How to Test a USB Port on an Acer Notebook

by Dave Wilson
Corrupt device drivers, worn cables and power-hungry USB devices can cause USB problems.

Corrupt device drivers, worn cables and power-hungry USB devices can cause USB problems.

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USB, or Universal Serial Bus, ports are included with most computers, including an Acer notebook, and provide a convenient plug-and-play installation for peripheral devices, such as Web cameras and printers. If a USB device fails to work properly, however, troubleshooting must include inspection of the USB port. Use Windows-based utilities to quickly determine and address the root cause of USB-related issues.

Step 1

Click the "Start" button on the Windows PC desktop and click the Search box. Type "devmgmt.msc" into the Search box and press the "Enter" key. The Device Manager window appears.

Step 2

Locate the USB port devices in the list of devices on the right side of the Device Manager window. Right-click on each USB device listed and click "Uninstall" and then reboot. Open the Device Manager window again and verify that no yellow signs are next to any USB devices. If the yellow signs are still present, download and install updated drivers from the USB device manufacturer's website. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, and then proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Open a Web browser and go to the Microsoft Download Center website (see Resources). Click the "Download" button for the Mats_Run.devices.exe file on the Web page. Click "Run" in the download box that appears. Click the "Run" button if a Security Warning window appears. Click the "Microsoft License Agreement" link and read the terms. Click the "Accept" button if you agree with the terms. Click the "Next" button. The Fix It application addresses any issues detected and reports issues found that the Fix It application cannot resolve.

About the Author

Dave Wilson has been writing technical articles since 1993, including manuals, instructional "how-to" tips and online publications with various websites. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and has Microsoft, Cisco, and ISC2 (CISSP) technical certifications. He also has experience with a broad range of computer platforms, embedded systems, network appliances and Linux.

Photo Credits

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