My Dongle keeps disconnecting but other USB devices work fine. The dongle works fine on my other device.

Question

Hello,

I have a brand new PC (Windows 11 Pro) that I am trying to setup. My USB dongle required for 3rd party software keeps disconnecting which does not happen for other USB devices (mouse and keyboard continue to work). I tried all USB ports.

This dongle works fine on my laptop.

I already went through multiple steps trying to solve this:

• Local Group Policy Editor -> Administrative Templates-> System -> Device Guard -> Turn on Virtualization Based Security (Disabled)
• Advanced Power settings USB selective suspend settings (Disabled) -had to go through registry editor to re-enable this option to show
• Device Manager - unticked " Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" for all options under "Universal Serial Bus controllers" and " Human Interface Devices -> USB Input Device"
• Updated BIOS
• Windows Updates all installed

Please let me know what the next step is.

Answer 1

Hello,

Since you have already covered the power settings and standard Windows updates pretty thoroughly, we need to narrow down if this is a driver conflict specific to that device or a motherboard chipset issue.

What is the specific brand and model of the dongle? Knowing if it is a license key like Sentinel or HASP, or a communication adapter, changes the troubleshooting path.

Also, open Device Manager and watch it while the disconnection happens. Does the device completely vanish from the list, or does it stay listed but gain a yellow warning triangle? If it shows a triangle, let me know the error code in the status.

Answer 2

It sounds like you've already taken several important troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue with your USB dongle. Since the dongle works fine on your laptop and other USB devices are functioning correctly on your new PC, here are a few additional suggestions you might consider:

1. Check for Device Conflicts: Open Device Manager and look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark. This could indicate a driver conflict that might be affecting your dongle.
2. Update USB Drivers: Ensure that the USB drivers are up to date. You can do this by right-clicking on each USB controller in Device Manager and selecting "Update driver."
3. Try Different USB Ports: Even though you've tried all USB ports, sometimes specific ports may have issues. If possible, try using USB 2.0 ports instead of USB 3.0 ports, as compatibility issues can sometimes arise with certain devices.
4. Disable USB Debugging: If USB debugging is enabled, it may interfere with the dongle's operation. You can check this in the developer options if applicable.
5. Registry Changes: You might consider checking the registry for any settings that could be affecting USB devices. For example, ensure that the registry keys related to USB power management are set correctly.
6. Test on Another PC: If you have access to another PC, test the dongle there to ensure it is functioning properly.
7. Contact Manufacturer Support: If none of the above steps work, it may be worthwhile to contact the dongle manufacturer's support for further assistance.

These steps should help you further diagnose the issue with your USB dongle.