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XPS 8910, Rear USB 2.0 ports not working?
I have an XPS 8910 out of warranty. Both USB 2.0 ports for KB and mouse stop working. Now one 3.0 port has stopped. Soon won't have any ports for mouse and KB at all. With KB in a 2.0 port, cannot get into BIOS. KB and mouse just makes a blink at start up and then no light. BIOS is 1.1.5, Windows 10 just updated today, no help. In device manager, no yellow tags on any USB controller. Bios has all ports enabled. Bios diagnostics OK.
Is mother board done ?
Vic384
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January 22nd, 2019 03:00
Before I switched to using a powered USB hub, I think the USB 2.0 ports were intermittent on my XPS 8910. I decided to continue to use the hub and not stress the USB 5 volt supply.
RoHe
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January 22nd, 2019 10:00
Glad USB2 is working for you again. :Yes:
Did you happen to update let SupportAssist or Dell Update install any updates for you recently? A USB firmware update was posted by Dell on 3-Jan'19 for XPS 8910 running Win 10 that, quote:
...helps the Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports to communicate effectively with connected devices...
Obviously I don't know if that was the fix for your PC (assuming your firmware was updated), but it might be something for other XPS 8910 users with USB issues to check out. :Idea:
RoHe
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January 22nd, 2019 12:00
Sure you haven't gotten that update automatically via SupportAssist?
But this wouldn't be the first time the support site has "overlooked" an update when searching by Service Tag. And this one is marked "firmware", not "driver", if that makes any difference for the search by tag..?
I suppose you could try running the USB firmware update and see if it works or gives you an "incompatible" message. If you go for it, test your USB2 devices in USB2 ports without your powered hub first and then again afterwards, which could tell us if the update solves that problem.
Meanwhile, I'll ping my Dell tech contact to see if he can enlighten us... :Wink:
Vic384
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January 22nd, 2019 12:00
Ron, this driver update is interesting because it is listed as compatible with the XPS 8910 but when I enter the Service Tag for my XPS 8910 this update is not listed. The checkbox "Check to show drivers for your Service Tag. Uncheck to see more drivers available for your product model. Your Service Tag is xxxxxxx." is checked, if unchecked your update is listed.
Vic384
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January 22nd, 2019 13:00
The driver is listed with Chipset in the Category filter. If I check the 'show drivers for your Service Tag' checkbox only three updates are listed, but if I uncheck the checkbox five updates, including the update you mentioned shows up.
I don't use SupportAssist. I prefer to decide for myself what updates to install, especially after I read what happened to some folks who got automatic BIOS updates.
Thanks for pinging your Dell tech contact.
Vic384
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January 22nd, 2019 14:00
Thanks, Ron. I happy using the powered USB hub, so I will pass on the firmware update. Seems to me the ASMedia controller, which is what this firmware update is for, supports USB 3.1 whereas USB 2. & USB 3.0 is supported by the Intel Z170 chipset.
RoHe
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January 22nd, 2019 14:00
My Dell tech contact said "_____" about searching by Service Tag! :Surprise: :Stickouttongue: :Wink: :Angel:
So just decide if you want to run the USB firmware update or not. That has to be your decision. And -obviously- I don't know if it will fix the existing USB2 problems, regardless of whether it does the things listed in the description of the firmware update.
Post back and let us know what you decide and if the firmware update helps with USB2, if you decide to run it.
RoHe
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January 22nd, 2019 18:00
As long as the ASMedia controller meets Intel's USB controller standards and doesn't do anything that might interfere with USB2.
ASMedia claimed it's "...backward compatible with current USB2.0 standard and complies with Intel's eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI)..."
But maybe the ASMedia firmware on the chip installed in the XPS 8910 wasn't fully compatible with USB2 and that caused USB2 failures on the XPS 8910? I honestly don't know.
And it's your PC...
dellstudio87
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January 23rd, 2019 00:00
I don't think I've done SupportAssist or Dell Updates lately, just Microsoft Updates. Is there a way of telling if the USB firmware update has been installed? (My apologies if one of the other messages in this thread tells how to do that.)
Vic384
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January 23rd, 2019 06:00
RoHe
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January 23rd, 2019 11:00
I presume (my assumption!) if you run the firmware update, it will either install or tell you it's the same version that's currently installed...
Since the update was only released ~3 weeks ago, I tend to doubt you already have it. And I don't know if firmware updates are ever released via Windows Update.
If you choose to run the update, read/follow the directions on Dell's page carefully. Make sure all apps are closed, and it would be a good idea to temporarily disable whichever anti-malware suite you use (eg, Windows Defender, Norton, McAfee) before running the update, and re-enable the suite after the update has been done.
And each of you has to decide for yourself whether to run the update or not...
dellstudio87
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February 5th, 2019 15:00
Vic384
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February 5th, 2019 15:00
If I recall correctly with my XPS 8910 the USB 2.0 port would fail intermittently with the keyboard. To keep the failure from being permanent I always connect via a powered USB hub.
RoHe
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February 5th, 2019 17:00
This worked in the past on some older desktop PC models to "retrain" the USB power controller, but I don't know if it will work on the XPS 8910.
Connect the externally powered USB hub to a rear USB2 port and its power adapter to the wall. Connect both mouse and keyboard to the hub. Boot the PC to desktop and confirm mouse and keyboard work. Then reboot 2-3 times more and confirm each time that mouse and keyboard are working.
Then with PC on and booted up, disconnect keyboard from the hub without disconnecting the powered hub from PC or from the power outlet. Connect keyboard directly to a different rear USB2 port, leaving the hub still connected (and powered) with mouse attached to it. Reboot 2-3 times and test keyboard after each reboot.
If keyboard is still working after last reboot, disconnect mouse from hub without disconnecting the powered hub from PC or from the power outlet. Connect mouse to another USB2 port and reboot 2-3 times. Test both keyboard and mouse after each reboot.
If both still work, disconnect the hub from rear of PC while PC and hub are both still powered on, and reboot 2-3 times, testing each time.
As I said, on some older models this seemed to solve the problem permanently but YRMV. And if this sounds painful, or doesn't work, just keep using the powered hub. :Wink:
dimension410
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May 5th, 2019 16:00
Here's another user with a now non-working USB 2 port on an XPS 8910 running 64-bit Win 10. The one closest to the side of the computer.
Mouse & keyboard work fine when plugged in anywhere else, but that one socket doesn't 'see' anything, or if it does, Windows says it's not recognized.
I found this while researching another problem (computer wouldn't wake by pressing a key on the keyboard) and noticed the keyboard & mouse were plugged in to the USB 3 sockets, which is a waste of USB 3. So I plugged them in to the USB 2 sockets - and only one works now.
I don't know how long this has gone on since before today all I had plugged in to the USB 2 sockets was other USB cables that came around front for occasional use. One a mini-USB, the other a micro-USB, and I forget which one was where now.
I don't have a USB 2 hub to test with.