may be several of them with different names) to Enabled.
BIOS interface settings.
After a reboot, the hardware configuration on the laptop will change, and USB ports that were not previously recognized by the system may appear to be working.
System settings
A laptop running on battery power can automatically turn off some controllers to save energy - especially if it approaches critical values.
In this situation, first of all, you should connect the laptop to the network, and then change the power settings, by following these steps:
1 Open Device Manager.
2 Select the branch indicating serial bus controllers.
3 Find and open the USB root hub subkey.
4 Double-click the properties of the hub and go to the power settings.
If the problem was incorrect power consumption settings that caused the laptop to automatically turn off the ports, there will be a check mark here to allow the hub to turn off power.
By removing it, you can restore the functionality of the ports.
The steps are repeated for each hub if there are several of them on the laptop.
Prohibits the system from turning off USB ports to save energy.
Driver problem
The problem may be - and in most cases it is - in problems with USB drivers.
You can find the problem by going to Device Manager(via computer properties or by typing in mmc devmgmt.msc).
It is possible that one of the ports is marked in the list with a special icon - a yellow triangle with an exclamation point, indicating that the equipment is not working properly.
You can try the problem solve in one of 2 ways:
- Try updating the drivers (preferably an Internet connection) in the properties of the USB controller.
- Remove the device marked with a yellow triangle from Dispatcher And restart laptop.
When using the second option, the system rebooted will try to install new software for discovered “new” equipment. Sometimes this will restore port operation.
For the first option, you may need to find out the ID number by which the corresponding driver is searched on the Internet - this identifier is located in the device properties on the details tab.
Determining USB port ID.
The problem, which is the motherboard drivers not working properly (this usually happens with outdated laptops released several years ago), is solved by downloading and installing the appropriate software.
To do this, the laptop user first needs to find out - for example, use the AIDA64 application, which is paid, but works without entering a key confirming payment for a certain trial period.
The name of the device will help you identify and msinfo32 command, entered in the “Run” form (called by the Win + R keys).
Determining the name of the motherboard.
You can try to find drivers for the corresponding board on the website of its manufacturer - or on the resource of the company that developed the chipset.
You should know: If you don’t have the time and experience to find and update drivers, you can use the utility. After installation on the laptop, it will independently check and update all the necessary software. The disadvantage of using this method is that if you do not choose to manually configure updates, the application will automatically replace drivers for almost every part and even update some programs - this usually takes several hours.
A utility for searching and updating control programs and other applications.
Incorrect operation of the operating system
Replacing this part returns the port (or several connectors at once) to its normal state.
In order to encounter such problems as rarely as possible, the user should not connect a large number of USB devices to the laptop - especially using special splitters (“hubs”).
It is also worth enabling automatic installation of updates in the appropriate section of Windows - this usually allows the system to independently resolve problems with drivers.
This happens when USB ports on the computer stop working. In this article, we will look at common reasons that lead to this problem and solutions. The very first thing you can do is restart your computer, since frequent problems with USB ports are due to an error in the driver. If this method does not help, move on.
Perhaps the settings in the motherboard BIOS have gone wrong. If the corresponding USB controller is disabled for some reason, it must be enabled. When you start the computer, press the Del or F2 key to enter the BIOS. Next, in the Integrated Peripherals or Advanced section, we will find a similar item on the USB Controller and see what position it is in (Enabled - enabled, Disabled - disabled). So, if you have the Disabled mode set, change it to the opposite one. To save the changes, press the F10 key and agree by pressing YES. After the reboot, the ports should work, if that doesn’t help, then follow the steps below.
Reasons why USB ports on a PC do not work:
- Any USB device is faulty: I recommend turning on the computer, having first disconnected everything (mouse, keyboard, printer, webcam, etc.). Leave only one working flash drive. If the flash drive starts working when you start the computer, then the peripheral devices are to blame. You can determine which one is faulty by connecting it to the computer one by one.
- ports may not work due to faulty software code. Go to the “Task Manager”.
We look carefully in the “USB Serial Bus Controllers” section; if there is a device with an exclamation mark, this indicates that it is not working properly. Double-clicking the mouse will open it, and in the window you can read information about the fault.
- Alternatively, you can remove all controllers responsible for USB, and then reboot the system. After launch, Windows will automatically install them again. After this, it is likely that the USB ports will work.
- If the problem with the ports arose due to a failure in the program code, then you can try to restore the operating system, that is, roll it back to the last checkpoint. Go to the Start menu - Control Panel. Here we find the “Recovery” section.
Next, click the “Start System Restore” button. A recovery window will open and following the prompts you can roll back the system.
- Also, a similar problem may occur due to the lack of a driver for the motherboard chipset. In this case, you need to enter this data on the manufacturer’s website. After downloading and installing the driver, you should restart your computer.
- To make sure the problem is in the system or hardware, you can boot from any Live CD. If after booting from such a disk/flash drive the ports work, then the problem is clearly in the operating system and there is only one way out - reinstall Windows. If USB does not work in the virtual system, then the problem is in the hardware. In this case, we do what is written below.
There was a case with one friend when the USB ports stopped working. Replacing the 3-volt battery on the motherboard solved this problem.
- Alternatively, you can update the BIOS. This solution helps many users. To update the BIOS, go to the official website of your motherboard manufacturer and in the “Download” section, find the latest BIOS version. There you will also find detailed instructions for updating.
- If you experience frequent problems with USB ports, I recommend installing a PCI-USB controller. A good thing that will be independent of your built-in ports.
- The last option is to have your PC repaired, where professionals will probably make an accurate diagnosis.
That's all, friends! Thank you for your attention!
Peripheral devices such as a mouse, keyboard, Web camera, and printer are usually connected to the computer via USB ports. In this case, it often happens that one or more ports stop working. That is, when you connect, for example, a flash drive to a computer, it is not recognized, the keyboard or mouse may freeze, and the printer may not respond or print pages.
There are several likely reasons why some or all of the USB ports on your computer are not working. Let's try to understand this issue and find out what should be done to restore normal functioning of the computer.
Checking BIOS settings
The first thing you should pay attention to is the computer's BIOS settings. To enter the BIOS you will need a working keyboard. If the keyboard is connected to the computer via USB and it does not work, then you need to connect a keyboard with a PS/2 connector. Otherwise, you simply won't be able to do anything.
So, let's go to the BIOS, for which, when starting the computer, you need to press the enter key, usually DEL. There may be another key that appears on the screen and is listed in the motherboard manual. After entering the BIOS, find the section responsible for integrated devices (Integrated Peripherals) or the “Advanced” section. Here you should find the “Onboard Devices Configuration” subsection. It contains the parameters responsible for the operation of USB controllers: USB Function or USB 2.0 Controller. These parameters must be Enabled. And if one of them is disabled, then hover over it and press Enter, thereby turning it on. To ensure that the changes you make are not lost, you must save them by pressing F10 and confirm saving by pressing the Y or Enter key.
After restarting the computer, check if the USB ports are working. And if not, then you should look for the reason elsewhere.
USB ports on the front of the computer do not work
As a special case, USB only on the front panel may not work for you. In such a situation, you need to check whether the necessary connectors on the motherboard are connected and whether the wires are damaged. To do this, open the side cover of the system unit and pay attention to the connector at the bottom of the motherboard. On the board itself there is an inscription USB1 or USB2, as well as on the block itself. The wires from the block go to the front panel, and if they are disconnected or broken in one place, then you have discovered the cause of the malfunction. Damaged wires should be connected or replaced. It would also be a good idea to check the contact in the connector on the motherboard. It is also worth paying attention to the board located on the front panel. There may be a short circuit; by the way, such a short circuit can be caused by accumulated dust. Therefore, be sure to clean the system unit from dust.
Problems with the device itself or the cable
The next source of problems with USB may be the cable with which, for example, the printer is connected. This fault is easy to identify and fix. We connect the flash drive to the connector being tested. If it works, then we try to connect other known-good equipment, for example a USB hub, using a suspicious cable. If it also refuses to work, then the reason is clearly in the cable and it should be replaced.
Power outages
There are situations when there is simply not enough power for all devices. For example, connecting an external hard drive that uses two USB connectors at once may disable the printer or keyboard. In this case, the power of the power supply is not enough to provide energy to all consumers. In this case, the problem may not appear immediately, but after some time after turning on the computer. There are several ways out of the situation. If you have a low-power power supply installed, for example, 300 W, then it would be logical to change it to a more powerful one, 450-600 W. You can also use an active USB hub (with external power). It will allow you not only to increase the number of connected USB devices, but also to power them from a separate power supply.
Another reason that affects USB operation is a dead CMOS battery. But at the same time, every time you turn on the computer, you will observe a lost system time and date. After replacing the battery the problem goes away. But this does not occur often, so you should check other possible sources of malfunction.
Missing or incorrect installation of USB drivers
Causes associated with software problems in Windows 7/10 can be identified using Device Manager. If you notice that one or more devices in particular are not working, regardless of the port used, this may indicate that the problem is in the device itself. Open Control Panel and go to Device Manager. All connected devices will be displayed there. If there are items in the list that have a yellow exclamation mark next to them or the name is Unknown Device, then the problem is with this very device. There may be several possible problems here.
Often USB inputs stop working after reinstalling Windows 7/10. The reason is incorrect installation of drivers or the necessary drivers may not be found at all. You will have to select and install manually.
Often, to fix a problem you just need to update the drivers. So, if automatic Windows updates are disabled, and the system itself was installed quite a long time ago, then the relevance of the software is lost, and system errors may appear. In this case, the device begins to work incorrectly, or even stops functioning altogether. To update (reinstall) USB controller drivers, you can use a CD/DVD with drivers for the motherboard or download the necessary drivers from the motherboard manufacturer's website.
You can also turn off the power saving feature for all ports using Device Manager. Expand the list of used USB devices hidden in the sections “USB Controllers”, “Mouse and other pointing devices”, “Keyboards”. Double-click on the desired device to open the properties window. Now switch to the “Power Management” tab and uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” checkbox. Thus, the device will always be activated under any circumstances.
If some equipment is not recognized, then there may be either a problem with the drivers already known to us, or a hardware problem, consisting of a lack of contact, a damaged cable, or a malfunction of the controller. Moreover, it often happens that when a faulty device is connected, the others stop working normally. The keyboard starts to freeze, as does the mouse, and the printer stops printing. The problem is similar to power shortage, that is, all the power consumption goes to a faulty device, which may have a simple short circuit or other malfunction.
USB ports not working due to controller damage
If none of the above actions helped restore the functionality of the USB ports, then you should check the USB controller of the motherboard, which may have failed. In this case, high-quality repairs and diagnostics should be entrusted to the specialists of the service center. As a way out of the problem, try installing an expansion card, the so-called USB PC controller, which is installed in the PCI slot on the motherboard. This solution is noticeably cheaper than repairing the motherboard USB controller, and when using an additional USB hub, the problem with the lack of ports will not be relevant at all.
As you can see, finding and fixing problems with USB ports is quite a troublesome task, and all because there can be a lot of reasons. Consistent search and elimination of obviously incorrect paths will allow you to identify and eliminate the problem.