Useless USB sockets

Since the advent of USB, I have had 3 machines that have USB sockets that don't work. Ones built into cards connected direct to the mother board are OK, but I have had 2 with twin USB on the front, and one on each didn't work, and a monitor with twin USB on the side, one I used but it didn't take long to fail.

A buddy tells me the monitor ones was a power issue, but I don't follow that, as monitors have their own power supply, maybe someone could clarify that? But the ones on the front of PCs, why should one work and not the other?

Is this a general problem, and is there anything I can do physically to fix them?
I guess maybe not on the monitor, as I am not taking it to pieces, unless someone has an alternative suggestion.
As for the ones on the front of PC's, is a soldering iron or something else worth trying?

Small addition to this, speaker and headphone sockets on the front have had similar issues

 

One thing you can try is going into control panel, click on system then hardware, then device manager. See if you USB entries show a yellow triangle, if so that shows they have a problem. Now even if they look Ok what I have done in the past is to uninstall the USB controllers, then reboot the machine it will install new ones. Many times drivers for various things get changed or corrupted when you install other programs.

Phil

 

Nah, I have reformatted and reinstalled Windows on all these machines. It's not a software issue.

 

Hmm, if it was just one PC being stubborn I'd check the motherboard to front/rear panel connections but with three PC's?!!:eek Are you sure your USB device is working properly? It could very well be a power issue meaning not enough to power your USB device as there's not that much power coming out of them. Oh, don't take your monitor apart please.:-D

 

Well, take the one in front of me right now. The left hand of the front 2 sockets has my 3g stick in, and works fine. the other not. without taking the back off, i'd say they were probably connected to the motherboard via the same cable, but i stand to be corrected on that.
the older one was a similar scenario.
but odd too that the front speaker and mike ports on both pc's should also have issues.
maybe these devices are just plain unreliable? I'll bite the bullet and take a look inside. probably needs a hoover anyway.

still not convinced as to why the usb's on the monitor would not work as a result of a power issue. as i say, the monitor has it's own power supply. unless you mean that the ports are getting their power through the usb cable from pc to monitor, and NOT via the monitors power supply?
Don't worry. I already said I would not be taking the monitor apart. i'd leave that sort of electronics to my old dad!

 

any, no, and no, i thought that was clear. i said it didn't work, and i think i would have to have tried to know that.

 

Ya, bite the bullet and open the case. The biggest problem, for me, is that these front panel connections to the mobo are so darn wimpy! I'll assume from your reticence to open the case means that you didn't build the machines, correct?

At any rate it doesn't make sense to me as I've built several PC's and never had that issue when the leads were properly positioned.:confused

 

Hi,

Just a thought: Older cases had USB1 ports and would not work with USB2. I've run into that several times in the past. Any device with it's own power source will not load the USB +5V. Probably does not even use it. If it did the power would be miniscule. Nothing but signal levels.

Good Luck, Jim

 

Nah, didn't build, but taking it to bit's isn't a problem, just wondered if it was worth the hassle, as I get the feeling it's a general problem. my experience, and some friends seems to prove it, but maybe i'm just unlucky! :cry
Before I do though, if you've got twin usbs on the front, are they connected to the motherboard with a single cable?

as an aside, why do 3g sticks have to be so damned fat?? they take up the space of 2, and if this one at the front worked, i wouldn't have to keep unplugging one at the back.

 

Usb2 devices generally work on a usb1 port, and i would get the prompt that the device could work faster. nope, it just aint working

shops now, then i'll take the side off and take a look, and give an update on this specific machine later.

be grateful for any ups on the monitor scenario though, and maybe a workaround. seems pointless having them if they are too much of a drain of power on the card supplying them.

 

Wow, you're the second person to mention 3GB sticks today. Are you sure it's not 3X1GB sticks or some such? You seem to know your way around so where did you get them. Even our resident memory expert never heard of them.:confused

 

Are you having a laugh?? :yum

Third Generation, USB Internet sticks NOT 3Gb thumb drives. hahahahahaha
Maybe you guys across the pond aren't as advanced as Switzerland, and Germany. I was using one on my last project, and someone has lent me one. Utter crap for downloading any size files, but OK for surfing, email, and playing Farmville!!

 

Oops!:-o:-D Sorry man, you're having the last laugh here.LOL I really should get one of those readers for my quad machine.

 

My only experience with USB ports on a monitor was with an older Sony Vaio. The ports on the monitor worked by having a cable from the monitor run to a USB port on the PC. My guess is not enough power through the USB system to run devices plugged into the monitor's USB ports along with devices plugged into the PC's USB ports.

If you've seen 4-port USB hubs, they usually have a separate power supply to ensure all the USB devices will get powered.

Sam

 

Hi Again Kerry,

Has nothing to do with USB2 devices running on USB1. the port mounted on the front panel will not work with USB2. Something to do with the termination of the data lines. The ones that don't work apparently have capacitive termination and the ones that do have resistive termination.

Jim