USB device not detected on front 2 ports but is detected on back 2 ports? Soft ware or hardware prob

[Smoove]

I have a DELL PC with the following build:

Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.70GHz
Processor Speed 1.65 GHz
Memory (RAM) 256 MB
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Operating System Version 5.1.2600
All of the service pack updates have been installed.

I have two USB ports on the back panel and two USB ports on the front
panel. My scanner and printer were both pluged into the back ports and
working fine. Today I got a gamepad controller and tried to install it
in one of the front USB ports and could not get it to be recognized.
If I removed the printer from the back USB port, and then installed
the gamepad in the back USB port (previously occupied by the printer),
the gamepad was recognized and worked perfect. I was beginning to
think it was a hardware problem with the two front ports; however if I
plug the printer into one of the front USB ports the printer is
recognized and works fine. So I switched the gamepad back to the front
and still not recognized.

I also tried to install a USB cable to hotsynch my palmpilot from the
front port a few months ago and could never get it to work so I gave
up on that and instead installed it via the serial port the old
fashioned way. I wonder if I had tried the usb hotsynch cable on one
of the back two ports if it would have worked also? Or maybe the
driver for the usb hotsynch cable has messed everything up?

So how do I resolve the problem of some devices not being detected
from the front two USB ports but not the back posts?
Thanks a bunch for any help.

John Kirby

 

[Ian Smythe]

I have a DELL PC with the following build:

Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.70GHz
Processor Speed 1.65 GHz
Memory (RAM) 256 MB
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Operating System Version 5.1.2600
All of the service pack updates have been installed.

I have two USB ports on the back panel and two USB ports on the front
panel. My scanner and printer were both pluged into the back ports and
working fine. Today I got a gamepad controller and tried to install it
in one of the front USB ports and could not get it to be recognized.
If I removed the printer from the back USB port, and then installed
the gamepad in the back USB port (previously occupied by the printer),
the gamepad was recognized and worked perfect. I was beginning to
think it was a hardware problem with the two front ports; however if I
plug the printer into one of the front USB ports the printer is
recognized and works fine. So I switched the gamepad back to the front
and still not recognized.

I also tried to install a USB cable to hotsynch my palmpilot from the
front port a few months ago and could never get it to work so I gave
up on that and instead installed it via the serial port the old
fashioned way. I wonder if I had tried the usb hotsynch cable on one
of the back two ports if it would have worked also? Or maybe the
driver for the usb hotsynch cable has messed everything up?

So how do I resolve the problem of some devices not being detected
from the front two USB ports but not the back posts?
Thanks a bunch for any help.

You should contact Dell! I had a Dell and the problem was that they
did not have the front two ports connected to the M/B. I had to get them
to send me the cable to do it.

 

[Gary Tait]

So how do I resolve the problem of some devices not being detected
from the front two USB ports but not the back posts?
Thanks a bunch for any help.

Open the computer up to ensure they are conencted.

 

[Richard Oastler]

Have you tried looking inside the case to see if they are actually connected
to the motherboard

Richard

 

[sqr]

Hook up the small cable or return it to where you had purchased it to have
them do it.

 

[R. McCarty]

On some motherboards, the BIOS has options related to how
USB channels are configured. It could be that not all of your
available channels are turned on. Most likely, you'll find those
options in BIOS under a category called "Integrated Peripherals:"

 

[sqr]

You have a point there.

 

[Smoove]

Thanks for the replies. I looked inside the computer. You are right
the back two USB ports are directly on the motherboard and the front
two are connected by wires; however, I did not see any obvious loose
or bad connections.

I think the power is Ok because the USB cable that I have to hotsynch
my palm pilot with will also charge the palm pilot. So I got it out
and tried to connect the USB-PDA cable again. I did get windows to
recognize that I had connected a new piece of hardware but I could not
get it to work any further than that; although it would charge the
palm; therefore power is at least flowing out to charge the palm. I
thought the problem with the USB-PDA cable is an obsolete driver. So
after some searching I have now found a driver that allows my USB-PDA
cable to work. My palm Vx hotsynchs fine and it charges through the
cable. So both data and power are flowing.

The only caveat here is that the palm is a serial device being routed
through a USB port (in the device manager the USB-PDA cable appears
under the ports (COM & LPT1) heading, not under the USB heading). I am
not sure if this would make any difference in explaining why this
unpowered cable works and the gamepad does not.

I just do not understand why the game pad is not even recognized as
being plugged in when put in one of the front USB.

THanks, if you have any other thoughts, I am open to most all
suggestion.

John

 

[Smoove]

I also looked in the BIOS and USB is Enabled. I only found one
location in the BIOS that seemed to apply to USB but I will look
again.

Thanks
John

 

[Richard Oastler]

Another option is to check if the usb plugs are connected the right way to
the motherboard maybe the power is connected but not the data pins

Richard

 

[Smoove]

I looked inside the computer and the back two USB ports are directly
on the motherboard and the front two are connected by wires; however,
I did not see any obvious loose or bad connections.

I think the power is Ok because the USB cable that I have to hotsynch
my palm pilot with will also charge the palm pilot. So I got it out and tried
to connect the USB-PDA cable again. I did get windows to recognize
that I had connected a new piece of hardware but I could not get it to
work any further than that; although it would charge the palm;
therefore power is at least flowing out to charge the palm. I believe
the problem with the USB-PDA cable is an obsolete driver and I have not
found one yet to work with windows XP. I just do not understand why
the game pad is not even recognized as being plugged in when put in
one of the front USB.

I must have found the right driver because now I can get the USB - PDA
cable not only to be recognized but to actually Hotsynch the palm from
the front USB. The driver program I believe actually configures the
USB to act as a serial port because in the device manager the USB -
PDA is found under the Ports (COM and LPT) heading and not the USB
heading.

Now if I could only get the game pad to work from the other front USB
port???

John
(e-mail address removed)

Sorry about the cross posting.