How to Fix USB Problems
Devices that use USB (Universal Serial Bus) can perform a wide variety of functions. Keyboards, mice, external hard drives, optical drives, microphones, headphones, printers and scanners can all exhibit a range of problems related to their USB connections. Therefore, it is difficult to give advice specific to these devices, but there are several actions you can take to diagnose and fix USB problems.
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Instructions
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Check your USB cables. The most common source of USB problems is simply a loose or disconnected cable. The connectors on each end don't click into place, so it can be difficult to tell if they're all the way in. Also, when you remove a USB cord, don't do so by pulling on the cable. Pull out the connector itself. Otherwise, the wires inside the cable can deteriorate over a period of months if you're pulling on the cable on a regular basis.
A visual inspection of the connector will not usually indicate this damage. Therefore, try to have multiple spare USB cables on hand so that you can easily replace one if it fails, or if it gets chewed up or cut. However, some devices such as an iPod use proprietary USB cables. If this type of cable appears to be causing your problem, you must obtain a spare from the device manufacturer. If none are available from them (on account of the item being discontinued or the company going out of business), you may be able to obtain one from the second-hand market.
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Check your ports for proper speeds. Some of the USB ports on your computer may not be running at high speeds. While a USB 2.0 port operates at up to 400 megabits per second (Mb/s), a USB 1.1 port only operates at up to 12 Mb/s. There is no visual difference between the two. While USB 1.1 is fine for printers, mice, keyboards and microphones, an external storage device will perform quite slowly. If your port of choice appears to be operating slowly, try a port on the back of the computer that is attached directly to the motherboard. A Windows user must have at least Windows 98 SE for USB compatibility.
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Check your ports for proper wiring. The USB ports on the front or top of a computer case have internal wires that connect to the motherboard. Sometimes these wires may not have been connected properly, or at all. If this is the case, you will probably have to open the case and visually inspect where the wires are going to.
If you are experienced with case internals, you may be able to fix this problem by consulting the motherboard manual for the proper connections. If not, you should consult a techie friend, a technician or customer support if the computer is under warranty.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have enough USB ports, you can buy an external "hub" or an expansion card to plug into your motherboard.
Plugging an internal USB wire into a FireWire motherboard connector can cause damage to you computer.
Do not use a frayed USB cable because it is a fire hazard.
