USB 3.0 Host Controller Not Found

[NewtG]

I know this is a well documented situation and I have seen and read a lot of information about the problems others have had with the USB 3.0 Host controller. My situation is that I have followed several different solutions only to wind up with USB's on the 3.0 hub not working after reboot. I have uninstalled and reinstalled drivers, tried this solution with several different recommended drivers for my Dell Inspiron 14z. I have also followed solution that has me delete the INFCACHE.1.
So what I have seen in my case which I have not seen anyone else talk about specifically is this.
If I leave my USP cables plugged into the computer on restart I loose all USP 3.0 functionality, when I try to run the USB 3.0 Host Controller Utility I see that I get the message "USB 3.0 Host Controller Not Found". If I unplug my USB cables and restart (or shut laptop down and then unplug USB 3.0 and restart) I get full USB 3.0 functionality. I have to wait until I see the login screen on Windows 7 home premium 64 bit to plug in the USB cables, if I try befor this I see that the Hub is recognized during BIOS then lost during the beginning phase of OS boot.



When I leave the USB cables plugged in and restart the BIOS stalls about half way through and instead of taking about min to run bios and boot to login screen it can take anywhere from 5 to 10 min to boot to login screen (USB is recognized during BIOS but lost during OS boot).



I am attached to a 1TB WD Passport external hard drive and a powered 7 port USB Hub for my USB 3.0 needs. I am reluctant to try to reinstall OS because this laptop did not come with a OS dvd and I can not find the OS as an option for download from Dell. I have a recovery disk but also at this time have software that through my college can not be reinstalled as it is a single user agreement for one year from a third party vendor as part of one of my classes, which I will need next semester also.

Any help that could allow me to find out why I am having so much trouble with this problems would be great.

I should add that my USB 3.0 worked great for about 3 years and I had no problem at all. I did install some software such as ArcMap10.1 but I have classmates that did the same and did not have any problems with their USB 3.0.

 

[ComputerGeek]

Do you have the latest BIOS installed?

Also, check BIOS for a setting for USB Legacy. It should be either ENABLED or AUTO - AUTO is an option. (USB Legacy is needed to support USB before Windows starts... and your description mentions USB not working till Windows starts?).

p.s. Please update the Dell model # in your System Specs

/* EDIT */
do NOT disable USB Legacy

 

[NewtG]

I will check bios when I figure out how to access it. Apparently it has been locked and is not unlocked by my administrator password.

When I attempt to enter BIOS there is a password screen with an alphanumeric hint that probably means something to someone but not me. I remember realizing this problem shortly after laptop was out of warrenty, and when I called Dell support they said I would have to pay for them to unlock it. I was pretty upset (and still am) about that. So I will try to figure out a way to get past this with the least cost, as a college student funds are low especially for something like this.

I will update system when I get home, I thought it was up to date. If it is the BIOS info that is missing I might be able to find that on the Dell website.

 

[NewtG]

Ok after trying several different BIOS PW crackers I eventually just purchased the BIOS PW to unlock BIOS setup, I also updated BIOS to the only update Dell had for my laptop Inspiron 14Z, I also installed the current USB 3.0 driver software recommended by the Dell support/driver page for my model based on my service tag.

USB 3.0 problem still persist, on my 7 port USB hub I see the lights come on over ports that are populated when I initially start the laptop, they stay light while BIOS runs, as soon as windows starts to boot lights for populated ports go out. When USB 3.0 ports are populated BIOS takes a long time to finish and a long time to get to login screen (see OP for times).

When USB 3.0 ports are no populated BIOS starts and finishes in about 30 seconds or so, then another 30 seconds or so to get to login screen, after windows 7 finishes boot sequence after login I plug in the 7 port USB hub and the external drive the lights come on and all works as it should.

So if I leave anything plugged into the 3.0 USB ports on my laptop the host controller does not work, if I leave them empty and boot computer fully before plugging anything in USB 3.0 work fine. I would like to fix this without trying to reinstall OS because as I said before I have programs that I need for school that I will not be able to reinstall unless I purchase another years license for it.

Any ideas??

 

[Britton30]

Is there perhaps a specific driver for the powered hub?
The hub may be defective or has went bad somehow and effects the laptop.

 

[ComputerGeek]

1. Dell lists a few different Inspiron 14z. Could you give the full model # so we know which one
2. You have a 7 port USB 3.0 hub. I assume it's a self-powered hub? And you have it connected to AC?
   What make/model #?
3. Could you clarify: If the hub not connected, do you have any problem with devices direct connected to laptop USB 3 ports? What are they?
4. I just want to keep hub out of the equation until you've confirmed everything works as expected when you plug directly into laptop USB ports

/* EDIT */
Yea, I'm with Britton. I want to make sure we can rule out the laptop so we can question the hub

 

[NewtG]

Well the hub works fine when I plug it in after windows has booted, and even if I only have my external hard drive plugged into the USB 3.0 port on the laptop itself I loose the 3.0 host controller, any device that is left plugged into either of my USB 3.0 ports (thumb drive, or mouse for example) on the laptop will result in the 3.0 host controller to display a "Host controller not found" message. As long as I only plug a device in the USB after windows has booted will I regain 3.0 host controller functionality.

I have also tested the 7 port USB on my desktop and it works without problems.

Just saw last post I will get full specs from Dell in a couple min.

From Control Panel/System it says Inspiron N411z
From Dell My Products and Services it says it is an Inspiron 1420
The 7 Port 3.0 USB hub is an Anker USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 7 port HUB
Product Model 6802
7 port USB hub is powered by wall plug and usb port that is what it says in the manual, mine is always plugged in to wall.
If I have any device plugged into the USB 3.0 ports on laptop itself (thumb drive, mouse, external drive for example) I loose all USB 3.0 functionality. When I go into device manager to see state of the USB 3.0 port a message says "This device cannot start. (Code 10)" When I try to access the USB 3.0 Host Controller Utility I get a message that says "USB 3.0 Host controller not found".

 

[ComputerGeek]

OK. but in addition to the complete Dell model # i still need specific answers to these questions

1. FORGET about the hub for the moment. Do you have any problems with your USB ports on your Inspiron when you plug/unplug any other device directly into the laptop ports (Forget about the hub for now, i'm asking about all your other USB devices!)
2. What is the make/model of the hub? Does it have its own AC adapter AND do you have the hub connected to a wall socket??

 

[Britton30]

One more thing NewtG, does the laptop have USB 2.0, and if so do they work as they should?

 

[NewtG]

From Control Panel/System it says Inspiron N411z
From Dell My Products and Services it says it is an Inspiron 1420
If more info is required could you let me know where I can find that?



The 7 Port 3.0 USB hub is an Anker USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 7 port HUB
Product Model 6802
7 port USB hub is powered by wall plug and USB port that is what it says in the manual, mine is always plugged in to wall.
(I did not know if you saw this as I was editing post a couple times and I still did not say what I thought I wanted to if you saw this disregard please)

If I leave any device plugged into the USB 3.0 ports on the laptop itself(thumb drive, mouse, external HD for example) for a reboot I lose all USB 3.0 functionality. When I go into device manager to see state of the USB 3.0 port a message says Device will not start, If I run the USB 3.0 Host Controller Utility I see a message that says "USB 3.0 Host Controller Not Found"


There is one USB 2.0 hub that works fine regardless of state of USB 3.0 on laptop.

 

[NewtG]

OK I don't understand this but here is the situation now. Hub works fine after it is kept plugged in and laptop is restarted. Last week I tested each USB port to see just one was problem.
No USB ports populated laptop started fine and I could populate all USB ports with all devices working correctly.
One USB 3.0 port with wireless mouse receiver in it, restarted laptop and USB 3.0 host controller stopped functioning.
One thumb drive in other USB 3.0 port restarted laptop and USB 3.0 host controller stopped functioning.
USB 2.0 with thumb drive in it and no other ports populated restarted laptop and laptop started fine when I plugged in 7 port hub to USB 3.0 all lights on the hub came on and all thumb drives and mouse worked fine.
Restarted laptop with external hard drive in USB 3.0 port and USB 3.0 host controller stopped functioning.

Posted problem here, accessed BIOS (No area with USB Legacy option, there was three USB options (did not mark down what they were but something like Power over USB, USB enable, and one other) either to enable or disable and all were enabled and I left them there.) Found BIOS A06 as update over BIOS A00 and installed. Tested all ports again with same results.

Now I shut down the laptop just now, and started to retest all ports starting with USB 3.0 and the wireless mouse receiver which was inserted into the USB 3.0 port and rebooted laptop. Mouse worked. Put the 7 port USB hub into a USB 3.0 port and restarted (mouse wireless receiver was in hub with 2 thumb drives like I had originally) mouse worked fine, computer saw thumb drives. I restarted computer with hub populating a USB 3.0 port and put the external hard drive in the other USB 3.0 port and rebooted, lost all USB 3.0 functionality. I then rebooted with the USB 3.0 7 port hub in the spot the hard drive was in and started laptop and everything worked. Plugged external hard drive into the hub and restarted laptop and everything worked fine.

So at this point I am lost as to what happened, but it seems to work as long as I do not put the external hard drive into one of the USB 3.0 ports. It is a WD 1tb My Passport Ultra HD, I have had it on a USB 3.0 port for the last 3 months without any problem. I wonder if the last update to the WD software had anything to do with my situation. I don't know how that would keep the laptop from rebooting correctly when I tested without the HD.

I can still recreate the problem if I have the hard drive populating a USB 3.0 port.

Thank you for all input and advice, I will come back to this if anything changes in the next couple days. Maybe laptop just knew it should give in when it saw me coming here

 

[Britton30]

The BIOS update likely changed some things.
The full model number should be on a sticker on the bottom of the laptop or inside the battery compartment.

 

[Layback Bear]

I don't understand this from post #4.

Ok after trying several different BIOS PW crackers I eventually just purchased the BIOS PW to unlock BIOS setup,

I thought one needs proof of purchase and other documentation to get the password into bios. It seem to me buying a password from Dell defeats the purpose of password protection.
As far as I know you can't buy a password.

Could someone explain this to me.

 

[Britton30]

Jack, Dell does do it and the user would have to prove ownership, place and date of purchase, etc.

From post #3.

I remember realizing this problem shortly after laptop was out of warrenty, and when I called Dell support they said I would have to pay for them to unlock it. I was pretty upset (and still am) about that. So I will try to figure out a way to get past this with the least cost, as a college student funds are low especially for something like this.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks Gary.

 

[ComputerGeek]

Found BIOS A06 as update over BIOS A00

I would also guess upgrade A00 -> A06 could have helped (but, in any case, a good thing to do)

Re: Your hub
Hubs doesn't require any special drivers. Their drivers are included in Windows

I'm glad to hear things are behaving better. My next suggestion would have been (which you can still try if need be). Buy a different USB 3.0 hub with a 30-day return policy. Try it to see if the problem if the problem might be your current hub itself.

p.s. "Bus powered" hubs (hubs that have no AC connection) can only draw power from the computer USB port. IMHO I stick to self-powered hubs (they're connected to an AC outlet).