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How to enable USB ports on a laptop. Why don't usb ports work? How to connect additional USB ports to your computer

Want to protect the data on your Windows 10 computer by blocking or disabling USB drives on your PC? In this guide, we'll look at five easy ways to enable or disable USB drives in Windows 10.

Blocking USB drives in Windows 10 can be done in different ways. You can use the Registry, BIOS, or third-party utilities to enable or disable USB drives in Windows 10.

Below are five ways to enable or disable USB drives in Windows 10.

Method 1 of 5

Enable or disable USB drives in Windows 10 using the registry

If you're comfortable making changes to the Windows registry, you can enable or disable USB drives in Windows 10 by manually editing the registry. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Step 2: Continue to the next section:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

Step 3: Now on the right side double click on the option "Start" and change its value to 4 to disable USB drives on your Windows 10 PC. Change the Start value to 3 to enable USB drives and storage devices on your PC.

Method 2 of 5

Enable or disable USB ports through Device Manager

Did you know that you can disable all USB ports using Device Manager? By disabling USB ports, you prevent users from using USB ports to connect USB drives to your computer.

When you disable USB ports, the USBs on your PC will not work and hence no one will be able to connect USB drives. You will need to re-enable the USB ports to connect devices via USB. Here's how to enable or disable USB ports using Device Manager.

Step 1: Right click on the button "Start" on the taskbar and select .

Step 2: Expand USB controllers. Right-click on all the entries one by one, and click "Disable device". Click "Yes" when you see a confirmation dialog.

Method 3 of 5

Use USB Drive Disabler to enable or disable USB drives

If you don't want to edit the registry manually, you can use a free tool called USB Drive Disabler to quickly enable or disable USB storage devices on your PC. Simply download USB Disabler, launch it, and then select Enable USB Drives or Disable USB Drives to enable or disable USB drives on your PC.

Method 4 of 5

Disable or enable USB ports in BIOS

Some manufacturers offer an option in the BIOS/UEFI to disable or enable USB ports. Boot into BIOS/UEFI and check if there is an option to disable or enable USB ports. Check your PC's user manual to see if there is an option to enable or disable USB ports in the BIOS/UEFI.

Method 5 out of 5

Enabling or disabling USB storage devices USB Guard

Nomesoft USB Guard is another free utility for blocking USB drives on computers running Windows 10 and earlier versions of Windows. You must use this program as an administrator to enable or disable USB storage devices.

Write protection for USB drives can be useful as an additional security option.


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On some computers, when you connect a USB 3.0 hard drive or flash drive, the error "The device is not recognized" (USB Device Not Recognized) or " Windows stopped this device because it reported a problem.(Code 43)" in Device Manager.

This article provides instructions on how to resolve the following issues:

  • USB device not recognized/detected
  • USB 3.0 flash drive not recognized/detected
  • USB 3.0 does not work on Windows 7/10

How to fix: USB 3.0 port on computer does not work

Before we move on to fixing this problem, you should try the following steps:

  1. Use a different USB cable if you are connecting the hard drive to a USB 3.0 port on your computer.
  2. Connect USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 port.
  3. Remove the USB device, turn off the computer, and disconnect the power cord (or battery if using a laptop). Wait at least 2 minutes and then plug the power cord back in. Turn on your computer and reconnect the USB device.
  4. If you are using Windows 7, Vista or XP, download and run the Microsoft Troubleshooter utility.
  5. Reset BIOS to factory settings.

Solution 1: Disable Fast Startup feature in Windows 8 and 10


Note: If the Fast Startup option has already been cleared, check it and restart your computer. After restarting, uncheck the box and restart your computer again.

  1. Reboot computer.

Solution 2: Disable USB suspend settings.


Solution 3: Reboot your USB 3.0 device.

  1. Open device Manager. To do this:
  • Press the " Windows» + « R" to open the window " Execute".
  • In the window " Execute» enter: devmgmt.msc.
  • Click Enter.

2. In Device Manager, expand "ControllersUSB» .

3. Right click on " RootUSB-hub (USB 3.0 ) " and select " Delete".

4. Windows will automatically find and install the latest drivers for your USB 3.0 port.

Solution 4: Install the latest USB 3.0 drivers.

  1. Download Intel Driver Update Utility or AMD drivers.
  2. Run driver update utility and click " Next» on the first screen.
  3. Accept the license terms and click " Install".
  4. Wait while the driver update utility is installed.
  5. Once installation is complete, click " Launch».
  6. Click " Start scanning".
  7. When the driver scan is complete, click " Download", to download the latest drivers for your computer.
  8. Finally, click " Install".
  9. After installation is complete reboot computer.

Solution 5: Restore Windows to a previous working state

If the solutions above did not help with the problem of USB 3.0 not working on your computer, you should try restoring your computer to its previous working state. This can be done if you previously activated a Windows restore point.

Please write in the comments below whether you managed to solve the problem with a faulty USB 3.0 port, and what solution helped in your situation.

This happens when USB ports on the computer stop working. In this article, we will look at common reasons that lead to this problem and solutions. The very first thing you can do is restart your computer, since frequent problems with USB ports are due to an error in the driver. If this method does not help, move on.

Perhaps the settings in the motherboard BIOS have gone wrong. If the corresponding USB controller is disabled for some reason, it must be enabled. When you start the computer, press the Del or F2 key to enter the BIOS. Next, in the Integrated Peripherals or Advanced section, we will find a similar item on the USB Controller and see what position it is in (Enabled - enabled, Disabled - disabled). So, if you have the Disabled mode set, change it to the opposite. To save the changes, press the F10 key and agree by pressing YES. After the reboot, the ports should work, if that doesn’t help, then follow the steps below.


Reasons why USB ports on a PC do not work:
- Any USB device is faulty: I recommend turning on the computer, having first disconnected everything (mouse, keyboard, printer, webcam, etc.). Leave only one working flash drive. If the flash drive starts working when you start the computer, then the peripheral devices are to blame. You can determine which one is faulty by connecting it to the computer one by one.
- ports may not work due to faulty software code. Go to the “Task Manager”.



We look carefully in the “USB Serial Bus Controllers” section; if there is a device with an exclamation mark, this indicates that it is not working properly. Double-clicking the mouse will open it, and in the window you can read information about the fault.
- Alternatively, you can remove all controllers responsible for USB, and then reboot the system. After launch, Windows will automatically install them again. After this, it is likely that the USB ports will work.
- If the problem with the ports arose due to a failure in the program code, then you can try to restore the operating system, that is, roll it back to the last checkpoint. Go to the Start menu - Control Panel. Here we find the “Recovery” section.


Next, click the “Start System Restore” button. A recovery window will open and following the prompts you can roll back the system.


- Also, a similar problem may occur due to the lack of a driver for the motherboard chipset. In this case, you need to enter this data on the manufacturer’s website. After downloading and installing the driver, you should restart your computer.


- To make sure the problem is in the system or hardware, you can boot from any Live CD. If after booting from such a disk/flash drive the ports work, then the problem is clearly in the operating system and there is only one way out - reinstall Windows. If USB does not work in the virtual system, then the problem is in the hardware. In this case, we do what is written below.

There was a case with one friend when the USB ports stopped working. Replacing the 3-volt battery on the motherboard solved this problem.


- Alternatively, you can update the BIOS. This solution helps many users. To update the BIOS, go to the official website of your motherboard manufacturer and in the “Download” section, find the latest BIOS version. There you will also find detailed instructions for updating.


- If you experience frequent problems with USB ports, I recommend installing a PCI-USB controller. A good thing that will be independent of your built-in ports.


- The last option is to have your PC repaired, where professionals will probably make an accurate diagnosis.

That's all, friends! Thank you for your attention!

Why don't USB ports work? Reasons and solution

USB interfaces are used in PCs so often that we cannot even imagine a computer or laptop without them. Various peripheral devices are connected to the USB interface: printers, web cameras, flash drives and many others. But what to do if the USB ports are out of order. Let's look at the main problems with usb operation and try to fix them.

USB interfaces are disabled in BIOS

This problem occurs very often, since a suddenly turned off light or a dead battery can reset the BIOS settings, thereby disabling USB interfaces.

To enable them, let's enter the BIOS. To do this, after starting the computer, quickly press the Del or F2 button.

Depending on the software version and manufacturer, USB functions may be enabled in different BIOS items.

  • Basic BIOS options:
  • Enable/disable - Disabled/Enabled
  • Make all USB ports accessible - Both
  • Make available ports that are located directly on the motherboard -Primary
  • Number of USB ports used - 2USB Ports, 6USB Ports
  • Using USB 2.0 - USB 2.0 Controller.
  • Changing the operating frequency of the USB bus - USB Speed.

Enabling USB in AMI BIOS

Enabling USB in Award BIOS

USB port driver removed from the system

Errors of this kind occur after a virus attack on a computer or a critical Windows error field. To restore the functionality of the USB controller, you should install or, if it does not work correctly, update the USB controller drivers. To update the USB driver, follow these steps:

1.Open Device Manager on the Hardware tab in System Properties.

2. Find the USB controller item and right-click on it and select “Update driver”.

3. In the hardware wizard that launches, select “Automatic installation” to search for a suitable driver.

4. The wizard will find the driver we need and install it.

5. If the wizard was unable to find a suitable driver, we will need to download it from the Internet and install it from the specified location. To do this, when choosing the driver installation option, you need to select the “Install from a specified location” option. In the next window we will be asked to search for drivers in the specified locations. Check the box next to “Include next search location” and click browse.

In the drop-down menu, indicate the package with the downloaded drivers. The wizard will check the folder for the presence of a suitable driver and select the one you need. After this, for correct installation, you should restart your computer.

The USB controller burned out.

There are cases when, due to high voltage, the USB controller overheats and fails. Only a service center can help you solve this problem, since it is not possible to fix it at the software level.

You can enable USB ports on a laptop through the BIOS, Device Manager, Registry Editor, or Group Policy Editor. If access to the USB connectors was intentionally prohibited using special software, then you can unblock it in a program where the interface is blocked. All methods are available to ordinary users and do not require special training.

Disabling unnecessary devices

If the USB ports suddenly stopped working and you are now looking for how to turn them on, then the first thing to do is see if the device is connected to the laptop a lot. When using a USB hub, the laptop may not be able to supply power to all devices, causing the USB ports to become unresponsive. Before setting up USB in the BIOS, unplug any unnecessary hardware from your laptop and check if the ports work. If nothing has changed, then reboot the laptop and go into the BIOS.

Enabling ports in BIOS

To enter the BIOS during boot, press Delete, F2 or another key depending on the motherboard model. You can view it on the start screen.

In the case of a laptop, this screen does not appear because the fast boot feature is activated. You can temporarily disable this technology in the power settings:


Restart your computer. Without Quick Start, you will see all stages of Windows boot and will be able to get into the BIOS. If this doesn't work on Windows 8 or 10 with UEFI BIOS, try the following method:


Once rebooted, select Diagnostics, then go to Advanced Options and open UEFI Firmware Options. Click "Reboot", the next time you start, the BIOS UEFI interface will appear.

To configure USB ports in UEFI, you need to go to the “Peripherals” tab and set the “Legacy USB Support” parameter to “Enabled”. If support for USB 3.0 ports is required, activate the corresponding item (USB 3.0 Support).

In the AMI BIOS, go to the “Integrated Peripherals” section and set the value “Enabled” for four options:

  • USB EHCI Controller.
  • USB Mouse Support.
  • USB Keyboard Support.
  • Legacy USB Storage Detect.

In Phoenix AwardBIOS, you need to go to the “Advanced” tab and go to the “USB configuration” section. All parameters inside must be set to “Enabled” for the USB ports to work.

In all BIOS versions, to save the configuration, you must press the F10 key and confirm the selection by writing “Y”.

Windows setup

If ports are enabled in the BIOS, but devices connected via the USB interface are not detected by the system, then check the registry editor, device manager and group policy editor. It is possible that changes were made to the system through them, due to which the ports are no longer working. You should start with the Registry Editor.


If USB support is enabled in the Registry Editor, check the controller drivers in Device Manager.


If you see an exclamation mark icon next to the controller, and you are sure that the interface is supported in the registry editor, then this means that there are problems with the drivers. First try updating the software:


If updating the controller software does not help, update the motherboard driver. Download it from the manufacturer's website and install it manually. Another way to update the drivers of all controllers at once is to remove them from the system. Right-click on the controllers and select "Delete". After a reboot, the system will automatically install controller drivers, so you no longer have to worry about how to enable the USB ports - they will work just like that.

If only removable devices connected via USB do not work, check in the Group Policy Editor to see if a read ban is set.


Find the Removable Devices: Deny Read option and set it to Disable. The problem with identifying flash drives and external drives should disappear.

Hardware damage to ports

If the laptop's USB ports or the south bridge on the motherboard are damaged, then no methods will help enable the interface. Therefore, if the connectors stop working after mechanical impact, liquid getting inside the case, short circuit or other negative factors, then you should take the laptop to a service center for diagnostics.

In the case of a system unit, some USB ports can be replaced independently, but in a laptop there is no such possibility, because all connectors are soldered to the motherboard.



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