Move cable to a different USB port?

[Rick C.]

I have four USB ports on my computer (added the USB 2.0 card recently)
and have a device plugged into each of 'em. Something has gotten
screwed up lately and now two of those devices don't work apparently
because of driver problems that I can't seem to fix.

Would it help to switch cables? If I take out the cable where I plug in
my MP3 player THAT WORKS and instead plug into that same port my camera
cable or SanDisk card reader (that both don't work), could that help?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I have four USB ports on my computer (added the USB 2.0 card recently)
and have a device plugged into each of 'em. Something has gotten
screwed up lately and now two of those devices don't work apparently
because of driver problems that I can't seem to fix.

Would it help to switch cables? If I take out the cable where I plug
in my MP3 player THAT WORKS and instead plug into that same port my
camera cable or SanDisk card reader (that both don't work), could
that help?

Very good thinking; it might indeed help you isolate the problem. Also see
whether plugging each device directly into the computer's onboard USB port/s
(presuming you have them) helps at all...

 

[Rick C.]

Thanks. Before I do this, just to confirm: are drivers installed FOR A
SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PORT or just the USB card generally? In other words,
if I switch out the cable which I now attach my cell phone to (this
works), is there cell-phone-related software and drivers that Windows
has loaded for/to THAT SPECIFIC PHYSICAL/HARDWARE PORT (the right-most
of the four on the card)?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Thanks. Before I do this, just to confirm: are drivers installed FOR
A SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PORT or just the USB card generally? In other
words, if I switch out the cable which I now attach my cell phone to
(this works), is there cell-phone-related software and drivers that
Windows has loaded for/to THAT SPECIFIC PHYSICAL/HARDWARE PORT (the
right-most of the four on the card)?

Your drivers don't really care where you plug stuff in - just try swapping
stuff around.