Worn Out USB Sockets in Laptop

Mistral001

I use the USB sockets in my six year old laptop a lot and it looks like that has resulted in making all USB sockets intermittent to such an extent that they are now almost unusable.    Cleaning with electrical contact cleaner has made a slight improvement, but the connections are still intermittent.  

Replacing them might be an option because I have opened the laptop before without any problems, but the soldered joints at the USB's are minute and I think to attempt to remove the sockets and solder news ones on would be beyond me. 

I would like to keep the laptop as it is a good one.  I have even thought about hardwiring external USB sockets onto the existing USB sockets by soldering wires to the existing socket contacts - a bit untidy but I do not mind having trailing USB sockets as long as they work.  Has anybody tried this or have any other suggestions?

Neil_Jones

Depending on the laptop the USB ports in question may be on a daughterboard - if that's the case you can just buy a replacement daughterboard.

If the ports in question are on the board its more tricky.  if the ports on the daughterboard are OK it might be worth investing in a powered USB hub instead.

Mistral001

Thanks Neil.  Getting new USB port daughterboards might be the answer.  I will open up and take a look.  

Carrot007

Do tell us which one it is, as unless it cost £2000 odd new a six year old laptop is probably cheaper to repalce with a cheap business refurb that will be a lot better than repair.

Do you feel comfortable dissasembling the laptop (six year old will be easier than the current ones at least) and soldering a bodge onto the motherboard to connect a hub to and having a mess just to save £100 on a refurb?

Mistral001

Neil_Jones said:

Depending on the laptop the USB ports in question may be on a daughterboard - if that's the case you can just buy a replacement daughterboard.

If the ports in question are on the board its more tricky.  if the ports on the daughterboard are OK it might be worth investing in a powered USB hub instead.

I opened it up and found the USB daughterboard you mentioned.  I have ordered a secondhand replacement part £7 on Ebay.   Thanks for the advice.  I have also ordered a new keyboard  for £10 to hopefully complete the refurb.  

Mistral001

I got the USB board today, installed it and the USB ports work perfectly.  I have ordered some short 90 degree USB extension cables which should keep the USB cables neatly tucked up against the side of the laptop and prevent them being knocked about and hopefully reduce the wear on the ports in the future. 
Once again thanks for you help Neil.

PS.  Opening up the laptop was a bit daunting at first as I had never opened one up before. The thin ribbon cables are easily damaged.  I damaged the one connecting the keyboard to the motherboard, but since that cable came with the keyboard, a new keyboard costing £10 solved the problem.  In the end £17 saved me from having to bin the laptop which I thought was a good moneysaving result.

greyteam1959

Thanks for the follow up.