If your USB port suddenly stopped working normally, you need to identify the root of the problem to be able to fix it. But before you proceed, you need to be sure that the port is faulty and not the device you are trying to connect. Also, make sure to follow Laptop Verge for different troubleshooting tips.
First of all, let’s test the port by running troubleshooting steps to make sure the issue is not related to the device. You can do this by connecting the device to another USB port; if the connection is successful, then the problem is with your USB port.
On the other hand, if the device remains undetected, then you probably have a faulty device. If you have a problem with the USB port, it will be noticeable as the devices won’t connect, and the operating system you are using will show an error message.
Before you start your troubleshooting steps, check to see if there is any dust in the USB port, the best way to do this is by shutting down the laptop so you can have a better look. There is a chance that the accumulated dust is the thing causing the problem.
This is because dust reduces the airflow, which causes the system to overheat, resulting in reducing the laptop performance. You can fix this issue easily with a vacuum cleaner or a can of compressed air.
After you’ve cleaned the USB port, grab a USB cable such as a flash drive and try to wiggle it around gently. If the driver feels loose and still moves up and down, then it is probably a hardware problem.
Troubleshooting your USB port
Remove and reconnect your USB/USB cable
If you think your USB/USB cable is not working, you should first make sure that the port itself is not faulty. To test this, try using your USB in a different port. If it works, then the port is faulty and your USB is working just fine. If it does not work then there is a high chance that your USB is faulty and needs to be replaced.
Update your device drivers
When you are certain that your USB is not working and that your ports are not faulty, a troubleshooting step that can help you resolve the issue is updating your device’s drivers. This will eliminate the possibility of you using an incorrect USB, or that the USB you are using is outdated.
In case you do not know how to manually update your drivers, a good solution for this is Driver Easy. Driver Easy can automatically detect which type of driver works best for your system.
That way you can avoid installing incorrect drivers. After installing Driver Easy, choose the Scan option. Then, after the scan is complete, click on update all, and Driver Easy will update all your drivers for you.
Disable USB selective suspend settings
If the previous steps fail, you can attempt disabling USB Selective Suspend. This feature automatically puts some of your USB ports in low-power mode, to prevent your computer from using too much-unwanted power. That might be preventing your USB from working.
To disable this feature, search for “Choose a power plan” in your startup menu. After opening it, click on “change plan settings”, then click on “Change advanced power settings”.
Next, double click on “USB settings” and then double click on “USB Selective Suspend Setting”. Finally, click on “Enabled” to view the drop-down menu and select “Disabled”. Once you do this, click on “Apply” and finally “OK” to save the settings.
Uninstall and reinstall your USB devices
You can try to uninstall and install the USB devices with Device Manager. Your Windows will automatically reinstall the USB drivers after you restart your PC. To reinstall the USB devices, Press and hold Windows + R at the same time, this should invoke the Run box.
The next step is typing devmgmt.msc in the box and then selecting “OK”. Then double-click the universal serial bus controllers to be able to see the entire drop-down menu. Afterward, click on the USB root hub device in the list and choose “Uninstall device”.
After you are done, repeat the same steps for every USB root hub device in the list of Universal serial bus controllers. The last step is restarting your computer so that the changes take effect, then try using the USB port again, it should be working properly.
Check for Error Messages
Keep in mind that your computer might pop up an error message. If the error message says “ power surge on the USB port. A USB device has malfunctioned and exceeded the power limits of its hub port. You should disconnect the device”.. Then you should disconnect that device.
To fix a bad port, you need to adjust the power management. First, you need to press and hold on Windows+R, type in devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog, and click OK. then expand the universal serial BUS controllers, then right-click the USB root hub and choose properties.
Now you need to go to the power management tab and uncheck the option that says “ allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”, then click OK. You can try the same steps on all the USB root hubs in the power management tab, if your USB still doesn’t work, move to the next troubleshooting method.
Restart your laptop
Ever heard the phrase “Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on?” Well, this old method is so popular for a reason: it works!
To do this troubleshooting step properly, keep the unrecognized USB in the port and make sure it is properly placed so that it doesn’t move up and down. Next, you need to restart your computer.
Once your operating system has rebooted, it should be able to detect the USB device with no problem. If your problem still persists, then you might want to check the device in the Windows device manager.
Finding out that your USB port is not working could be a bit annoying for most people, but before you decide that it is faulty and might need hardware repairs, make sure to go through the previous troubleshooting steps as they have proven effective with many users.
