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    M17xR4 USB error

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by sjefferson, May 21, 2012.

  1. sjefferson

    sjefferson Notebook Consultant

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    i'm contemplating if i should return this laptop...

    so i got this USB unknown device error about a week ago.
    it's funny because i have NOTHING plugged in to the USB ports.

    i googled a bit and i eventually found a solution of which you simply unplug the adapter, remove battery and keep pushing power button for ten seconds or so. it basically does motherboard reset - whatever that is...

    the problem came back again today. i did a few things - uninstalling usb driver and rebooting, letting the windows reinstall again, plug in external hard disk, etc... nothing worked until i did the motherboard reset again.

    now i'm suspecting it may be related to hardware error, such as usb ports slowly dying?

    is anybody with r4 getting the same USB unknown device error?
     
    sjefferson, May 21, 2012
    #1
  2. ForeverZen

    ForeverZen Notebook Deity

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    Since you did a clean install maybe you forgot to install the drivers for the bus controllers? The usb will still work you will just get errors. Look in device manager and if you see unknown device icons, you will know that you forgot a driver.
     
    ForeverZen, May 21, 2012
    #2
  3. gadgetjunky

    gadgetjunky Notebook Guru

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    call it in
     
    gadgetjunky, May 21, 2012
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  4. bigtonyman

    bigtonyman Desktop Powa!!!

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    yup make sure you have the USB 3.0 drivers installed. That could be the issue right there. ;)
     
    bigtonyman, May 21, 2012
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  5. sjefferson

    sjefferson Notebook Consultant

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    just to be clear, i did install USB 3.0 drivers from dell. it worked fine for the first few days and there were no errors in the device manager.
    when the error occurred, no driver-reinstalling and rebooting would fix the issue until i removed the battery and reset the motherboard.

    once i did that, it's fine. i'm suspecting the hardware failure as USB ports in general seem to be susceptible to higher rate of failure than the rest of the motherboard...
     
    sjefferson, May 21, 2012
    #5
  6. bigtonyman

    bigtonyman Desktop Powa!!!

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    I guess the next step would be to call dell and explain whats going on. :(
     
    bigtonyman, May 21, 2012
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  7. ForeverZen

    ForeverZen Notebook Deity

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    Did you install them one at a time, or all at once?

    Try updating your bios.
     
    ForeverZen, May 21, 2012
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  8. @tilla

    @tilla Notebook Evangelist

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    2 members in Germany have the same problem.
    There seems to be some serious problems with the USB3.0 or the general BUS system.
    Issues:
    - BR drive resets
    - load on W-/LAN or USB3.0 ticks out the BUS (overload)
    - mouse lag

    Problem also exists with a Linux Boot.
     
    @tilla, May 22, 2012
    #8
  9. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The Revelator, May 22, 2012
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  10. Tapakidney

    Tapakidney Notebook Evangelist

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    Man, I hope these are probs that will be fixable via bios update!
     
    Tapakidney, May 22, 2012
    #10