How to check the usb port on a laptop. USB ports not working on Asus laptop. Important Information for Supporting Older USB Devices

The reasons for the problems due to which USB ports on a laptop do not work can be completely different - from hardware failure to “flying” motherboard drivers or the controllers themselves.

However, usually the user can deal with most problems on his own, without contacting specialists - if he knows how to do it.

If there are a lot of USB ports on a 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 the 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

The message that appears on the screen about the termination of the USB ports or the lack of reaction from the laptop to the drive installed in the appropriate slot may indicate.

Sometimes you can solve them with a normal reboot - there is a small chance that the fix will happen automatically.

Increase the likelihood of a positive reboot effect, which really helps sometimes, You can do it in an unusual way:

1 Completely disconnect the laptop from the mains (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 idle ports appear on the screen, but the flash drive is still not readable or a peripheral device is not connected to the laptop, it is possible that the problem lies precisely in this equipment.

The assumption is tested by connecting gadgets to other ports of the laptop - or another computer.

Other USB devices

Another problematic situation with USB ports occurs when a large number of external devices are connected to the laptop at the same time.

For example, the user has already connected three gadgets to four ports ( , and ), after which he also tries to install a USB flash drive.

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.

Simultaneous connection to a laptop of a large number of USB devices and adapters.

Most often, this situation does not occur when peripherals are connected directly to the laptop, but when using a "hub" (a 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

In the list of ways to solve the problem with USB ports, you can find.

Sometimes, using this interface, it turns out to enable controllers that turn off on their own on the system board.

Activation requires several steps:

Reboot the system while simultaneously pressing the function keys to enter the BIOS (for some laptops it's F1 or F2, for others it's 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 and with different names) to Enabled.

BIOS interface settings.

After rebooting, the hardware configuration on the laptop will change, and USB ports that were not recognized by the system before that may turn out to be working.

System settings

A battery-powered laptop may automatically turn off some controllers to save power - 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 doing the following steps:

1 Open Device Manager.

2 Select the branch denoting serial bus controllers.

3 Find and open the USB Root Hub subkey.

4 Open the properties of the hub by double-clicking and go to the power settings.

If the problem was incorrect power consumption settings that caused the laptop to automatically turn off ports, a checkmark will be checked here to allow turning off the power of the hub.

By removing it, you can restore the functionality of the ports.

The steps are repeated for each hub if there are several on the laptop.

Prevent the system from turning off USB ports to save power.

Problem with drivers

The problem may be - and in most cases it is - in problems with USB drivers.

You can find the problem by going back to Device Manager(via computer properties or by typing devmgmt.msc in mmc).

It is possible that one of the ports is marked in the list with a special icon - a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark, indicating a malfunction of the equipment.

The problem can be tried 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 rebooted system will try to install new software for detected "new" hardware. Sometimes the operation of the port is restored.

For the first option, you may need to find out the ID number by which the Web searches for the corresponding driver - this identifier is located in the device properties on the details tab.

Determine the USB port ID.

The problem, which is the incorrect operation of the motherboard drivers (usually occurs with outdated laptops released several years ago), is solved by downloading and installing the appropriate software.

To do this, the laptop user must first find out - for example, use the AIDA64 application, which is paid, but also works without entering a key confirming payment for a certain trial period.

The name of the device will help identify and msinfo32 command, entered in the "Run" form (called by the keys Win + R).

Determine 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: In the absence of time and experience in finding and updating drivers, you can use the help of the utility. After installation on a 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 the drivers for almost every detail and even update some programs - this usually takes several hours.

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 corresponding section of Windows - this usually allows the system to solve problems with drivers on its own.

USB technology is one of the most important of the many technologies that have had a huge impact on the computing world. USB (Universal Serial Bus- "universal serial bus") - a serial data transfer interface for low-speed and medium-speed computer peripheral devices

This technology has made it really easy and convenient to work with printers, scanners and external storage devices (external hard drives, USB flash drives). All actions with the installation of USB devices have been reduced to a simple principle " Plug and Play". Truly mobile, devices have become precisely because of USB technology. USB ports today are equipped not only with desktop PCs and laptops, but also with gaming devices, smartphones, cameras, navigators and many other devices.

Ports USB version 2.0 provide data transfer at speeds up to 480 Mbps, and the version USB 3.0 raises the maximum transfer rate to 5.0 Gbps. The USB symbol is a kind of trident, drawn both on USB devices and on computer connectors.

USB technology has been studied and improved a lot, so USB ports, when used properly, rarely cause any problems, and troubleshooting related problems is not much of a hassle. This article will outline the basic principles of troubleshooting USB ports.

But before we start, it's worth describing basic recommendations when working with USB ports and devices connected to them:

- never connect devices with visible mechanical damage to the USB connectors, as well as devices with external damage to the case or with a clear smell of burning.

If the USB ports on the motherboard are mechanically damaged, then it is better to disconnect them from the motherboard (connectors in the front of the case) or seal them with colored tape to prevent their use. If possible, it is better to replace such ports in the workshop with new ones.

Try not to overload USB ports. Their current strength is strictly limited: 500 mA for USB 2.0 and 900 mA for version 3.0. Don't try to increase the number of USB ports with different USB multipliers. Modern motherboards already have up to 10 ports, which is enough for home use. It is always safer to buy an additional PCI or PCIe USB controller than to work through a USB tee.

If USB ports stop working on a laptop, then work on it becomes very difficult - you can’t connect a printer, scanner, or USB flash drive. And unlike a desktop computer, installing an additional USB controller is very expensive.

In many cases, when you receive the error message " USB device not recognized » The problem may be in the USB port. This problem is usually solved quite easily, since it occurs mainly at the program level.

What to do if the USB ports do not work?

Any hardware device interacts with the installed operating system through a special program - driver. Many problems with devices are solved with the help of drivers. The same is true for non-working USB ports. Below are a few methods that will help you troubleshoot USB ports at the software level.

If USB ports suddenly stop working, and USB devices are not detected, then the easiest way to fix this sudden problem is to restart the computer. Just restart your computer. If there were no problems loading the drivers, then this problem will be fixed after a reboot.

Update hardware configuration in Device Manager

If restarting the computer is not desirable at the moment (for example, due to some important operation), then you can “reload” the drivers without restarting the entire computer via Device Manager. To launch it on the shortcut " My computer» right-click and select the menu item « management e". Or in the menu Start» find the program « Run” and after launching it, enter the command devmgmt.msc.

In the window that opens, left-click once on the list of devices and then click on the tab " Action", then point to " Update hardware configuration". See if the section " USB controllers". If yes, then your problem is solved, USB ports should work.

Another way to get the USB ports working is to disable and then reinstall the USB controller. To do this, you need to run again Device Manager. In the list of equipment that you will see in the window that opens, find the USB controllers section. On each of the devices in this section, right-click and uninstall them all. Once you have removed all controllers, simply restart your computer. The controllers will be reinstalled and the USB ports will be available again. This may solve your problem.

Update USB Controller Drivers

Another reason for USB ports not working is corrupted USB controller drivers. The only way out is to find the correct drivers and reinstall them. To download the appropriate driver, you need to find out the manufacturer of the USB device port (through it). Installing the correct driver should fix this issue in an instant.

Disconnecting other USB devices

Sometimes USB ports don't work because they get overloaded when too many USB devices are connected. USB hubs sometimes do not provide enough power for devices connected to it. The connected device may consume all the allowed power of the computer's USB controllers. If the equipment is connected to a USB hub, simply plug the device directly into a USB port on your computer.

You can also leave the device connected to the USB hub, but first disconnect other devices in the hub. For the future, purchase a USB hub with its own power supply that will provide sufficient power to all devices connected to it.

If none of the above methods worked, then it is likely that the USB ports have been physically damaged. Or the USB controller is damaged, in particular the south bridge of the motherboard. In this case, the best thing you can do is to have the USB port controller replaced or repaired at a service center.

If, when the device is connected via the USB interface, it does not initialize, is not detected by the operating system, and does not display any messages at all, then the reason may be disconnected the controller responsible for this port.

The first thing to do look port status in Device Manager. To run it, enter in the window Run(Win + R) command " devmgmt.msc».

Open section USB controllers and look condition USB hub or USB Root Hub.

The picture shows one of them. disabled. Enable it with the right button − Engage.

You can also go to the section properties- tab Power Management, uncheck the box to allow turning off devices to save power.

In the same properties, you can check relevance installed drivers, update them if necessary.

If the controller is marked yellow exclamation mark then try reinstall its driver, or remove all controllers and execute reboot system, after which they should automatically install and work properly.

All ports not working

If all ports do not work at once - reboot computer and go to BIOS(key F2 or del at startup). Depending on the BIOS type and version, the settings may vary, You should find the options " USB function" and " USB 2.0 Controller”, they must be in the position “ Enabled". Most often they are in the section " Onboard Device Configuration»

Only the front connectors do not work

If we are talking about a PC, then we should distinguish front and rear connectors. The rear ones are located directly on the motherboard, the front ones are connected to it using a special plume. Therefore, when the front USB stopped working, in the first place check operation of the device when connected to the rear.

If it is correct, then remove the cover system unit (when the computer is powered off), and then check correct connection front connector cable to the system board.

correct pinout connections can be found in the description of your motherboard, but usually, how to connect is clear from signatures on the motherboard.

Checking the BIOS Configuration

When a similar problem occurs, the first thing to check is if the USB controllers on the motherboard have been disabled. They may well turn off on their own, and repair of the connector is not required. When the controller suddenly stops working, you can activate it in the BIOS:

Immediately after the start of the download, often press Del, F2, or another function key provided to enter the BIOS on your device.
Look for Integrated Peripherals or Advanced (depending on BIOS version).
Select USB Configuration. Here, opposite the USB Controller lines, the Enabled parameter must be set. If it is not there, set the desired value yourself and save the current configuration.

The problem can also sometimes occur due to some USB device that needs repair. To determine it, disable all devices using this port - mouse, USB keyboard, etc. Try connecting a working flash drive. If problems stop appearing, look for a non-working peripheral device.

Working with Device Manager

Through the "Start" or otherwise, go to the device manager. Perhaps one of the group of USB controllers is marked with a yellow exclamation mark icon here, which is why the device is not functioning.

You can try to fix the situation in the following way:

Remove the controller marked in yellow from the dispatcher;
Restart your laptop.

At the next start, the system will reinstall all the necessary software, after which controllers that have failed can work again. Sometimes it helps to roll back the OS to a previous state, when all the equipment was functioning properly.

USB may be disabled due to system settings

The laptop's power management can be configured so that the system automatically turns off the USB port after a period of inactivity to conserve battery power. No repairs are required here. In order for the laptop to stop disabling the USB input, it is enough not to allow Windows to change the power settings of the controller, for which:

In the manager, open the serial bus controllers branch, select the USB root hub line.
Double click to open the device, select power management.
Uncheck the box next to the line that allows the system to turn off the connector to save power.

Repeat the described steps for each of the USB hubs registered in the device manager.

Problems with the motherboard driver

Sometimes USB not working problems can be caused by an outdated motherboard chipset driver. The problem is solved by downloading it from a reliable source and then installing it. For this:

If you don't want to bother looking for the latest version of the driver you need, you can simply use the DriverPack Solution application, which automatically detects devices with outdated drivers and updates them.

When Windows is to blame

Sometimes OS failures are the cause of non-functioning controllers, so repairs are required by Windows itself. In this case, you need to do a reinstallation. But to be sure of the cause of the malfunction and not to do unnecessary work, test the USB ports without loading Windows.

To do this, you can, for example, boot the system from any Live CD. If the ports work as expected in this disk OS, then the problem is definitely in Windows - you can safely reinstall it. If, even when booting from a Live CD, the devices did not work, then the problem should be looked for already in the hardware, it may need to be repaired.

So, most often software malfunctions with non-working USB controllers are solved by updating the driver for the chipset or the motherboard itself (which is essentially the same thing after the north and south bridges on the motherboard have been replaced by one chip). Also, the problem often goes away after reinstalling the OS. Otherwise, the controllers themselves, the connected USB devices, or the repair may need to be done on the motherboard itself.

Quite often, people come to us with a question - why the USB ports on a 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 could be a malfunctioning USB port, but before taking your laptop/computer to a service center, you should check the settings to make sure that the software is not the problem.

So, let's see what you can do in a situation where USB ports do not work on a computer or laptop.

Check USB ports

The first thing you need to do is check the USB ports for physical damage.

A simple test is as follows: insert a USB device into a port on a laptop and see if the connected device moves up and down easily. Be careful! You shouldn't pull hard on the USB port to avoid breaking it.

In case the USB port moves too freely, the problem is probably physical damage. You should contact the 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 as the operating system rescans the hardware, including the USB ports, making them work.

If that doesn't work and the USB ports are still not working on your computer, then it's time to check Device Manager.

Check device manager

you can run Device Manager in several ways, but we will talk about the fastest: 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 on 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 the 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 differ for you, but in general you should have a similar device. If it just doesn't exist, this is probably the problem why the USB ports on the laptop don't work.

In this case, you should right-click on " USB controllers» and select "Update configuration". The computer will recheck the hardware and you will see the USB Host Controller listed.

Remove USB Host Controller

Next, you need to be careful. If you are working on a computer, then most likely you have a USB mouse and keyboard connected. After you remove the USB Host Controller, your mouse and keyboard will not work. This is not a problem as they will work again after restarting the computer.

So, as you understand, you should right-click on the USB Host Controller device, and select " Delete". Perform this step for all devices named USB Host Controller.

After removing the 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 registry key DisableSelectiveSuspend

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 it. 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. You must restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Ready! Our advice should help in a situation where the USB ports on the 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.