Hi there. I hope this is the correct place to post this question. I have an HP Pavilion dv7-1267cl laptop with 4 USB ports, one that is ESATA capable. Awhile back, all my USB ports just stopped working. Had little yellow question or exclamation marks (can't remember which) next to the list of USB devices or ports (I do NOT really know computers to give proper terminology) in device manager. After doing some research in other areas, I was under the impression I may need a new motherboard, which would cost hundreds of dollars, even on Ebay, plus paying someone to install it. Fortunately a friend has a computer shop owner he recommended that has a good memory and remembered something about an issue with HP Laptops and some "filter" (I think that's what he called it). Well, only $45 later, and him running some software he had, my laptop USB ports are now working for the most part.
I said "for the most part" because I have some weird things happening. Currently, I have a 1.5tb hard drive in a NexStar3 enclosure plugged into the ESATA port, that I only power on when I need to use it because it gets hot and because, if I have powered off my laptop and leave that external drive powered "on", when I power on my laptop; it apparently wants to boot from that drive for some reason. Would love to know how to prevent that, but that's for another day. I have a wireless receiver for my mouse and keyboard in another port, and a Rosewill Powered USB Hub with 7 ports is plugged into another.
Now, for the "weird". Since this "fix", if I put my laptop in "sleep" mode, when I wake it up, all the things plugged into the powered hub will not function, including my scanner, laser printer, label printer, external dvd player/burner, or Bose Companion 5 speaker system. I have to pull out the plug from the usb port, sit for 5 to 10 seconds and then plug it back in, and it all works fine. It's annoying as heck to have to do that every time, but at least it all works.
The really strange thing is in regards to the Bose speaker system. When I first plugged it into one of the onboard USB ports, the sound was HORRIBLE. Sounded like the volume was turned up way too high, (though it wasn't) and was very distorted. Tried all the other ports, same thing. Called Bose, explained my problem, tried to troubleshoot by trying the other "onboard" ports, etc and had the same problem. I told him I had the 7 port hub as well, and that seemed to be a big no-no for some reason. Said not to even try that. The next suggestion was to plug the speaker system into my old PC that my laptop replaced. That worked, the sound from these speakers are amazing. At that point, he said there is something wrong with my laptop usb ports and I needed to get that fixed. Well, I shut it down and restarted it, tried a couple of the ports again, and same distorted sound coming out. I thought, what the heck, I'll try it in the USB hub. Works like a champ. Even Pandora sounds wonderful.
Now the only issue is "why" is the sound distorted when plugged into an onboard USB port and sounds great in the hub I was told not to even try? And why do I have to unplug the Hub after I "wake up" my machine to get the USB devices to function?
I'm sorry this is so long, but the rules said to be thorough. And in that light, I am running Windows Vista 64bit and my virus protection, etc is Bit Defender Total Security 2010. Thank you, anyone that knows these darn machines, that can provide simple, easy to understand and follow help, in advance. Have a great weekend.
