Can anyone please help? USB problems

LittleMissMPB

I'm posting here in the hope that someone can help me. It's an on-going problem with my laptop that has happened since it had a new motherboard (under extended warranty). I'm starting to think it's just time to get a new one, however, I like this one as old as it is. It's pretty much indestructable.

Laptop is a Toshiba A60-199 bought 6 years ago. Not great specs, infact, can't play many games on it now, but it does what I need it to online and with spreadsheets, word docs etc.

Every time I plug something into a USB port it tells me one of two messages each time, sometimes both at the same time, rarely neither.
1 - There is a power surge on the port (but give it a sec and it will run fine)
2 - If I connect it to a USB 2.0 port it will run faster.

I have checked Toshiba's website for a list of specifications and according to them, all 3 USB's are 2.0.

I have just had an issue with trying to upload pictures from my camera which I'm assuming is speed related. I usually use a memory card reader but it seems to have gone walkabouts - so I plugged the camera in via USB and it took 3 attempts to get the computer to register there was something there, got a power surge message, left it a second and it came up with the box asking how I wanted to open it, an option of Kodak's easyshare or Windows pic and fax veiwer. I selected the pic and fax veiwer as I'm used to it and only wanted a quick upload to clear the memory card. All fine, could select which photo's I wanted off the card, then tried to copy them and all 51 photo's failed. Some from the camera's internal memory and some from the memory card.

So I thought I would unplug the wireless dongle and go from the more 'reliable' USB port. All I'm getting from trying to plug it in there is the power surge fault message and the message saying it would run better on a faster port. It won't show up under the 'my computer' folder as an 'external hard drive' as it used to, for all I can see it's just not registering at all. The wireless dongle works fine off this port.

The error messages happen regardless of what it is I'm plugging in, this is just the first thing that has not worked despite the error messages. I have checked for driver updates and can't find any, it was also restored to factory settings a few weeks ago which changed nothing with regards to this 'fault'.

I'm sorry if this is a very long winded way of explaining everything, but I really would appreciate some help. Is it worth taking it back under the extended warranty? (there is a screen fault it will be going back for soon once I've backed everything up anyway, but that may be a few weeks yet till I can borrow an external hard drive).

eta - running Windows XP if that makes a difference

fwor

It sounds as though you don't have the correct drivers installed for the USB chipset. It's quite common for onboard USB devices to work, but not work very well, if running just the generic Windows USB device drivers.

If you look in Device Manager, do any devices appear to be unknown or not working correctly? Typically with this sort of problem, the USB hubs and ports will appear to be OK, but the enhanced USB device (which provides the USB 2.0 support) won't be.

If that's the case, you should be able to fix it by downloading and installing the correct drivers from the Toshiba website.

Having said that, you may also have a minor hardware fault - possibly with one of your USB cables - which is causing an intermittent short, and hence the power surge warning.

LittleMissMPB

The only thing thats coming up as 'unknown' in device manage is "other devices > PCI modem" which, assuming it is a modem, I'm pretty sure I don't use (using a wireless dongle for internet). Nothing is showing as 'not working correctly'.

All drivers are up to date, or rather, there are no new drivers listed on the Toshiba website, which aren't what I already have. The computer was restored to factory settings, I let windows do it's updates (took longer than the restore), and checked each driver was up to date. Most of them updated automatically, only the graphics driver didn't, but that was easy enough to find.

It's not just one thing that's causing the problem. It's any USB device (I have 4 that I use) that has the error messages.

fwor

Sorry - missed the bit in your OP that you'd already checked for new drivers!

If you've changed the USB cable (or use several anyway) with no change, it sounds like a hardware fault. One cheapish solution if the laptop has a free PC Card slot would be to buy a PC Card to USB 2.0 adapter - they are about £11 from Ebuyer for a 2-port card.

However - one problem with that is that PC Card slots cannot supply enough power for a full-spec USB device, so they usually come with a lead which plugs into a spare USB 1.1 socket to provide enough current - which may be a problem if your existing sockets are faulty...

scheming_gypsy

What version of service pack are you on? if i remember correctly (but it's been a while) you need SP2 or SP3 for Windows to recognise them as USB 2 ports.

LittleMissMPB

We are on SP3 at the moment

ETA I think I will mention it when it goes back to the shop. The screen is set to turn off after a certain amount of time, but should come back on when you hit a key/move the mouse - had done this for years fine and now I have to restart the computer before it will.

Thanks for your help, I was just hoping there was an easier way to copy my camera photo's over to back them all up together in one go.