Windows - USB Ports not working after Update

[Peter Stahl]

Any Windows IT person out there? After a Windows Update our USB Ports stopped working so no Mouse, No Keyboard so we can't log in. If I use "Remote Desktop Connection" I can log in and use this PC on our Network. I went to Control Panel-System-Device Manager-Universal Serial Bus Controllers and the screen shot attachment is what I got. I tried to reload them but that didn't work. Deleted the last Windows Update but that didn't help either. Anyone have a fix for this?

[Mike Trent]

Peter,

I’m an IT guy by trade, and haven’t seen this before. My troubleshooting on something like this is to reboot (which I assume you’ve done), and then Google the heck out of the issue. This last step has made me look like a genius more often than I care to admit.

[Peter Stahl]

Is there a way to reload the USB Drivers? I tried deleting them but still have them load with the little yellow triangles. I guessing the last update was a Security Update which I deleted and it reloaded but didn't change the USB stuff. I googled and looked at a bunch of Youtube videos but none were of any help.

[Mike Trent]

Re-installing the USB drivers might be needed. What’s the make of the PC? If a big name like Dell or HP, their support pages should have drivers for whichever version of Windows you are running.

In a case like this I’d do as I mentioned before. For example, Google “Dell Precision 400 drivers” (changing the query to suit your particular model). Then download the driver package and follow the instructions on the support page.

Best of luck.

Mike

[Peter Stahl]

I give up, I searched everywhere and couldn't find anything that worked. I think it's just too old. It's a Dell Optiplex 390, 64 bit. I'm also trying to load it from another PC so this may be part of the problem. This is a work PC so it looks like were going to have to ask for a replacement. Thanks for the help Mike.

[Jerome Stanek]

I had to use the restore to an earlier wins on my wives computer. you get there by going into PC Settings and the to recovery. There is a tutorial that shows you how.

[Russ Filtz]

Time for a reformat and reinstall? Nuclear option, but sometimes needed! Esp. if the PC/install is old.

[Don Kondra]

Try disconnecting the usb cable, wait a few seconds and plug it back in...

I had a usb hub that needed this "fix" once in a while :)

Cheers, Don

[Scott Donley]

Win restore in safe mode, worth a try.

[Jerome Stanek]

The last Windows update messed up a lot of computers. I hate it when they tell you that you need to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. Haven't had to wipe my hard drive in 6 years just keep up with it.

[Roy Petersen]

Sometimes to kick start a misbehaving USB device, you remove it from the list (in device manager, right click, choose uninstall), then reboot the system. It should see the device and attempt to find and load drivers.

[Mike Henderson]

You should be able to do a reinstall of Windows without wiping out your data. I never tried it be MS says you can do that.

Mike

[Peter Stahl]

It is working again! Someone told me they tried a System Restore so I assumed it wouldn't work. I gave it a try tonight and it took it back to good USB drivers. I wasn't expecting it to work but gave it a try. What I tried and didn't work was to simply unplug the USB cables, restart the PC and plug them back in. I did the uninstall driver thing but they did not reload. We have no Windows disk for this PC so the nuclear attempt could not be tried. Thanks everyone for all the replies & suggestions. Now I need to make a Restore Point in case the usb drivers stop working again.

[Mike Henderson]

It is working again! Someone told me they tried a System Restore so I assumed it wouldn't work. I gave it a try tonight and it took it back to good USB drivers. I wasn't expecting it to work but gave it a try. What I tried and didn't work was to simply unplug the USB cables, restart the PC and plug them back in. I did the uninstall driver thing but they did not reload. We have no Windows disk for this PC so the nuclear attempt could not be tried. Thanks everyone for all the replies & suggestions. Now I need to make a Restore Point in case the usb drivers stop working again.

When I didn't have a Windows 10 disk for a computer, I went to the Microsoft site and downloaded Windows 10. You don't have to buy it to download it - they get you when you start Windows up after you install it - they ask for your product serial number. If you're installing over a valid Windows 10 system, it just picks up the serial number from the system - you don't need to know the serial number.

And I understand that one install option is to keep your programs and data and just re-load the operating system. When I did it, I wanted to wipe the computer clean so I chose that option.

Mike

[Peter Stahl]

Thanks for the Info Mike.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Step 1 is to remove Windows from the equation. I do this in one of two ways. My first choice is to boot into the BIOS and look there to verify that the USB ports have not been disabled. Also, on some machines, you can use the mouse from the BIOS. My second choice is to find a Linux boot disk. If you can access the USB mouse after starting from a Linux boot disk. These are often called a "Live" disk. Knoppix is a favorite for many people. As a long time Fedora user, I often go there.

If you cannot use your mouse from a Linux live CD, then you know that the problem is not strictly related to your Windows drivers. It does not mean that the Windows update did not cause the problem, but, if it works there, then you know for certain that the problem is related to Windows.

[Chuck Wintle]

Any Windows IT person out there? After a Windows Update our USB Ports stopped working so no Mouse, No Keyboard so we can't log in. If I use "Remote Desktop Connection" I can log in and use this PC on our Network. I went to Control Panel-System-Device Manager-Universal Serial Bus Controllers and the screen shot attachment is what I got. I tried to reload them but that didn't work. Deleted the last Windows Update but that didn't help either. Anyone have a fix for this?

if you have the driver disk that came with the computer it will contain the drivers needed for the USB ports.

[Jerome Stanek]

if you have the driver disk that came with the computer it will contain the drivers needed for the USB ports.

USB ports are native to the mother board and don't need drivers. The things you plug into the USB ports need drivers.

[Chuck Wintle]

USB ports are native to the mother board and don't need drivers. The things you plug into the USB ports need drivers.
Are you sure about that?

[Jerome Stanek]

Most new computers will boot off a USB drive that no drivers are loaded

[Roy Petersen]

Most new computers will boot off a USB drive that no drivers are loaded
Drivers are instructions for communication between devices, and that includes USB headers on the motherboard. Without those low level drivers, nothing you connect would work, regardless of that connected device having it's own drivers or not.