A USB Port in Your Laptop / Desktop Isn’t Working: What to Do?
Tags: testing, test, beginners, tutorial
Published: 2021-09-10 20:40:45

Read this article to find out how to detect and repair a USB port which is not working in a desktop PC or laptop. Solutions for the problem without contacting a PC repair shop.

![A USB Port in Your Laptop / Desktop Isn’t Working](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/cqxi4bgqfttifjqet52u.jpg)

The essential requirement for testing and eliminating possible issues in a USB port is signing in to Windows with an administrator account. If the computer is your own machine, you are likely to be using this type of account while you are reading this. For a computer you are using at work (that is, an office machine) it’s different, and you should contact your system administrator.

##Physical examination
The first step is to check the USB port for possible physical damage.

Testing is easy: insert a USB drive into the port, and move it slightly from side to side to see if it sits tight in the port connector. However, move the drive very carefully to avoid hardware issues, if you haven’t encountered them before. If you don’t know how tight the contact should be in a USB port, perform this procedure with another port which works properly, and then compare the results you get when testing both ports.

If the connector is loose-fitting and the contact with the port seems poor, scroll down to the end of the article to find the solution for hardware issues in a USB port. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.

##Restart the computer
Before doing anything more serious, try a well-proven method for fixing hardware issues: turn the computer off, and then turn it on again. Sometimes it helps as it makes the operating system scan the hardware, for example, the USB port, and restore its operability.

If this trick doesn’t work, it’s time to use the Device Manager app.

##Use the Device Manager
This application contains data on all devices connected to / installed into your personal computer, and lets you configure, adjust and monitor each of them.

Right-click on the Start button which you can find in the lower left corner of the Taskbar. Select Device Manager from the list of possible apps in context menu that appears.

![Use the Device Manager](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/a3vlwufsl9noztalyhhk.jpg)

When the Device Manager starts, you will see this window:

![Device Manager](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/q17rnr6818i6czi3n3un.jpg)

##Check USB controllers
The Device Manager displays all categories of devices that make up your computer. Right now, you need to have a look at universal serial bus controllers. Click on the arrow next to the line Universal Serial Bus controllers to unfold the list of devices. You will see a list of available controllers, just like in our example:

![Check USB controllers](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/hfsqzwqjett7h49g8k85.jpg)

In fact, all these entries do not matter much in your case, Except for one specific line: Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series USB EHCI.

This is a special type of USB controller for the specific computer we are using, and in your case, some symbols in its name may differ. However, the key word is USB EHCI which stands for USB Enhanced Host Controller Interface. Find it in your Device Manager. If it is absent, this could be the core of the problem.

##Check the computer’s configuration
Click the button Scan for hardware changes (you can find it in the toolbar, under the main menu of Device Manager as shown in the picture below). This will make your computer check all the hardware again and update the information if necessary. Doing it may help you see the USB Enhanced Host Controller on the list. If the controller doesn’t show up, it means the problem is still there.

![Check the computer’s configuration](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rry0qv3gzshyenyhf53e.jpg)
##Remove USB Host Controllers
At this stage, everything starts getting more complicated. You will have to remove all controllers in the Device Manager. Remember: when you work on a computer using a mouse and a keyboard connected via USB ports, they will stop working as soon as you remove the controllers.

In the section Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click on the first host controller. From the list of available actions, select Uninstall device.

![Universal Serial Bus controllers](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/hc5leussq9oyqd4nubxm.jpg)

Repeat this step for every USB Host Controller. Now restart the computer. It will make the operating system reinstall and reconfigure these controllers, which can fix the specific controller that is not responding at the moment.

###Clean the Device Manager
There is always a chance that the Device Manager may still display previously installed devices which are no longer connected to your computer. Sometimes, device drivers remain on your computer for a long time after the device was disconnected. It’s high time to check and clean the Device Manager, by removing drivers that are old or no longer used.

If this method doesn’t help you, try another one below.

##Disable USB selective suspend setting
USB selective suspend setting is a power-saving option in the Windows operating system which suspends power supply to a USB device in order to extend the period of a computer’s work on battery. This is a good function to help you save power, but sometimes it may block a connected USB device.

You can disable USB selective suspend setting in one of the two ways: using the power options or configuring certain things the Registry Editor.

###Method one: Use Power Options
Open the Settings app. Click on the Start button in the lower left corner of your desktop, and open the main Windows menu. In the side panel, click on the gearwheel icon. Alternatively, drag the scroll bar down until you find the line Settings.

![Method one: Use Power Options](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/tads7s27nu4ysgeo7iu7.jpg)