Member Avatar for gikonyo

All the USB ports of my computer are not functioning not unless i use a USB cable to connect a particular usb device. what could be the problem with my computer.

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A concise diagnostic and practical checklist to narrow this down. The symptom reported by (devices only work when routed through a short USB lead/adapter) most commonly points to one of three areas: poor mechanical contact at the port, insufficient or intermittent 5V power from that port, or an OS/driver power-management issue. Earlier prompts from about device types and about testing with a simple mouse are the right direction—those quick checks help separate hardware from software faults.

  1. Basic hardware checks
  • Visually inspect each USB socket for bent pins, debris, or a recessed connector; power off the PC before probing.
  • Compare front-panel ports to the motherboard rear I/O. If rear ports work reliably while front ones fail, suspect the front-panel header/cable or the front ports themselves.
  • Try a low-power device (USB mouse) and a phone (observe if it charges). If a device charges but is not recognized, detection/driver issues are likely.
  • If a known-good short cable or a powered USB hub makes the device work, that strongly suggests port contact or power delivery problems.
  1. OS/driver checks (Windows)
  • Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc) → Universal Serial Bus controllers: uninstall faulty entries or all USB controllers, then reboot to let Windows reinstall drivers.
  • In Device Manager, for each USB Root Hub: Properties → Power Management → uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
  • In Power Options: disable USB selective suspend. Update motherboard chipset/USB drivers and check BIOS USB settings (legacy/ports enabled).
  1. Next steps and cautions
    If ports still fail after these checks, the fault is likely physical (broken ports, loose front-panel cable), the motherboard USB controller, or rarely PSU rails. A powered hub is a safe temporary workaround. Avoid inserting metal tools into ports while powered; if uncertain, seek repair service.

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Member Avatar for flagstar

Can you give more specific detail of your problem?

Member Avatar for caperjack

yeah , what type of device ,as except for thumb-drives and card readers ,most usb devices connect via a usb cable

Member Avatar for gikonyo

a modem stick and flash disk can not be recognized when plugged directly to the USB port, but when i use a usb cable they get recognized.

Member Avatar for jingda

When using a mouse does it work? Based on the modem stick and flash disk, nothing can still be concluded. When you said not functioning, does the flash disk get detected in my computer but you are unable to use it?

Edited by jingda because: n/a
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