USB Ports On The Fritz?
 

For whatever reason, my computer's USB ports aren't working the way they're supposed to. I first noticed it when my iPod wasn't being picked up by iTunes, so I farted around with it, re-installed iTunes, and it still didn't do any good. Then I tried to print a document, and it wouldn't print, either. I think that the problem is with the USB ports themselves. My iPod does charge, but I can't get it to register on iTunes.

Has anyone else had this issue, or one similar? If you have, what did you do to remedy it?

If you go to the Device Manager (press and hold windows key and press pause/break key, hardware tab, device manager button), you see any ! or ? or X near the USB controllers submenu?

When did these things stop working?

System specs help too.

Did you change/install/uninstall anything before the ports stopped working? What operating system? Assuming you're using Windows of some kind, how do the ports look from device manager? Have you tried "uninstalling" then rebooting so they can be picked up again?

Jeez, wait a day before replying and someone still walks on me. :)

thanks... i never knew that keyboard shortcut.

I'm just too quick, Cyrnel. You might have more wisdom, but I'm youthful and quick ;)

Did you really not know that or were you being sarcastic? I'm just a huge keyboard shortcut nerd, and I actually do use that all the time. It helps on older, slower PCs.

nope didn't know it ever existed.

I guess I should look up the list of shortcuts and see what I'm missing since ctrl-x ctrl-c ctrl-v

Windows pausebreak FTW from a domain admin

Wisdom: Youth is wasted on the... blah blah blah.

If being two minutes late on a 15+ hour response is the dividing line between young and old, you just made my day. ;)

Cynth, I also learned the windows key shortcuts late. When '95 first arrived, I either stuck with precious 101 keyboards or removed the damn keys. One slip and the stupid start menu would pop up and interrupt. :D

on the original topic... :P

I've noticed that sometimes one USB port or another won't recognize a device correctly, and yet it will recognize others. For example, the top port on my laptop won't recognize my Flash Drive (while the bottom port does recognize it), but it uses my mouse fine.

The device manager says everything's working as it should. I first noticed it yesterday, but it could've jacked up on the fourth. My computer randomly crashed on me and I've been having problems since with speed among other things.

System specs:
Acer Aspire 1410
Intel Celeron M Processor
512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
40 GB hard drive
Windows XP Home

I did update my iTunes on the third. But I tried re-installing it, hoping that it would help, but I'll try fully uninstalling iTunes.

That seems to be what's going on here. It seems to recognise my iPod enough to charge it, but I can't get it to come up on iTunes, and my printer won't print at all.

Well, AFAIK, in order to charge it you just need power. This means that physically the port is OK, most likely.

"My computer randomly crashed on me and I've been having problems since with speed among other things."

Quick and simple: do a system restore to before that point.

I actually did that, MikeSty, this morning, to no effect.:confused:

USB +5v is easy, and doesn't necessarily tell you anything. Depending on chipset and config you can get power when data + & - are ignored or completely detached.

Does that mean the USB controller(s) and hub(s) and devices were visible, or just that you didn't see error conditions at the top level?

If you're comfortable looking through your BIOS, make sure the USB ports are enabled. Just in case you have a bastard of a roommate or something.

What else is attached to the system?

Well, I checked the four active USB ports. The first three say they're working fine and I can't access the fourth for some reason. The system always says that it's committed an error and needs to close. It says it's a USB-2. There are four other USB Root Hubs (?).

I'm retarded when it comes to computers, so I don't think it's a very good idea for me to root around BIOS.

As for what else is attached to the computer, just the power source. I have wireless internet through a router upstairs.

>edit< I tried the USB-2 again, and it says it's working fine as well.