Broken USB port?

One of the usb ports on my lg s1 doesn't seem to be working right. Whenever I connect any usb device to this port, it says that the usb device connected has malfunctioned. Dunno if this is a software or hardware issue. Btw, the same devices work fine when connected to any of the other 2 ports.

 

sounds like a broken usb port to me.

 

In case there is a software problem, you could uninstall all the USB devices in Device Manager and then let windows redetect and reinstall the drivers.

USB ports do have a nominal power limit (500mA) and some notebooks include overload protection. However, I don't know how this works and whether it will automatically reset.

John

 

Okay, but the device manager is not reporting any erroneous behaviour of the usb ports.

 

Overload protection comes in a small chip. I've seen two protection modes. One limits the current to anywhere between 750ma and 1.5a while warning the OS, the other one cuts power altogether while warning the OS.

Older PCs didn't have any protection at all and there are quite a few systems around that do not react to the overcurrent interrupt.

 

So reinstallation of the usb ports should help?

 

It can't do any harm and should flush out any software problem. What's the expression "any port in a storm". I've used this approach many times to fix an optical drive which has gone into the wrong I/O mode.

You could also see if there is a new version of the chipset software.

John

 

Couldn't have gotten dumber though, but how do I reinstall the usb ports alone?

 

I think you should be able to do it through the Device manager. Uninstall the 'Universal Serial Bus Controllers' and then Scan for Hardware Changes. Windows should pick up the ports and install the drivers again.

 

Yep, either manually scan (right click on the top item in the Device Manager list), or just reboot the computer and windows should redected the hardware.

John