Dell Inspiron 5570 USB2.0 and CardReader unit dead

Question

Hi, I happen to have a European (should this be of any significane) model of Dell Inspiron 5570 i5 256GB SSD with two USB 3.0 ports that have been working fine since the purchase date AND one USB 2.0 port to the right of the keyboard mounted together with the card reader slot. Both these do not work. They never have, only I hardly ever was in need of using extra peripherals, which has changed, so I'm addressing the issue. The USB 2.0 and CardReader unit are mounted together on a signle small electronic board that has a CR2032 battery mounted there too.  The device manager sees no problem whatsoever. No reaction to any equipment pluged into the USB 2.0 or any card. It's as though it did not register the unit as an active, working component. I never carried out any unauthorised repairs, nor did I expose the laptop to any mechanical shock or weather conditions, nor did it ever end up on the floor. Could this be related to the battery unit there and it having gone flat? This would mean the USB 2.0 unit needed a separate - ekhm, ekhm - 3V power source. Might this be a factory-related issue that I have disregarded for reasons explained above, as in - it never worked in the first place? Cheers!

nyc10036 · Accepted Answer

The CR2032 battery is the CMOS battery for the BIOS settings. It has nothing to do with the USB 2 + CardReader.

Since you apparently have the laptop apart check that the board is connected properly. If it is, there is always a chance it is broken.

forummadness · Answer

Hi again!

The problem fixed. It was, indeed, a factory-stage issue, namely, the sugnal tape was at an angle, so it partly conducted (ie. the battery) but failed in the remaining contexts.

However, the two other supoosedly usb 3.0 ports - marked SS - to the left, next to the ethernet port do not function properly. Neither with a brand new USB 3.0 flash memory - Kingston Datatraveler 100 G3, nor with a Toshiba 1TB HDD USB 3.0 exernal disc. During the process of copying, the speed fluctuates from circa 15MB/s all the way down to 0 and it stops to pick itself up some seconds later. The effect is that the function of speed and time looks like a SAW with quite equidistantly spaced teeth. How about that?!

Policies set to "better performance"
In the devices section of the settings it constantly says "this device could perform faster if you connect it to USB 3.0" - which it is connected to, unless this is just another in a row of chinese jokes to date

Thanks!

nyc10036 · Answer

@forummadness  Which version of Windows 10 are you running?  v1909 or something else?

forummadness · Answer

Oh, I only posted from a half-dead, screenless, touchpadless and keyboardless piece of crap tha's actually got some equally lubuntu on it. Pay no heed.

It would be rather peculiar of whoever assembled it to have used usb 2.0 modules and it did work for a tad bit earlier on. The 1TB peaked at 370MB/sec only to later on settle at around 150MB/sec. Strange, indeed.

forummadness · Answer

The most recent update (19/04/2020) says it is 1909. This is so embarrassing to have got stuck in this dead corner

nyc10036 · Answer

I suppose it is possible the USB 3 ports aren't really USB 3 ports and are USB 2; i.e. assembled with wrong hardware.

There isn't a separate USB 3 chipset driver for Windows 10 for the 5570.

I notice that Ubuntu runs on this laptop. You may want to create a live USB of Ubuntu and boot into it and see if you have problems with the two USB 3 ports.

.

BernardGutnick · Answer

The problem fixed. It was, indeed, a factory-stage issue, namely, the sugnal tape was at an angle, so it partly conducted (ie. the battery) but failed in the remaining contexts.

However, the two other supoosedly usb 3.0 ports - marked SS - to the left, next to the ethernet port do not function properly. Neither with a brand new USB 3.0 flash memory - Kingston Datatraveler 100 G3, nor with a Toshiba 1TB HDD USB 3.0 exernal disc. During the process of copying, the speed fluctuates from circa 15MB/s all the way down to 0 and it stops to pick itself up some seconds later. The effect is that the function of speed and time looks like a SAW with quite equidistantly spaced teeth. How about that?!

Inspiron

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