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Resolved Question

USB Hub Power Exceeded

Dec 19, 2013 11:58PM PST

I understand that this topic has been covered several times over the last few years. However, after reading the other old posts, I wanted to see if there are any fresh ideas or fixes. Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Recently I've started having this USB power issue pop up on random computers. So far, it's happening on two HP Ultra Slim Desktops and two HP Probooks. All of them are using Win XP and every one of them is a different model. The I haven't yet been able to find a fix. I first noticed the problem when trying to setup an XP PC with a 3rd display, using an iOGear USB to VGA adapter. I then noticed that not only would it not initialize the adapter due to the "USB Hub Power Exceeded", it would not initialize a USB flash driver either. Peripherals such as mice and keyboards do not seem to be a problem. The problem then popped up on a computer that was working without issue with a 3rd display attached via an iOGear USB VGA Adapter. Suddenly, it's having the same exact issues as the previous. When asking the other tech around the office, one had a notebook that has been doing this for 2 months and another just started having the problem last week on a notebook. Neither of these notebooks were/are using a USB VGA Adapter.

The notebook that came down with the issue last week seemed to do so right after some windows updates were installed. These are the updates, that I was able to find, which were installed just prior to the issue starting: KB2898785, KB2893984, KB2893294, KB2898715, KB2892075, KB2850085, KB2917500. I did not see any driver update installation and there was no other software installed just prior. I uninstalled each of these, one by one, and the issue remains.

I can tell you that all the normal suggestions have been tried and that "you have too many things connected by USB" and "Hide the USB Hub Power Exceeded notification" are neither the issue nor the solution. I swapped the hard drive into a PC that I had tested to be working properly and the issue followed. That ruled out any hardware issues as far as I am concerned. I checked several chipset driver versions and the problem didn't change. I checked the BIOS for a setting to reconfigure the USB 3.0 ports to function as USB 2.0 ports. However, HP has a limited function BIOS on these machines, so I was not able to adjust the USB 3.0 function to allow Windows to use the native EHCI driver. I've turned off any power management of the USB Root Hub(s). I've "uninstalled" the USB controllers and hubs through device manager and then let the system re-install after a restart. I've checked the drivers that are being used for USB against other computers of the same models that are working properly and there doesn't appear to be a difference in the driver. So, I don't think that the drivers themselves have been updated or changed. I am stumped.

Does anyone have any suggestions or hunches? Please don't re-hash the suggestions from all the previous posts. As I said, I have tried all the typical suggestions. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my post and any useful suggestions you may have.

Discussion is locked

kurewe has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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I have solved my "USB Hub Power Exceeded" issue
Jan 13, 2014 1:27AM PST

As I had run out of ideas and the problem seems to be popping up more and more, I decided to put together a system and duplicate one of the machines that recently came down with the issue. I started going step by step with the software installations until I dug deeper into the machine to determine everything that had been installed from October 2013 to present. When I got to the Windows INF folder, I found that several of the drivers installed were from Citrix. These drivers are USB Video Redirectors. When I found this, I recalled seeing the Citrix Connector software running on some of the other problem machines as well. I uninstalled the Citrix software, made sure the drivers were actually removed and then restarted the computer. When I logged back into Windows, I plugged in my flash drive, which wouldn't work just prior, and it actually worked this time. I didn't have time to do any more testing Friday. So, I when I returned to work this morning, I reconnected the third monitor via the IOGear USB adapter and waited to see what happened. Sure enough, the display came up and worked just fine.

I then started looking for an older version of the Citrix ICA Client/Receiver and ran across a single article on the Citrix support site that made reference to this exact issue.

http://discussions.citrix.com/topic/338636-a-usb-device-has-exceeded-the-power-limits-of-its-hub-port/

The suggestion was to contact Citrix Technical Support and quote LA4582. (I assume that LA4582 is an internal knowledge base article). I do not know what the solution is. However, I would imagine that it's to uninstall the current version (14.x) and install an earlier ICA Client/Receiver like version 12.x or 13.x. Or, to swap the ctxusbm.sys driver with an older version. I get the impression that the driver somehow adjusts/modifies the USB Hub voltage readings from 500 mA to 100 mA and the XP OS then views that as an exceedance of the Hub's power.

I know that this has resolved my issue. I can't say if it will resolve anyone else's. Definitely check into what drivers/software have been installed. I never would have thought that the Citrix ICA Client/Receiver would have caused an issue with USB function. And definitely look past advice such as "plug in powered hub" or "you have too many USB devices connected" or "just upgrade to Win 7" or "use a USB Y cable" or "you have a hardware issue". Take some time and be methodical about your troubleshooting. You'll find the answer eventually.

By all means, if you have a question for me, feel free to ask. I'd be more than happy to help.

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mA is not Voltage.
Jan 13, 2014 1:33AM PST

And the change appears to be what has been noted in the past. It is masking the issue by the same old changes.

I bet you'll find my reply offensive but to write that mA is Voltage means your support is not being complete.

Good to read you arrived at your destination and hope in the future we can work on another issue without restrictions.
Bob

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Does it matter?
Jan 13, 2014 1:55AM PST

Bob,

I certainly don't find your reply offensive. I find you to be a bit offensive. You talk about the same old changes. However, are you not the one who initially responded with a suggestion to use a USB Y cable? Throughout the whole thread you obviously had an issue with my request to not suggest a bunch of lazy man's suggestions. It was fairly obvious that it truly bothered you. You could have just kept silent on the matter instead of acting like an impudent child who's parent just told them "no". Believe it or not Bob, being a moderator doesn't mean you know everything. But, it does mean you should know when it's appropriate to not say anything at all. You mention how you've had a similar issue with at least one other person here. What's the common denominator here Bob? Could it be you?
Now, are you going to let it go and move on Bob? Or, are you going to have to get the last word as always and correct me yet again about something as trivial as my mistake between voltage and amperage?
Have a good day Bob.

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It was my olive branch.
Jan 13, 2014 2:08AM PST

Or hope we could work on issues like this without the restrictions. After solving this with the usual changes and Y cables for so many over the past decades I wanted to ask if you could accept the prior answers but this makes 2 folk in about 20 years that want more than the usual.

I know this sounds hard but yes, mA versus Voltage does matter. Ask any engineer.

Good to read you solved it, no matter how.
Bob

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Answer
Re: USB hub
Dec 20, 2013 12:37AM PST

The only suggestion I have: contact HP Customer Service and ask for a solution.

It's not unlikely HP will stop support of Windows XP at the same time as Microsoft does, so you've got some three more months to get this solved.

Kees

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Answer
Have you tried a POWERED USB hub?
Dec 20, 2013 1:13AM PST

As Kees points out, XP is about to lose the last remnants of support in April, so that's one of your problems. You should upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 ASAP. Another is HP support - I've never found them to be helpful and somethings they tell you things that're simply wrong. THREE VGA devices on one PC? That's very unusual. How old are these computers? Maybe you have a power supply problem. Since you say the problem follows your hard drive, is the hard drive that came with the computer? Maybe it's not and it places more of a load on the power supply than it was designed to support. Lots of possibilities here, but the fact that you're still running XP really bothers me. You've simply got to upgrade ASAP.

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Powered USB hubs and Windows XP
Dec 20, 2013 1:51AM PST

I guess I should have included some details regarding the scope, environment and future implementation plans.

I work in a hospital/healthcare system with over 4000 users. There's quite a bit of red tape that gets in the way of getting things done quickly. We are converting systems to Windows 7. However, there are applications that are in use which are not yet playing well with Windows 7. Yes, moving to Windows 7 will resolve the issue at hand. But, it is currently only viable as a solution for a small number of machines. The systems with 3 displays are viewing multiple applications such as live heart catheterization, imaging reports and the EMR system. Not all of the affected machines involve 3 displays. Right now, it's about 50/50. The machines are all within 1 month to a year old, running i-5 processors and 2 - 4 GB of RAM.

The situation is a bit of a catch 22.

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Catch 22?
Dec 20, 2013 2:20AM PST

I took your reply that you did not want to re-hash. But given the 100% fix rate using the old fixes I have no reason to use anything but the old ways.

HOWEVER I don't know if you tried the less talked about USB Y power cable. I'll supply a link as an example. These are widely available in the USA.
Bob

-> http://www.amazon.com/OEM-UTStarcom-USB-Adapter-Cable/dp/B002W8EDOM/

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USB Y Power Cable
Dec 20, 2013 4:19AM PST

I am currently using a USB DVD drive with a Y power cable to perform my testing. It is not making a difference with regards to providing extra power. I believe I should re-state that the issue is not a hardware issue. I proved that by taking the hard drive and placing it into another machine of the exact same model, in which, the USB was functioning properly. The problem transferred to the test machine. I can only assume that whatever has happened has caused the OS to believe there is a power loss when in actuality, the hardware and power are functioning normally.
I will also state that I will not use a powered hub or some other method to circumvent the issue at hand. My goal is to resolve the issue.

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Then with 4000 users and machines in warranty
Dec 20, 2013 5:54AM PST

You have a boatload of bullets to force the maker to fix this. Again, while I have cured it too many times, your post denies me re-hashing any prior answer so I thought about what I didn't share.

One more thing I didn't share. There is an electrical mod to remove the current sense feature. But only your electronics tech/engineer would do that!
Bob

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Your cures
Dec 22, 2013 11:01PM PST

Bob,

I can see that you're having a hard time with my request not to re-hash prior answers, seeing as how you've mentioned it in each one of your responses. I can see that you most definitely feel like you can resolve my issue. If it helps you ease your frustration at the conditions I placed on my request, by all means, make me a list of the cures you have used. You don't have to go into extreme detail. I do have over 15 years of computer repair under my belt and extensive practical experience. Keep in mind that I have already determined that it's not a hardware issue. So, taking my soldering iron to the board really isn't the right direction to go. Also, my intention is not to work around, circumvent or mask the issue. I'm looking for a solution that would actually allow me to put preventative measures in place to keep this from happening on more computers and therefore let me return my focus to getting out systems changed over to Win 7.

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" Also, my intention is not to work around, circumvent or
Dec 23, 2013 1:07AM PST

" Also, my intention is not to work around, circumvent or mask the issue. "

Again with the restrictions. There is a long post about this in one of the CNET forums and every time the original poster leads with this they often claim that the changes are masking the issue.

Since you want it fixed at the OS or driver level, there is nothing I can offer you today as this is not open source.

At least you have thousands of bullets to use on your supplier.
Bob

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Well then if you're more interested in proving a point...
Dec 20, 2013 12:06PM PST

...than resolving the problem, I don't think anyone is going to be able to help you. Seems like cutting off your hand to spite your thumb to me, but it's your kettle of fish. I think the odds of your success are very slim, but it's your ball game. Go get 'em!

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Proving a point?
Dec 22, 2013 11:15PM PST

wpgwpg... this really isn't about proving a point. This is about trying to resolve a specific problem. It's funny to me that there are so many people that consider themselves computer techs (or whatever variation they would prefer to call themselves), who think it an answer or solution to tell someone to hide an error or to go get a powered hub. That is not a "Cure". Nor, is that my idea of fixing a problem.
You are right that it is my kettle of fish. The kettle is full of 4000 fish, that if cooked the right way, won't stink. So, unless you have a better recipe than hiding or ignoring the smell, what point are you trying to prove by being less than helpful?

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Re: 4000 users
Dec 20, 2013 5:40AM PST

With 4000 users, you might be able to convince HP (or the reseller where you bought those machiens) to solve it for you. If they are still inside warranty (1 year warranty, or did you extend it?), you can even return them if they can't fix it.

Kees

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Answer
There are no new developments.
Dec 20, 2013 1:26AM PST

As you don't want to re-hash, I'll stop here.
Bob