USB not recognised

[snagrat]

We have several customers with Fujitsu A544 and A514 laptops that will not connect to Smartboards or LCD panels.

 

However out of say 10 supplied and built in exactly same way, 5 work and 5 won't. Those they do will work on any board, those that don't won't work or any board so it is a laptop issue.

 

Any ideas why this might be? Other USB devices work.

 

The error is that the USB is not recognised and has malfunctioned. All drivers are up to date.

[ITGURU]

Hardware issue? Tried with a powered USB hub? Re-install clean copy of windows and USB drivers, then test.

[Fazza]

Try updating the BIOS on the laptops and then loading the optimised defaults and see if that helps.

[Mullaney18]

How long are the USB cables? Though not directly the same but the theory might be; last year I installed new Dell AIO machines for the smart boards in each class, some connected and some didn't, stating malfunction and could not be installed in windows. couldn't figure it out till I connected a small (3ft) to all of them and they worked.

Looking in the trunking, some installions had up to 10 metres of sub cable inside, so my result was newer computers must have lower power output which won't provide enough juices to full connect a smart board beyond 5 metres. Try bypass any faceplate with a short short Usb cable.

[snagrat]

Affected laptops have been tested with a 1m cable direct to the device.

 

We are trying a powered hub next week but it wouldn't be an ideal fix.

 

I'll check BIOS although the newer laptops should have the latest on and be the same on all.

[TommyCooper]

Did you get this fixed? I'd suspect the affected laptops had USB 3 ports, and should normally be fixable by connecting the boards via a USB 2 active extender.