Sometimes when I start my PC, one of the USB ports stops recognizing a connected device, such as my keyboard. Restarting does not always fix it, and I have to move the device between ports until one works. Later, a completely different port may stop responding. What could be causing this, and what should I check to fix it?
2 Answers
This sounds more like a USB controller or driver problem than several individual ports failing. In Device Manager, expand “Universal Serial Bus controllers,” uninstall the USB controller entries, and restart Windows so it can reinstall them automatically. You can also disable USB selective suspend under Power Options. If the problem continues, install the latest chipset and BIOS updates from your motherboard manufacturer, since a hardware problem with the motherboard is also possible.
A similar problem can happen with wireless mouse receivers during startup. It may be caused by the motherboard’s USB drivers loading incorrectly or by the USB controller not initializing properly during boot. Start by downloading the chipset and motherboard drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website, not from third-party driver sites. If the issue mainly affects one device, reinstall that device’s driver as well. Since your problem affects multiple USB devices and ports, the controller or motherboard drivers are the more likely cause.
I uninstalled the USB controller drivers and let Windows reinstall them after restarting. I also disabled USB selective suspend in Power Options, so I’m hoping that resolves it.
Could you walk me through that? I’m not very familiar with Device Manager, and the failed port doesn’t seem to appear there.