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Info Post - BIOS Update fixed USB 3.0 Problems on a Gigabyte MB
I have a Gigabyte Z77X UD5H motherboard and the USB 3.0 ports developed problems. The motherboard has 3 separate USB 3.0 connectors that can be used for front panel USB 3.0 ports. The front panel in my case (a Coolermaster) has two USB 3.0 ports. One port developed an intermittent - it would connect and then Windows 7 (and 8) would report the external hard drive required formatting, and then would reverb back to displaying the drive contents. On the second port I would get a message that if I connected the device (the external hard drive) to a 3.0 port it would work faster. I tried the separate USB 3.0 interface that was supplied by Gigabyte with the motherboard and the same results. I have another PC with USB 3.0 ports and the device worked OK on that PC.
I went through all 3 motherboard port connections and got the same thing. I had the latest Intel 3.0 drivers but I reinstalled them with no help. I tried the Intel motherboard chipset drivers and no help. I had the latest BIOS version (14) and reinstalled it with no help (and resetting the CMOS memory did not help). I contacted Gigabyte with the problem and was issued an RMA but held off as the PC with the problem is my recording studio system and it would have been an issue to have it out of service for an extended period, and although I have an USB 3.0 device it wasn't something I couldn't live without so I never used the RMA, and let it expire.
I decided to look into the USB 3.0 port issue again, tried the USB 3.0 device and got the same errors. I checked on Intel USB 3.0 drivers but there was no update. I was on the Gigabyte site yesterday to see if any driver updates had been issued and noticed there were two "Beta" BIOS updates - neither mentioned anything about USB 3.0 but I decided to upgrade the BIOS just to see. After the BIOS update the USB 3.0 ports now are back working properly!
I don't usually suggest BIOS updates to users, because of the potential for problems should the BIOS update fail and corrupt the BIOS, but in this case the Beta version update fixed a problem.