Member Avatar for jtlongwi

This may have been discussed here or elsewhere, but I don't even know what search terms are appropriate for this problem.

Problem:
I have a USB card reader plugged into USB5/6 on my mobo. When I plug a USB expansion card into USB9/10, the drives on 5/6 disappear. I can't find them in Device Manager, and there are no conflicts listed. When I unplug the card from 9/10, they return as normal drives.

Specs:
ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Socket AM2

I haven't done this before...please let me know if I'm missing any information that would be useful.

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Dani AI

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Brief expert note: the symptom where one group of ports vanishes when another is connected is more commonly a USB topology / enumeration or wiring/resource issue than simple power draw. 's power suggestion is a sensible quick test, but 's follow-up (that it happens even with nothing attached) makes a current-draw problem less likely and points toward cabling, controller/driver, or BIOS/firmware interactions.

Try this checklist (in order):

  • With the PC powered off, inspect and reseat the internal USB header cable or front-panel bracket. Bent pins, misalignment or shield/contact on the data pins can cause a hub to fail when connected.
  • Swap ports/headers or use an external powered USB hub. If the problem follows the physical header, the cable/bracket or header wiring is suspect; if it follows the device, test that device on other machines.
  • Boot a Linux live USB or enter BIOS/UEFI and see whether the same disappearance occurs outside Windows. Reproduction outside the installed OS points to hardware/firmware; reproduction only in Windows points to drivers.
  • Check Device Manager with "Show hidden devices" and the System event log for USB/Plug-and-Play errors at the moment the ports stop responding. A USB enumeration utility (USBDeview or similar) can show root hub changes when the fault occurs.
  • Update chipset and USB controller drivers and the motherboard BIOS/firmware. Try toggling BIOS USB options such as Legacy USB support or EHCI hand-off and retest.
  • If a faulty bracket/cable is confirmed, replace it or use a powered hub; if the issue appears on multiple OSes and headers, the board/USB controller hardware may need service or RMA.

Begin with the physical cable/header check and an OS-independent test. Posting Event Viewer timestamps or the live-boot result will narrow the next diagnostic steps.

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Member Avatar for jbennet

power maybe?

I know some laptops have issues if you have more than 2 usb devices drawing power

Member Avatar for jtlongwi

Not power...this happens even when nothing is plugged into the USB ports.

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