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Question

USB ports not working with thumb drive

Apr 11, 2013 4:43AM PDT

I have two USB ports on the front of a PC that I use for backups. For no apparent reason they stopped working today. I plugged my printer into the ports to verify if they work and they did work with the printer. When I try to do a backup I get a message saying the port/drive does not exist. I went into the device manager and those two USB ports don't show there either. HELP...does anyone have any thoughts on what to do next?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Do the rear ports show ok and work?
Apr 11, 2013 5:07AM PDT

About all you can do is check to make sure the connections are good. You have have wiring from the front ports to the MB header. Remove the connectors and plug them back in. Make sure the pins in the connectors are fully seated as well. Pulled pins are notorious for causing connection failures. I have had USB ports go bad and I suspect due to static discharge. When this happened to me, however, the ports didn't disappear but showed as having a problem. Good luck.

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Do the rear ports show ok and work?
Apr 11, 2013 7:12AM PDT

Yes all of the rear ports are working, except when I plug in an external drive of any sort. I know the connection is good on the front ports as the printer works in them.

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Answer
Given only this detail
Apr 11, 2013 7:56AM PDT

I'd look to System Restore to a day ago.

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system restore
Apr 11, 2013 10:10AM PDT

Will this delete any new data added since one day ago?

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No
Apr 11, 2013 10:21AM PDT
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backup
Apr 12, 2013 10:14PM PDT

I backup everyday.

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system restore
Apr 12, 2013 10:13PM PDT

Did a system restore and USB still won't read any mass storage device.

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Check cable
Apr 13, 2013 12:49AM PDT

Often enough most frt. USB ports are connected by a cable harness inside the PC to the header on the mtrbd. With power-OFF, locate and reseat several times the connection and retry for use. If it still fails, then it very well could have blown the USB chip that's the hub typically runs 2 USB ports. Unless this is a generic type of port placement, then you have to install a satellite hub using a rear USB port which can add 2-8 new ports, google for such.

tada ------Willy Happy

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Go back a few more days.
Apr 13, 2013 2:45AM PDT

And if there is a hardware issue, I test for that by booting up a Live CD (Ubuntu or other). No install needed and I can test the hardware.
Bob