Has anyone else run into issues with USB hubs or USB-to-NET devices that only start working again after restarting their laptops? I've noticed this happening on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, which rules out just regular Windows updates. The problematic setup involves Dell laptops using Dell docking stations. I've observed a certain percentage of these laptops crash with a DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error during restarts, and from the minidump, it seems the device causing the crash is USBVID_0BDA&PID_8153 (Realtek USB GbE Family Controller), with the affected driver being UsbHub3.sys. There haven't been any recent installations on these laptops besides M365 updates and some automated Edge updates. Does anyone have ideas about what's causing this issue or solutions if you managed to fix it?
3 Answers
Are these by chance Lenovo Thinkpad hubs? I had to disconnect the wired Ethernet from mine after upgrading to 25H2 because it was causing bluescreens. Just a thought!
Are the docks you’re using Dell TB16? They have a really high failure rate. Make sure you've updated the dock’s firmware and the few specific drivers it needs from the Dell support site.
Not the TB16s; mostly WD19TB and WD19TBS, plus some WD22s. They've all been updated to the latest firmware.
From what you've described, the RTL8153 hardware is pretty common, and it has a generic driver option besides the specific one for RTL8153. The crash you're getting, `DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE`, could be related to power supply, hardware, or even the firmware on the systemboard. Have you checked the power input for the docks? Is everything still the same as before?
All the docks are using their original power supplies – 180W for the WD19s and probably the same for the WD22. Nothing much has changed, other than laptops getting Windows updates regularly. I feel like Microsoft is rolling out those updates to fix other problems, and somehow this could be affecting us. Both Windows 10 and 11 laptops are showing these issues, which makes me doubt my theory.
Nope, they’re Dell hubs, mostly WD19TB or WD19TBS. A few WD22s, but they all have similar issues.