Front USB sockets do not work!

[Timmy_T]

I've had some problems with my hard drive that resulted in it being re formatted and then having XP reinstalled.

I've now discovered that the 2 USB ports on the front of my PC do not work, but the ones at the rear do (everything worked fine before!).

Any advice, please?

Many thanks, TT

 

[tim west]

Good morning, cool name
The front usb's may be fed by a hub check drivers

press windows logo key and pause/break key simultaneously
click on hardware tab then device manager
click on + sign left of heading Universal Serial Bus controllers
the offending ports may have a yellow exclamation mark against them
double click on the port heading and click on troubleshooter to proceed further.

 

[Timmy_T]

Thanks for that. No exclamation marks against any of them. It does list 4 USB root hubs, but I have 6 sockets (4 back, 2 front).

Sorry, bit of a technophobe!!

 

[tim west]

strange its recognising the hardware yet says no problems with the softwa
does it say this driver is working properly under each devices driver tab?
ie where you were previously showing the troubleshoot button if you click on the driver tab for each usb heading does it say its working properly?

 

[Timmy_T]

Don't really know what I'm doing, but under device manager I have 4 listings for USB root hub, 3 for USB Universal host controller and 1 for a USB Enhanced host controller. All 8 are listed as working properly.

As I mentioned earlier, there are 6 USB ports, 4 on the back and 2 on the front of the case. The 4 at the rear are ok, the 2 on the front have stopped working!

Thanks for your help!

 

[tim west]

I have to say at this point im stumped, the only other way I can see of forcing the pc to recognise them again is to disconnect and reconnect them internally ie remove the hub card and reseat it so windows recognises the hardware again (in saying that device manager shows them??)

 

[Timmy_T]

Sorry for being so frustrating! But thanks very much for trying, cheers!!

 

[Igorian]

If the ports were working prior to the re-install, and the connections have not been disturbed in any way, then it's likely to be driver related.

Just to clarify:

Have you installed all the XP service packs?

Is there any chance that you have altered a BIOS setting?

Can you provide the motherboard model or the make and model of the PC, if branded?

Have you checked the physical connection between the motherboard and the FP connectors?

Does anything (at all) happen when you connect to the FP connector?

 

[tim west]

One last thing might be a communication failure due to latency this from a guide i have regarding some electronics kit i own.

Most laptop computers and some desktops have issues with USB Latency when it comes to
communication. When this happens the port will show up in the list but you may not be able to identify
or communicate with your USB Device. This may require the Latency Timer Setting in the Device
Manager to be set lower. To lower the Latency Timer settings please follow the steps below. The USB
Device should be plugged in to adjust these settings.
Reducing The Latency Timer Setting:

windows logo key and Pause/break key simultaneously as before

Select the Hardware Tab and click Device Manager
In the hardware categories you should see a Ports Category, click the plus sign next to it
You should see an entry for USB Serial Port (COMx) where x is the COM Port assigned to the USB Hub
Click this entry and then click Properties (or double-click the entry)
Select the Port Settings Tab and click Advanced…
Under BM Options reduce the setting from 16 down to 1 and click OK
Click OK on the properties sheet and close the Device Manager window.

Hope that might help.

 

[Timmy_T]

If the ports were working prior to the re-install, and the connections have not been disturbed in any way, then it's likely to be driver related.

Just to clarify:

Have you installed all the XP service packs?

Is there any chance that you have altered a BIOS setting?

Can you provide the motherboard model or the make and model of the PC, if branded?

Have you checked the physical connection between the motherboard and the FP connectors?

Does anything (at all) happen when you connect to the FP connector?

Hi, Thanks for trying to help!

XP was reinstalled by a colleague in our Computer dept, who says that nothing was altered in the bios, and that XP was fully up to date.

The computer has an ASUS motherboard, and was purchased from MESH about 3 yrs ago.

The only hardware that was touched inside the case was the hard drive. This was removed to boot it up connected to another machine.

When I plug anything into the front sockets, nothing at all happens. Before, whenever an Ipod or camera were attached via USB cable, the computer recognised it immediately, and power was sent oto recharge the item.

Hope this may shed some light on it, thanks for showing an interest.

 

[Timmy_T]

Having had a closer look inside, there is one small alteration to the hardware inside the case. The hard drive used to be plugged into a socket named SATA Pri (with SATA Sec next to it). It is now plugged into a socket named SATA 1 (with SATA 2 next to it). These sockets are located at different positions on the MB.

Would this make a difference? Do you happen to know the difference between the 2 sets of sockets?

Thanks so much for your help,

Tim

 

[Igorian]

Are you positive that the front panel connector wasn't unplugged at any time, possibly to allow easier access to the drive?

It is also possible that it has been otherwise disturbed, If the connection is made using single pin connectors, check that they are all correct.

 

[Timmy_T]

It would seem to have been resolved!!

Went back to see the tech guys at work, and they said to check the usb cables, and showed me where to check on the mother board. When I looked, the USB cable had been plugged into the socket marked USB 78, not USB 56.

Having replaced the cable into this socket it now works!!

Thanks for all your help, Tim

 

[Igorian]