Front USB ports not recognized

[garlicbread22]

Hi
The front USB ports on the case of my desktop dont work properly. Sometimes they dont register anything and recently they have been saying "USB device not recognized". I assume the problem is to do with the motherboard as the rear usb ports work, just not the front ones, no matter what device I plug in.
Could anyone tell me how to solve the problem, will I have to go into my BIOS or something?

thanks

 

[Stu DemonD]

Have you checked the connector from the front of the case to the headers on the motherboard - it may have come loose.

 

[garlicbread22]

Yeah the connections are fine. I recently installed a card reader with a USB port in which also doesnt work. (the original usb ports didnt work before this)

 

[ChrisUK]

Need more info:-

1.) Operating System
2.) System / Motherboard model no.

If its XP there's a common problem but seems to effect hibernation more than anything:-

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/871233

 

[garlicbread22]

The operating system : windows 7 64 bit
Motherboard : Asus P5QL/EPU (if i remember rightly, definatly asus)

 

[Fiatseicento2002]

Have you installed the OS urself?

 

[ChrisUK]

If the back ones work then its a problem with the wiring of the fronts for sure. If its a solid connector then they must be wired wrong for that motherboard. Or the headers for USB are just broken full stop. If you don't get it right first time it can permanently break them.

 

[garlicbread22]

Have you installed the OS urself?

Yes i did

If the back ones work then its a problem with the wiring of the fronts for sure. If its a solid connector then they must be wired wrong for that motherboard. Or the headers for USB are just broken full stop. If you don't get it right first time it can permanently break them.

Why would the solid connector be wired wrong? I doubt there broken as neither the usb on the case or the card reader work. Plus the card slots work fine, just not the usb slot on it. Plus if it wasnt wired correctly, surely the computer wouldnt recognise anything at all?

 

[ChrisUK]

One way to find out if its software is get a bootable linux distro or similar and boot from CD/DVD and try it in Linux I recommend ubuntu but really anything will do!.

How does the card reader plug-in?

And yes even if the USB headers on the mobo ain't wired at all the computer will detect a USB hub of some description (the controller for them is still on the motherboard and live).

 

[Shadeyman]

Yeah the connections are fine. I recently installed a card reader with a USB port in which also doesnt work. (the original usb ports didnt work before this)

Windows default drivers have probabely managed to configure most of it but not the USB. The card/motherboard probabely requires drivers, take a look on the manufacturers website for updated drivers for your motherboard and the card reader.

 

[garlicbread22]

One way to find out if its software is get a bootable linux distro or similar and boot from CD/DVD and try it in Linux I recommend ubuntu but really anything will do!.

How does the card reader plug-in?

And yes even if the USB headers on the mobo ain't wired at all the computer will detect a USB hub of some description (the controller for them is still on the motherboard and live).

That all sounds a bit complicated to me, I have no experiance with linux

The card reader plugs in like the front USB cables do, i couldnt tell you what the plug is called as I am a bit of a noob.

Windows default drivers have probabely managed to configure most of it but not the USB. The card/motherboard probabely requires drivers, take a look on the manufacturers website for updated drivers for your motherboard and the card reader.

Which drivers do I want?
There series is socket 775
And the model is p5ql/epu
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx

 

[colin79666]

You checked the Device Manager for any warnings?

 

[garlicbread22]

You checked the Device Manager for any warnings?

Cant see any warnings and it says all of the software is up to date

 

[colin79666]

Might be worth booting a live linux os to confirm whether this is a hardware or a windows problem...

 

[Shadeyman]

Which drivers do I want?

You should install all the manufacturers drivers for your setup, perhaps only skipping the BIOS update.

Motherboard(Chipset)
Audio
Graphic's

All of them.
Once you have installed all of them check Device Manager for any problems. If that doesn't cure it then you have a physical problem not a softwarte problem. Time to start checking compatablitiy and connections.

 

[garlicbread22]

ok iv updated all the drivers on the motherboard and they still dont work properly. So how do I do this booting from linux thing?

 

[Stu DemonD]

Have they ever worked or not?

 

[dave]

have you tried plugging some thing else in it? i thought mine had broke, first i thought it was my card reader, but then plugged my camera in instead an that didnt work either and then thought it was the ports, then i realised i was using the same cable so i got a new cable and it turned out it was just that an not the ports at all

 

[Hellcat]

1. Check connection. If they are individual pins then confirm order. If it's a multi-block then check it's the correct way around.

2. Check you're plugged into the USB header and not the firewire header.

3. Does the card reader also have a headphone socket? Make sure you haven't mixed them up.

4. Check if extra USB controllers require enabling in the BIOS.

 

[garlicbread22]

Have they ever worked or not?

they worked occasionally when they were first installed, now they just dont work at all. usb in card reader never worked.

have you tried plugging some thing else in it? i thought mine had broke, first i thought it was my card reader, but then plugged my camera in instead an that didnt work either and then thought it was the ports, then i realised i was using the same cable so i got a new cable and it turned out it was just that an not the ports at all

yeah iv tried plugging all sorts in

1. Check connection. If they are individual pins then confirm order. If it's a multi-block then check it's the correct way around.

2. Check you're plugged into the USB header and not the firewire header.

3. Does the card reader also have a headphone socket? Make sure you haven't mixed them up.

4. Check if extra USB controllers require enabling in the BIOS.

i think it what you called a mutiblock and its definatly the way around cos its got the one pin missing thing

im pretty sure its the usb header as there are serveral of them next to each other and i cant see where else they could go

card reader does not have a headphone socket

How do i know if they need enabling or not? and if so where abouts in the bios would it be. i had a quick look round in there but couldnt find anything about USB