Quite often people come to us asking why they don’t work. USB port s on a laptop or computer. USB ports may stop working after reinstalling Windows, after updating drivers, or at any inopportune moment. Of course, the problem may be faulty USB ports, but before taking your laptop/computer to a service center, you should check the settings to make sure that the problem is not in the software.

So, let's see what you can do in a situation where the USB ports on your computer or laptop are not working.

Check USB ports

The first thing you need to do is check the USB ports for physical damage.

A simple test is this: Insert a USB device into a port on your laptop and see if the connected device moves up and down easily. Be careful! You should not yank the USB port too hard to avoid breaking it.

If the USB port moves too freely, the problem is likely due to physical damage. You should contact a service center to replace the USB port.

To restart a computer

You can also try the good old method of any technical support department: turn it off and on. Sometimes this actually works because the operating system rescans the hardware, including USB ports, making them work.

If this doesn't help and the USB ports are still not working on your computer, then it's time to check the Device Manager.

Check Device Manager

You can run device Manager several ways, but we'll tell you about the fastest one: press the Win + R keys and enter devmgmt.msc. Click "OK" or key « Enter». Device Manager should immediately appear on your computer screen.

In this window we are interested in the section “ USB controllers" Click the arrow next to this label to expand the section. You will see something like the window below:

Here you should find a device that has words USB Host Controller in its title. For example in my case it is Intel(R) 5-Series/3400 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller. Some letters may be different for you, but in general you should have a similar device. If it simply isn't there, that's probably the problem why the USB ports on the laptop aren't working.

In this case, you should right-click on “ USB controllers» and select "Update configuration" The computer will recheck the hardware and you will see USB Host Controller in the list.

Remove USB Host Controller

Next, you need to act carefully. If you are working on a computer, then most likely you have a USB mouse and keyboard connected. After you remove USB Host Controller, your mouse and keyboard will not work. This is not a problem as they will work again after rebooting your computer.

So, as you understand, you should right-click on the USB Host Controller device, and select “ Delete" Perform this action for all devices named USB Host Controller.

After removing USB Host Controller, restart your computer or laptop. After restarting, the computer will automatically install the necessary drivers for the USB ports to work.

Find the DisableSelectiveSuspend registry key

If the USB ports are still not working, then we will go one step further and make some changes in the Registry Editor.

To go to the Registry Editor, press the keys Win+R, enter regedit, and press the " Enter" The Registry Editor window will open.

Next you need to find the registry key DisableSelectiveSuspend. It is located in the following folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CurrentControlSet -> Services -> USB. Next, in the right window, right-click on the file “ DisableSelectiveSuspend", and select " Change».

In field " Meaning» enter number 1 . This way you will disable the Selective Suspend feature and power will always be supplied to your USB ports.

If there is no USB folder

If the USB folder doesn't exist in your registry, it's easy to create one. Just go to the Services folder, then on the toolbar click " Edit»> « Create»> « Chapter" Name it USB.

Next, select the new USB partition, right-click in the empty window on the right. You will only have the option " Create" Click on it and select the value " DWORD value (32-bit)" Enter the title DisableSelectiveSuspend.

As we wrote above, right-click and select "Edit". In the Value field, enter the number 1. For the changes to take effect, you need to restart your computer.

Ready! Our tips should help in a situation where the USB ports on your computer have stopped working. If you know other reasons why USB ports on a laptop do not work and how to fix it, write in the comments below.

USB ports are the most popular ports. While HDMI, Ethernet, 3.5 mm, DVI, VGA and other cables are rarely removed from their respective ports, many users poke various cables and devices into the USB port several times a day. Although the port is made with durability in mind, there still comes a time when the user is faced with the harsh reality of a broken USB port. If the USB port on your computer does not work, the reason will not necessarily be hidden in a hardware failure. Fortunately, this problem can often be fixed using software, which means you don't have to take your computer to a service center. In this article, we have collected some tips with which you can try to revive a USB port that has suddenly failed.

Please note: We do not guarantee that these methods will help you. Some of these instructions will help some, but others will not. If the USB port is physically broken, no software tweaks or reinstallations will be able to resurrect it. In this case, you need to contact the service center and change the broken port.

If USB ports fail, connected peripherals may stop working. A mouse, for example, or a keyboard. In this case, you may need instructions that tell you how to control the mouse from the keyboard.

Check the device itself

Make sure the device you connect to your computer actually works. Flash drive, USB cable, external drive, webcam, keyboard or any other peripheral that connects via USB. No one can deny the fact that the device could simply fail. Disconnect it from your computer and connect it to another. If it works, then the problem is hidden in the USB port of your PC.

Also try connecting peripherals to a different port. If we're talking about about the laptop, connect the device on the other side (if any). Additionally, we recommend that you connect devices directly to the motherboard rather than through the front panel of the computer or hub.

Trivial advice: make sure that you are inserting the cable or device the correct way (not relevant for USB-C). If the port resists and you cannot insert the cable, do not force it. Be careful and always check that you are connecting the peripherals to your PC the correct way.

Also run diagnostics on other devices. It may be that one of the USB-connected components is malfunctioning, causing other ports or devices to stop working. Disconnect All from the computer and connect one by one to detect the damaged gadget.

In other words, at this stage you need to try other ports, all connected devices, and also the device you need paired with another computer. Having determined that the connected gadget is working, move on to more complex procedures.

Cleaning devices

Pay attention to the condition of the USB connector on your device, as well as the port itself. Check if there is serious pollution or dust. A dirty or clogged port may prevent the device from working. Use a can of compressed air to clear away the dirt. And yes, as we already said in one of the previous articles, under no circumstances should you blow into the port - you can only make things worse.

Laptop USB port does not work - power supply

The operation of USB ports also depends on the laptop's power supply. If for some reason the power supply stops working normally, one of the symptoms may be a fallen off USB port. If the computer has a battery installed, disconnect the power supply from the network and the laptop. Restart your computer and try to connect your device. If it works, try turning on the power supply to the network and the computer. Observe the results. If the USB stops working after turning it on, then you need to consult a specialist who will tell you what to do next and help you properly fix the problem.

The issue with the power supply may also be relevant for desktop computers. If your processor, graphics card, and other connected devices are consuming too much power, other devices, such as USB ports, may stop working. Check your computer's component specifications and compare them to the power supply's capabilities. If the load on the unit approaches the peak (do not forget that power supplies rarely deliver the maximum declared power and a cheap 400 W unit is unlikely to provide your computer with these same 400 W), it makes sense to replace the power supply.

USB does not work in laptop - power settings

Windows computers are designed to turn off USB controllers and connected devices when they are not in use for a period of time. Although the system works very efficiently, sometimes Windows cannot restore the controller properly. As a result, the USB ports on the computer do not work. This situation can be corrected as follows:

Although this part of the instructions is relevant primarily for laptops, it is also worth checking if the USB ports on a desktop computer do not work.

The USB port on the computer does not work - BIOS settings

In every modern computer, the BIOS allows you to set settings for using USB ports. For example, you can enable or disable ports altogether or prohibit only booting from USB devices. Also, some manufacturers allow you to enable or disable Legacy USB, USB3.0 controllers, charging devices via USB, and so on. All these settings are configured through your computer's BIOS.

If the above (or below) methods do not help you, look into the BIOS to check the status of the USB ports.

Restart your computer and before the computer starts booting, click on the button that is responsible for entering the BIOS. This could be the Delete or F2 button. Your exact option depends on your computer manufacturer's model or motherboard. IN different computers sections may be located in different ways, so we will provide here only an example to help you navigate your computer.

For example, on Gigabyte motherboards the USB device activator is located in the section Peripherals – Enable all USB devices. Make sure this setting is set to Enable. In the BIOS of Dell computers, for example, find the settings USB Configurations and make sure the checkboxes next to all items are checked.

If any of the mentioned options are disabled, it may be the reason for the USB ports not working.

The USB port on the front of the computer does not work

The main and most common cause of this problem is the lack of connection of the front USB ports to the motherboard or incorrect connection. Turn off your computer, unplug it, look inside and check if the 9-pin cable from the front panel is connected to the motherboard. Make sure it is connected to the correct comb (four pins on the top with a fifth plugged and five on the bottom).

If everything is connected correctly, but the port still does not work, try other tips in this article.

The USB port on the computer does not work - drivers

At this stage, it is worth checking whether the problem is hidden in the drivers or a simple software bug. Start by rebooting the controller. This will help you discover whether a simple bug is causing the problem. You can simply restart your computer or the drivers themselves. You're unlikely to have any problems with the first one, but the second option may be needed if you can't restart your PC right now (for example, you're running other tasks).

If this doesn't help, try updating or reinstalling your motherboard's chipset drivers. Check which motherboard is installed in your computer, and then go to the manufacturer's website and download the chipset driver. Important: use the drivers on the official website. We do not recommend downloading drivers on “left” sites or using so-called driver reinstallation wizards. Download software from the official website always guarantees you the best result. If the site has a new version, download a new one. If not, download the current one, just reinstall it again, and then check the functionality of the ports.

Disabling other connected USB devices

A standard USB port has a voltage of 500 mA, which is enough to operate the vast majority of USB devices. There are times when the user does not have enough ports. For example, the computer uses a cheap motherboard or the laptop only has two USB ports. In such cases, the hub comes to the rescue. It works fine with a small number of devices, but when significant amount glitches may occur. For example, an external drive and a printer are connected to the hub. An external drive is a device that needs a lot of power, so it can take the required amount of power from the printer cable. In other words, the port cannot cope with the load and some devices stop working. In this case, the solution is banal and as simple as possible - disconnect one or two devices from the hub or the hub entirely. Connect the peripherals you need directly to your computer.

Tip: If you need a hub for large quantity devices, look for a hub with its own power supply. This will solve the problem described above. The most effective method is to use expansion cards with additional USB ports that are connected via a PCIe slot.

operating system

The bug may be hidden not in the drivers, but in the operating system itself. In this case, the only thing that can be advised is this. To once again Don’t worry about reinstalling the system and all your software; we recommend checking the operation of the USB port without booting the system. Create (with the same Windows 10 or any other OS or boot application) and run from it through the BIOS. If the BIOS sees your flash drive and allows you to boot from it, but the same device or port does not work in the system, then the problem is clearly in Windows or in the drivers. If reinstalling the drivers does not help, feel free to reinstall Windows.

South Bridge

The southbridge is a controller on the motherboard. It is responsible for connecting "slow devices" (compared to PCIe or CPU-to-memory connections), such as the same USB ports to the northbridge (connects PCIe/memory directly to the processor) and then to the processor. The South Bridge can be found on the motherboard itself. This is a square or rectangular chip soldered onto a board. Because the south bridge It works constantly and is a kind of node where many important connections are concentrated; it generates a lot of heat during operation. To prevent the chip from frying (in literally this word), many manufacturers of modern motherboards hide the south bridge (as well as the north bridge) under a heatsink, which provides faster and more reliable heat removal and also protects the chip from overheating.

South bridge under additional cooling radiator.

The south bridge may fail due to a short circuit, power surge or other physical influences. Often, a broken south bridge brings with it other problems. For example, the Ethernet port or other interfaces fail. Unfortunately, an ordinary user will not be able to repair a failed south bridge. It can only be replaced by a suitably qualified specialist. There are times when it is easier to replace the entire motherboard. The failure of the south bridge and related components can only be determined in the appropriate service center.

To avoid failure of USB ports on your computer's motherboard in the future, we advise you to at least consider the following recommendations:

• Do not connect devices with visible damage to the motherboard (something has burned, melted, or leaked liquid). Using damaged devices can cause more serious damage to your computer.
• It is best to disable “broken” ports. This primarily concerns case ports. Simply unplug the cables connecting the port to the motherboard or label these ports so you don't use them in the future. If you have the opportunity, replace them at a service center.
• Do not overload the ports with too many devices, and ensure that there is no static on the devices. A single static discharge can completely destroy USB devices or ports.

We hope you found this information useful and were able to fix problems with your computer.

A number of laptop users may encounter a situation where USB ports on laptop not working, and devices connected through them are not recognized Windows system. This problem occurs quite often, and can have many reasons, making it difficult for the user to work with the USB devices he needs on his computer. In this article I will tell you why USB ports on a laptop do not work, what are the reasons for this phenomenon and how to fix it.

Causes of the problem when USB ports on a laptop do not work

So, why did the USB ports on the laptop stop working? The reasons for this dysfunction may be the following:

How to fix non-working USB ports

In order to fix non-working USB ports on a laptop, you need to do the following:

• Restart your laptop. It is recommended to turn it off completely, remove the battery for a few minutes, then put it back and boot the operating system again;
• Inspect the USB connectors of your laptop, if necessary, clean them from dust using a regular wooden toothpick;
• Try connecting your device to another USB connector; perhaps the first connector is no longer functioning;
• If you are connecting your USB device via a cable, try changing the latter, this may help the problem when the USB ports on the laptop do not work;
• Make sure that the connected USB device works; to do this, connect it to another computer;
• Go to BIOS and make sure that the USB functions are enabled;

  

• Manually recognize USB devices using the system. Click on the Start button, type devmgmt.msc in the search bar and press enter. Device Manager will appear in front of you, click on the name of the list of devices at the top (usually the name of your computer), click on the “Action” tab, and select “Update hardware configuration” there. If the system finds USB controllers during this procedure, then your problem can be solved;

  

• Remove and then reinstall the USB controllers. Go back to Device Manager as described above, find “USB Controllers” there, and double-click on this entry. A list of USB controllers will open in front of you, right-click on the first one and select “Delete”.

  

• Similarly, delete all controllers in the list. Then restart your PC, these controllers will be automatically installed by the system again, this can help fix the problem when the USB ports on the PC do not work;
• Reinstall the drivers for the USB. Usually, the laptop comes with a disk with drivers, including a USB driver; you just need to install it on the computer and the problem will be solved. If your USB connection is highlighted with a question mark or has the status “unidentified device”, then you need to find out the ID of your device, and use this ID to search for drivers on the network;
• If you have several USB devices connected, then try disconnecting them and leaving only what you need at this moment;
• Download and run a special utility from Microsoft, it can help fix problems with USB if the USB ports on the laptop are not functioning;
• Perform a system rollback to a previous working restore point. Click Start, type rstrui in the search bar and press enter. Find a restore point at which the system worked correctly and perform a rollback;

  

• If all your USB ports do not work, and the above methods did not help, then perhaps your south bridge has burned out. Its replacement (or warming up) is carried out at a service center using special equipment; contact them for advice and assistance.

Video solution to a situation where the USB port does not see the device

In this material, I examined a situation in which the USB ports on a laptop do not work, listed a list of reasons for this dysfunction and provided a number of tips for solving it. If you do not know what exactly caused these problems with USB ports, then consistently follow the entire set of tips I have listed, this will help to effectively solve the problem with malfunctioning USB ports on your PC.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to disable USB ports on a computer or laptop in order to limit access to connect flash drives, hard drives and other USB devices. Disabling USB ports will help prevent the connection of any drives that could be used to steal important information or cause a virus to infect your computer and spread malware across the local network.

Restricting access to USB ports

Let's consider 7 ways, with which you can block USB ports:

1. Disabling USB through BIOS settings
2. Changing registry settings for USB devices
3. Disabling USB ports in Device Manager
4. Uninstalling USB controller drivers
5. Using Microsoft Fix It 50061
6. Using additional programs
7. Physically disconnecting USB ports

1. Disabling USB ports through BIOS settings

1. Enter BIOS settings.
2. Disable all items related to the USB controller (for example, USB Controller or Legacy USB Support).
3. After you have made these changes, you need to save the settings and exit the BIOS. This is usually done using the key F10.
4. Restart your computer and make sure the USB ports are disabled.

2. Enable and Disable USB Drives Using Registry Editor

If disabling via BIOS does not suit you, you can block access directly in the Windows OS itself using the registry.

The instructions below allow you to block access to various USB drives (for example flash drives), but other devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, scanners will still work.

1. Open the Start menu -> Run, enter the command " regedit" and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
2. Continue to next section
   

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

3. On the right side of the window, find the item “ Start” and double-click on it to edit. Enter value " 4 » to block access to USB storage devices. Accordingly, if you enter the value again “ 3 ", access will be reopened.

Click OK, close Registry Editor, and restart your computer.

The above method only works when the USB controller driver is installed. If a driver has not been installed for security reasons, the Start setting may be automatically reset to 3 when the user connects the USB drive and Windows installs the driver.

3. Disable USB ports in Device Manager

1. Right-click on the " Computer" and select the "Properties" item in the context menu. A window will open on the left side of which you need to click on the link “ device Manager».
2. In the device manager tree, find the item " USB controllers" and open it.
3. Disable controllers by right-clicking and selecting the "Disable" menu item.

This method doesn't always work. In the example shown in the figure above, disabling the controllers (the first 2 points) did not lead to the desired result. Disabling the 3rd option (USB Mass Storage Device) worked, but this only allows you to disable a single instance of the USB storage device.

4. Removing USB controller drivers

Alternatively, to disable the ports, you can simply uninstall the USB controller driver. But the disadvantage of this method is that when the user connects a USB drive, Windows will check for drivers and, if they are missing, will offer to install the driver. This in turn will allow access to the USB device.

5. Prevent users from connecting USB storage devices using a Microsoft application

Another way to deny access to USB drives is to use Microsoft Fix It 50061(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823732/ru - the link may open near the mituta). The essence of this method is that 2 conditions for solving the problem are considered:

• The USB drive has not yet been installed on the computer
• The USB device is already connected to the computer

Within the scope of this article, we will not consider this method in detail, especially since you can study it in detail on the Microsoft website using the link given above.

It should also be taken into account that this method Not suitable for all versions of Windows OS.

6. Using programs to disable/enable access to USB storage devices

There are many programs for setting a ban on access to USB ports. Let's consider one of them - the program USB Drive Disabler.

The program has a simple set of settings that allow you to deny/allow access to certain drives. USB Drive Disabler also allows you to configure alerts and access levels.

7. Disconnecting USB from the motherboard

While physically unplugging USB ports on a motherboard is nearly impossible, you can unplug ports on the front or top of your computer by unplugging the cable that goes to the motherboard. This method will not completely block access to USB ports, but will reduce the likelihood of using drives by inexperienced users and those who are simply too lazy to connect devices to the back of the system unit.

! Addition

Denying access to removable media through the Group Policy Editor

In modern Windows versions It is possible to restrict access to removable storage devices (including USB drives) using the Local Group Policy Editor.

1. Run gpedit.msc through the Run window (Win + R).
2. Go to the next branch " Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Access to Removable Storage Devices»
3. On the right side of the screen, find the “Removable drives: Deny read” option.
4. Activate this option ("Enable" position).

This section of Local Group Policy allows you to configure read, write, and execute access for different classes of removable media.

Probably, many users, when connecting a flash drive or other peripheral device, have encountered a problem when the computer does not see them. Opinions on this matter may vary, but provided that the devices are in working order, most likely the problem is the USB port. Of course, additional sockets are provided for such cases, but this does not mean that the problem does not need to be solved.

You don't have to be a computer genius to perform the actions described in this article. Some of them will turn out to be completely banal, others will require some effort. But, in general, everything will be simple and clear.

Method 1: Checking port status

The first cause of malfunctioning ports on a computer may be that they are clogged. This happens quite often because there are usually no plugs for them. You can clean them with a thin, long object, such as a wooden toothpick.

Most peripheral devices are not connected directly, but via a cable. It is this that can interfere with data transmission and power supply. To check this you will have to use another cord that is known to work.

Another option is a breakdown of the port itself. It should be excluded before performing the actions described below. To do this, you need to insert the device into the USB socket and shake it slightly different sides. If it sits loosely and moves too easily, then most likely the cause of the port's inoperability is physical damage. And only replacing it will help here.

The simplest, most popular and one of the most effective methods To resolve all sorts of problems with your computer, you can reboot the system. During this process, the memory, processor, controllers, and peripherals are given a reset command and, when executed, are returned to their original states. Hardware, including USB ports, is rescanned operating system, which can get them working again.

Method 3: BIOS Setup

Sometimes the reason lies in the motherboard settings. Its input and output system (BIOS) is also capable of enabling and disabling ports. In this case, you need to go into the BIOS ( Delete, F2, Esc and other keys), select a tab "Advanced" and go to point "USB Configuration". Inscription "Enabled" means the ports are enabled.

Method 4: Updating the Controller

If the previous methods did not bring a positive result, updating the port configuration may be a solution to the problem. To do this you need:

The absence of such a device in the list may cause a malfunction. In this case, it is worth updating the configuration of all "USB controllers".

Method 5: Removing the controller

Another option involves deleting "host controllers". You just need to take into account that in this case the devices (mouse, keyboard, etc.) connected to the corresponding ports will stop working. This is done as follows:

In principle, everything will be restored after updating the equipment configuration, which can be done through the tab "Action" V "Device Manager". But it will be more effective to restart the computer and, perhaps, after automatically reinstalling the drivers, the problem will be solved.

Method 6: Windows Registry

The last option involves making certain changes to the system registry. You can perform this task as follows:

File "Start" may not exist at the specified address, which means it will have to be created. To do this you need:

All the methods described above really work. They were tested by users whose USB ports once stopped functioning.