Solving USB Port Detectors Issue with External Devices

Have you ever faced the frustration of your laptop USB port not detecting external mouses and keyboards, even though they work fine before? This article will guide you through the common causes and effective solutions to this issue, ensuring your external devices work perfectly.

Understanding the Common Causes

There are several reasons why your computer's USB port might not detect external mouses and keyboards. Here are some of the most common culprits:

Dirty USB Port

If your USB port is dirty or obstructed, it might not establish a proper connection. Simply cleaning the port with a soft, damp cloth or a brush can resolve this issue.

Corrupted or Outdated Mouse/Keyboard Driver

The mouse or keyboard driver might be outdated or corrupted, leading to detection issues. Ensure your drivers are updated to the latest version.

Outdated USB Bus Controller Driver

The USB bus controller driver might also be outdated or corrupted. Updating this driver can help resolve the problem.

Power Management Settings

Improper power management settings can cause the USB port not to detect the mouse or keyboard. Check and modify these settings to resolve the issue.

USB Controller Bug

Internal bugs or glitches in the USB controller can cause connection issues. Disabling and enabling the USB controller can address these minor glitches.

BIOS Issues

Rarely, BIOS corruption can cause this problem. Checking the BIOS might help in some cases.

Effective Solutions

Follow these steps to solve the “USB port not detecting external mouse and keyboard” problem:

1. Restart Your Device

Start by restarting your device. Many internal glitches can be resolved with a simple restart. Try this before proceeding to the next steps.

2. Clean Your USB Port

Use a soft, damp cloth or brush to clean the USB port. Remove any dust or obstacles to ensure proper connection.

3. Scan for Hardware Changes

Windows has an inbuilt feature to scan for hardware changes. Run this feature to fix issues with the hardware components.

Click on the Start icon and search for Device Manager. Select Mice and other pointing devices and then click on the Scan for hardware changes option. Check if the issue is resolved.

4. Disable and Enable USB Controllers

Disabling and enabling USB controllers can resolve internal glitches. Follow these steps:

Click on Start and search for Device Manager. Expand Universal Serial Bus Controller and right-click on USB generic hub, then choose Update driver. Restart your PC to let the changes take effect.

5. Run the Hardware Device Troubleshooter

Use the inbuilt Hardware and Device troubleshooter to automatically scan and fix the problem.

Press the Windows key and type Troubleshooting. Select Hardware and Device and click on the Run button. Check if the issue is resolved.

6. Modify Your Power Management Settings

Ensure your system is not running in low power mode, as this can restrict USB port detection. Change the power plan to high-performance.

Restart your system and open Control Panel. Choose Power options and select the High-performance option. Restart your system and check if the issue is resolved.

7. Update the USB Bus Controller Driver

Outdated or corrupted USB bus controller drivers can cause issues. Update this driver to resolve the problem.

Click on Device Manager and expand Universal Serial Bus Controller. Right-click on USB generic hub and choose Update driver. Restart your system after the update.

8. Uninstall and Reinstall Mouse/Keyboard Driver

If the USB bus controller driver is updated but the issue persists, reinstall the mouse/keyboard driver to resolve the problem.

Expand Mice and other pointing devices and right-click on the device name, then choose Uninstall device. Click on Actions and then click on Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the drivers. Alternatively, visit the manufacturer's website to download the latest drivers.

9. Change BIOS Settings

As a last resort, change the BIOS settings if all else fails.

Restart your system and hit the F12 key (or equivalent). Click on Devices and then select USB Setup. Enable USB Virtual KBC Support and save the settings. Restart your system and check if the issue is resolved.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the “USB port not detecting external mouse and keyboard” problem and ensure your devices work smoothly.