My USB ports aren't recognized as USB 2.0 after reboot

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teedoff00

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Laptop is a 4 year old Alienware M5500 with the Intel Centrino 2.0. Let me know if anything else is relevant and needed.

My computer decided to perform some kind of fatal error while I was converting some music in Itune and then entered my Jump Drive into the computer. It shut itself off and wouldn't boot. I reformatted and reload my OS and it still wouldn't load. So I reset the bios by removing the battery and the back-up battery (little round one). And then the computer booted as usual.

Is there away to get them working again without having to re-format and reload the OS?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Everything is fine so far, just that my USB ports aren't functioning as USB 2.0 ports anymore. I tried resetting the bios once more (thought I did this in the past but can't really remember...)
 
Will this update work with the following USB controllers (from my device manager)

Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 2658
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 2659
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 265A
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 265B

And do I just download and install or do I need to delete all the individual USB drivers first?

Thanks for the reply!
 
Ok I just tried that. I installed the file and they still are just acting as USB 1.1 or whatever. It give me the message of "this device is a high-speed USB 2.0 device, click this bubble to connect to a Hi-Speed Port" then when I click it it takes me to device manager and says I don't have any Hi-Speed ports...

Any ideas?

Thanks again for the help!
 
OK what OS are you using and what service pack is installed? Also if it is the latest service pack download the latest chipset drivers from the motherboard manufacturers website. You can use SIW to find out what motherboard you have...
 
Ok, I haven't finished downloading all the updates (currently installing Service Pack 3). My OS is Windows XP Media Center. I don't know on the Chipset drivers. I rebooted/reformatted a few days ago (I usually try to do this every six months) and the USB ports were working fine. When I had the critical error, and removed the back-up battery for the bios and got the system back up and running (with another reformat) I started have the problems with the USBs. So I am thinking they were related, I just have no idea how to fix it. I am guessing the drivers are up to date (because it worked fine with the reload essentially "out of the box" even though this would mean a 4 year old configuration (like July 2006).

I just don't know what to try, to get them to come back on-line. I really don't want to have to reload the OS again, because it is becoming quite time consuming.

I will load Service Pack 3 and report back.

Thanks!
 
Ok sorry for the multiple posts.

I just finished installing the Service Pack 3. Still no luck on the USB ports being recognized as Hi-Speed 2.0s.

Any ideas what I can try next?
Thanks again for the help Fastco! I really appreciate it!
 
teedoff00 said:
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 2658
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 2659
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 265A
Intel (R) 8280 1FR/FBM USB Universal Host Controller 265B
Click to expand...
When you look in Device Manager, you should be seeing at least one controller either with the word Enhanced and / or with something like USB 2 in its name.. Example: the controllers I see listed on my machine are:
Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27C8
Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27C9
Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27CA
Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB Universal Host Controller - 27CB
Intel(R) 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 27CC​
where the last one, the "Enhanced" controller, is my USB 2.0 controller. See [post=751005]How to Reinstall Your USB Controllers and Motherboard Chipset Drivers[/post]
 
Thanks for responding LookingAround,

I uninstalled all my USB controller and downloaded the chipset driver for my Alienware from their website, and restarted the computer.

My USB's still work but still aren't recognized as USB 2.0 or Enhanced ports. Is there anything else I can try?

Thanks!
 
Hi teedoff00

Sorry to say i'm kinda stumped... On the one hand, it's possible your USB 2.0 "Enhanced" controller has failed at the hardware level...

If the Enhanced controller hardware was once detected but is no longer detected, I would think it should now be a Windows "ghost" device.

See this MS KB.

Close any open DevMgr windows. then follow the directions to first set the environment variable devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices equal to 1 ( i advise using the option in the KB to set the variable in your System Environment variables). Then Open DevMgr and set the View->Show Hidden devices option

Now scroll down to your USB controllers. Does a USB2 or Enhanced controller now appear? and is listed with a semi-transparent icon??
 
Ok, Finally some progress! I do get a hidden USB controller:
Intel (R) 8280 1FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller- 265C

So now what do I do to restore it?
 
teedoff00 said:
Ok, Finally some progress! I do get a hidden USB controller:
Intel (R) 8280 1FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller- 265C

So now what do I do to restore it?
Click to expand...

Well... that's the magic question but i'm not sure if there' a good answer.... I'll explain

The fact that we can now see your USB2.0 controller as a "ghost" device means Windows no longer detects it when you power and boot-up. Note the following order for Windows Plug and Play (PnP) devices:
> PnP protocol allows Windows to detect PnP hardware when its connected.
> Upon detection Windows searches for and loads a driver
>Drivers aren't needed to detect PnP hardware. Drivers are just needed for Windows to actually use the PnP device

The fact your USB2 controller is a "ghost" means the hardware was previously detected and a driver loaded (which we also know since it used to work) But now, Windows is no longer detecting the controller chip which may well mean the USB 2.0 controller chip itself has failed at the hardware level.

If you have a PCMCIA slot on your laptop you may choose to buy a PCMCIA card with a USB2.0 port. You can check (i don't know) what might be involved in effort and $$ to get the motherboard chip, itself, replaced

The only other thing i can think of that might force a hardware reset so, maybe, Windows might redetect the h/w if it hasn't actually failed:
> Power down the laptop
> Remove the battery and unplug the computer and let it sit overnight
> The re-plug the AC cord and power up/reboot and hope for the best

Sorry i don't have any better answer for your situation :(

/* edit */
You might also retry the process, one more time, of uninstalling all your USB controllers as before (only this time also rt click on the "ghost" USB2 controller and uninstall it as well). The reinstall the chipset drivers and reboot.

May not help but can't hurt...

Note if the controller is still undetected the "ghost" device will now have also disappeared from DevMgr as its driver and all prior info about its existence has now also been uninstalled from Windows. This isn't a problem as if the hardware were to work Windows would redetect it and do a fresh re-install of its driver.
 
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