One of the most used components in computers are undoubtedly the USB ports, which allow us to connect various external devices to the machine. Because of their importance, we have put together a list of precautionary measures and solutions to repair them in the event of a failure.
These solutions, precautions, and diagnostics can be applied by any user at home or in the office.
1. 5V and Ground Cables
One of the most serious cases we may encounter is when the 5V and ground cables are incorrectly connected and are sending the 5 volts elsewhere, which can cause damage to the USB ports and the USB circuits on the motherboard.
USB1:
- VCC (5V) – Red
- -D – White
- +D – Green
- GROUND (GD, GR, MASA) – Black
USB2:
- VCC (5V) – Orange (or red)
- -D – Yellow
- +D – Gray
- GROUND (GD, GR, MASA) – Blue, dark brown (or black)
2. Failure Due to a Power Supply Issue
In this case, one of the most common symptoms is that when you connect an external device to the computer via a USB port, it does nothing. (This usually happens with devices that need power from the port).
3. Damage to Ports from Bad Connection to the Motherboard
In this case, you will need to install a PCI-USB controller card in your computer to replace the ports damaged by the short circuit.
4. Hasty Disconnection of External Devices
This task mainly affects external devices, but it can also cause damage to the ports.
5. Accumulated Dirt
USB devices often travel with us in pockets, bags, backpacks, or wallets, so we recommend cleaning the devices and ports regularly.
6. Driver Problems
To update the drivers for the ports, due to update or compatibility issues, we recommend using Driver Booster.
7. How to Detect Driver Problems
Open Device Manager and look for any yellow sign that indicates the drivers are outdated or that there is a problem with them. To fix it, select the port and click "Update".
8. Presence of Viruses
One of the most common reasons for a device or USB port not working is the presence of malicious software, either on the computer or on the device. In this case, we recommend a thorough scan of the system and external drives with your antivirus.
9. Microsoft Fix It
This powerful Microsoft tool provides a solution to any hardware problem and Plug and Play devices. Simply install the application and follow its instructions.
10. Restore the System
Creating restore points is really important for repairing damaged USB ports and for solving many other problems. Usually restoring the system to an earlier date is a simple and effective solution. However, for that you need to get into the habit of creating restore points regularly.
11. Restart the System
This step should be the first option, because a simple restart of the computer often solves the USB port failure. This solution is like that little tap we used to give to tube TVs: an effective and magical solution.
We hope that this list of 11 points to prevent and solve damage to USB ports and devices has helped you repair them.
