CAC reader and all USB ports not reading

Question

I recently updated my government computer and suddenly I cannot log in. I don’t know what update version it is, but it’s Windows 11. Even though my CAC works perfectly on other computers, now suddenly my CAC reader stopped recognizing any card inserted to it. Also, no other USB device (keyboard, mouse, external CAC readers) are recognized or works. Since it’s a government computer and you need a CAC to log in, I see no way anyone, even an administrator, could log in to fix this. I would update all drivers if I could log in but, but if I could log in I wouldn’t be writing this.

Answer 1

Hello

Thanks for posting in Microsoft Community.

1. Check BIOS/UEFI settings

Sometimes, updates can change certain settings in the BIOS/UEFI, causing USB ports or devices to not work properly.

Enter BIOS/UEFI settings: Restart your computer and press the key to enter BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, DEL, or ESC, depending on your computer model).

Check USB settings: Look in the BIOS to see if there are options related to USB ports or devices (such as "Legacy USB Support" or "USB Configuration"). Make sure these settings are not disabled.

Restore default settings: If you are unsure about the specific settings, you can restore the BIOS settings to default, which can sometimes solve hardware problems caused by updates.

2. Try to enter safe mode

Safe mode loads Windows with minimal drivers, which can sometimes bypass some driver conflicts and hardware problems.

Enter safe mode:

Shut down your computer.

While restarting your computer, hold down the Shift key and repeatedly press F8 or F11 (depending on your computer model) to enter the Advanced Boot Options menu.

From the menu, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then click Restart.

After restarting, select Enable safe mode.

In safe mode, Windows will only load basic drivers. If the problem is caused by a driver conflict, safe mode may resolve it.

3. Check Device Manager in safe mode

Once in safe mode, you can check for hardware issues and update or reinstall drivers.

To open Device Manager:

Press the Windows + X keys and select Device Manager.

Look for any devices with a yellow triangle warning sign, especially under Universal Serial Bus controllers and Smart card readers (or CAC readers).

If you find a device with a warning sign next to it:

Right-click the device and select Uninstall device.

After uninstalling, restart your computer and Windows will try to reinstall the driver automatically.

4. Uninstall recent updates

If you think the problem is caused by recent updates, you can try uninstalling them to see if that fixes the problem.

To uninstall updates:

In safe mode (enter safe mode as described above). Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View Update History.

Select Uninstall Updates and review recently installed updates.

Uninstall updates that you think may be causing the problem.

After uninstalling, restart your computer to see if the problem is resolved.

5. Check USB port issues

If all USB ports are unresponsive (including CAC card readers, keyboards, mice, etc.), there is likely a problem with the USB driver.

Check USB controllers:

In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

Right-click each USB root hub or hub controller and select Uninstall device.

After uninstalling, restart your computer and Windows should automatically reinstall the USB driver.

6. System Restore

If you think the problem occurred after an update, you can try using the System Restore feature to return your system to the state before the update.

Perform a system restore:

Restart your computer and enter Advanced Startup Options (press Shift + F8 or F11).

Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.

Select a restore point before the update and perform the restore operation.

System restore will return your computer to the state before the update and may solve problems caused by the update.

I hope the above information is helpful to you.

Best regards

Runjie Zhai