Plugging in my iPod crashes my USB ports. Halp!
April 12, 2010 7:17 AM Subscribe
Maybe 3 out of every 5 times I plug my iPod in, it causes Windows to wig out my USB ports until I restart. Can we make it stop doing this?
Here is what happens: I plug in my 3rd gen iPod touch. It works fine- It charges, iTunes sees it, I can transfer stuff just fine. But Windows keeps making that "Hey you unplugged a USB device/Hey you plugged in a USB device" sound, maybe every 30 seconds. And it pops up a warning that "A USB Device is Not Recognized or Malfunctioning". It also kills the power to all of my OTHER USB ports- No mouse, no printer, no USB stick. It's a huge pain in the butt.
Any ideas on how I can fix this? Everytime I plug in my iPod I end up having to reboot my machine. le sigh, indeed.
Here is what happens: I plug in my 3rd gen iPod touch. It works fine- It charges, iTunes sees it, I can transfer stuff just fine. But Windows keeps making that "Hey you unplugged a USB device/Hey you plugged in a USB device" sound, maybe every 30 seconds. And it pops up a warning that "A USB Device is Not Recognized or Malfunctioning". It also kills the power to all of my OTHER USB ports- No mouse, no printer, no USB stick. It's a huge pain in the butt.
Any ideas on how I can fix this? Everytime I plug in my iPod I end up having to reboot my machine. le sigh, indeed.
Have you tried other USB ports/plugging it in? If you're using the ones in the front of the machine, there's a chance they're not able to handle the Touch (they may be USB 1.1, for example).
This article brings up some common USB troubles.
posted by Hiker at 7:30 AM on April 12, 2010
This article brings up some common USB troubles.
posted by Hiker at 7:30 AM on April 12, 2010
There's a chance there's a short. Look at the USB port and see if it looks damaged.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:40 AM on April 12, 2010
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:40 AM on April 12, 2010
Response by poster: No shorts- Port looks fine and anything else plugged into it is a-okay. This is an iPod issue. It does this thing no matter what USB port I plug into.
posted by GilloD at 7:47 AM on April 12, 2010
posted by GilloD at 7:47 AM on April 12, 2010
This is an iPod issue. It does this thing no matter what USB port I plug into.
Do you have another computer to plug it into to confirm this? If it happens on two or more computers, you may want to talk to Apple to get it repaired/replaced (if under warranty).
posted by Hiker at 7:51 AM on April 12, 2010
Do you have another computer to plug it into to confirm this? If it happens on two or more computers, you may want to talk to Apple to get it repaired/replaced (if under warranty).
posted by Hiker at 7:51 AM on April 12, 2010
Could likely be a short in the white connector cable you use to connect your ipod with the computer's USB port.
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 7:51 AM on April 12, 2010
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 7:51 AM on April 12, 2010
USB is designed with a few power consumption safeties in. If a device starts hogging too much power from a USB connector, or causing wacky power shenanigans outside the design spec of the port, the USB connector is powered off until you restart.
So, it sound like plugging in your iPod is actually buggering up all the *other* ports. If its own port caused the problem, you'd likely not be able to transfer things to it successfully.
So. You plug in the connector, the other ports go spare. My theory is that either: Your iDevice and/or its cable are buggered in such a way as to panic the other ports (quite unlikely IMO), or your USB* is disfunctional in some way. Your power supply may not be supplying enough power to your computer in general (How stable is it, is it crashy like a bus-driver on a whole bottle of JD?) or your USB power infrastructure can't meet the USB design spec.
So, you plug in your iPod, it hogs all the power, the other devices don't get enough to turn on and start turning off and on, the PC decides "Hang on, this device keeps freaking out" and disconnects your peripherals, and they stay off, as the design spec specifies.
First of all, connect the iPod and cable to another PC and test it out. Try to disconnect any other USB devices besides keyboard and mouse first. Then, if it works fine, try adding more devices and seeing if it freaks out. Finally, you can try borrowing a more powerful PSU (Or just another one of the same power... PSU power ratings are a FILTHY LIE) and try running your PC off that. If your PC has been having other stability issues (Random crashes especially playing games, BSODs, screen corruption) it's likely that your PSU is sick.
IANYTS (Tech Support), IANAD, IANAL, IANPP (Prince Phillip). This is just critical thinking on my behalf, with some Wild Arse Guesses in there. Good luck diagnosing.
(* Fun Geeky Sidenote! USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. I was going to say 'USB bus' but then my internal redundantometer would've made me ashamed.)
posted by Quadlex at 3:40 PM on April 12, 2010
So, it sound like plugging in your iPod is actually buggering up all the *other* ports. If its own port caused the problem, you'd likely not be able to transfer things to it successfully.
So. You plug in the connector, the other ports go spare. My theory is that either: Your iDevice and/or its cable are buggered in such a way as to panic the other ports (quite unlikely IMO), or your USB* is disfunctional in some way. Your power supply may not be supplying enough power to your computer in general (How stable is it, is it crashy like a bus-driver on a whole bottle of JD?) or your USB power infrastructure can't meet the USB design spec.
So, you plug in your iPod, it hogs all the power, the other devices don't get enough to turn on and start turning off and on, the PC decides "Hang on, this device keeps freaking out" and disconnects your peripherals, and they stay off, as the design spec specifies.
First of all, connect the iPod and cable to another PC and test it out. Try to disconnect any other USB devices besides keyboard and mouse first. Then, if it works fine, try adding more devices and seeing if it freaks out. Finally, you can try borrowing a more powerful PSU (Or just another one of the same power... PSU power ratings are a FILTHY LIE) and try running your PC off that. If your PC has been having other stability issues (Random crashes especially playing games, BSODs, screen corruption) it's likely that your PSU is sick.
IANYTS (Tech Support), IANAD, IANAL, IANPP (Prince Phillip). This is just critical thinking on my behalf, with some Wild Arse Guesses in there. Good luck diagnosing.
(* Fun Geeky Sidenote! USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. I was going to say 'USB bus' but then my internal redundantometer would've made me ashamed.)
posted by Quadlex at 3:40 PM on April 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Mitheral at 7:28 AM on April 12, 2010