USB-C Port Issue

[mullet_man]

We are nearly two years into laptops using USB-C docks and now starting to experience issues, broken dock leads and now a couple of ports on laptops being damaged due to wear and tare.

 

Any ideas what this bit is that's in this port, it's blocking the cable going in, it seems like something from inside the laptop has collapsed into the port.

 

Hopefully you can see from the image, am going to investigate it more tomorrow by opening up the laptop.

 

It's a HP ProBook 450 G6.

Cheers

[chazzy2501]

looks like a bit of the shielding, if you have a pin you could try and bend it out of the way (with power off).

 

all the important stuff is in the middle bit.

 

usbc is designed to wear out the plug not the socket but I figured at some point I'd be soldering new sockets.

 

I also have the probook G7 and 8 so maybe I'll run into this next year.

[psydii]

We've found USB C to be awful

 

Nothing works reliably after a while (typically after a Feature Update, but sometimes a CU seems to trigger the failures). DisplayPort is usually the first casualty. Usually about 3 months after a feature update and having updated all drivers and firmware things settle down. Not really a winning timeframe users.

 

The fragility of the cables is also a killer - and it seems likely that failing cables can cause permanent electrical problems solvable only by replacement system boards.

 

We have had a couple of ports physically break (much as even USB A ports can) but have not yet had one with the problem you describe.

Edited June 8, 2021 by psydii

[mullet_man]

looks like a bit of the shielding, if you have a pin you could try and bend it out of the way (with power off).

 

all the important stuff is in the middle bit.

 

usbc is designed to wear out the plug not the socket but I figured at some point I'd be soldering new sockets.

 

I also have the probook G7 and 8 so maybe I'll run into this next year.

 

I'll have a look, I might take the back off and see if I can get at the port that way maybe and see what has fallen in?

 

Yeah we are using USB-C docks replacing the old style docks you use to still the laptop onto (that seems to be a thing of the past)

 

Our docks are the HP Universal USB-C Docks and the cables are hardwired and not user replaceable so I've got 4 docks that are not working, wondering if I could solder a new cable in it's place?!?!

 

I like the one cable but am not sure on it's durability, but the big problem we have here is every teacher moves every lesson, which is causing the extra strain on cables and ports.

[mullet_man]

We've found USB C to be awful

 

Nothing works reliably after a while (typically after a Feature Update, but sometimes a CU seems to trigger the failures). DisplayPort is usually the first casualty. Usually about 3 months after a feature update and having updated all drivers and firmware things settle down. Not really a winning timeframe users.

 

The fragility of the cables is also a killer - and it seems likely that failing cables can cause permanent electrical problems solvable only by replacement system boards.

 

We have had a couple of ports physically break (much as even USB A ports can) but have not yet had one with the problem you describe.

 

Touch wood we've not had any electrical problems with the laptops as yet, but it might explain why a few docks have stopped working I thought it was the cables initially.

 

Our main issue is sound, a lot of the time it doesn't work and you have to either restart the laptop or uninstall the sound card drivers to get it working again.

[gumbygaz]

Our USB-C HP laptops are starting to wear as well. We've got the 3yr care packs warranty so at the moment HP are replacing the mainboards. We've found a driver/firmware updates does fix it sometimes like pysdii mentioned earlier. But it's not very robust connection and easily knocked and it just 1 usb-c on the laptop it's a single point of failure...Wondering when HP will start saying it's wear and tear and they won't fix them- but personally these ports should last 3years+ so I thinking it's fair they replace them.

Wish those magnetic couplers worked with display etc so if they do get knocked it doesn't damage the port.

[chazzy2501]

I've got contact cleaner, USBC is quiet sensitive to dirt and this has fixed numerous issues with our HP Docks. (video is usually fine but charging and sometimes usb audio stops!)

 

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/electronics-cleaners/0491752/?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-CSS_UK_EN_Facilities_Cleaning_%26_Maintenance_Whoop-_-Contact%20Cleaners_Whoop%20(2)-_-491752&gclid=CjwKCAjwqvyFBhB7EiwAER786Y4NeAMCVyDJsmm_nXjwm79PchgYEm0_2nHYsJXDsBKUibR2duG5gRoCJaEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&matchtype=&pla-318742889448

[mullet_man]

I've got contact cleaner, USBC is quiet sensitive to dirt and this has fixed numerous issues with our HP Docks. (video is usually fine but charging and sometimes usb audio stops!)

 

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/electronics-cleaners/0491752/?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-CSS_UK_EN_Facilities_Cleaning_%26_Maintenance_Whoop-_-Contact%20Cleaners_Whoop%20(2)-_-491752&gclid=CjwKCAjwqvyFBhB7EiwAER786Y4NeAMCVyDJsmm_nXjwm79PchgYEm0_2nHYsJXDsBKUibR2duG5gRoCJaEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&matchtype=&pla-318742889448

Thanks will get one of these, I do have one laptop that is charging via the dock but doesn't display.

 

This might help!

[mullet_man]

Our USB-C HP laptops are starting to wear as well. We've got the 3yr care packs warranty so at the moment HP are replacing the mainboards. We've found a driver/firmware updates does fix it sometimes like pysdii mentioned earlier. But it's not very robust connection and easily knocked and it just 1 usb-c on the laptop it's a single point of failure...Wondering when HP will start saying it's wear and tear and they won't fix them- but personally these ports should last 3years+ so I thinking it's fair they replace them.

Wish those magnetic couplers worked with display etc so if they do get knocked it doesn't damage the port.

We didn't go for the extended warranty stupidily which might be looking like a bad move on our part. But like you say am wondering if HP would becoming wise to the constant logging of broken USBC ports.

[HTCPCP]

Not had too many issues with USB C/Thunderbolt etc on any of the latitudes we have at work, apart from a couple that needed cleaning properly from staff who work in rather grimy sites. It will never be as robust as the traditional USB port, but also, it is smaller and if implemented well by OEMs with the opening up of things like THunderbolt (Yes, Intel I am looking at you here), then it will make it far easier to manage. Even among our Dell fleet, some have DisplayPort, some don't, some have power delivery, some don't, some can handle docking properly, some are nothing more than the equivalent of a USB A port with a USB type C port.

 

That being said, I have noticed our few HP Probooks which we bought a couple of years ago, have all had USB C issues, among many other issues - including one where the casing collapsed a bit. This seems to be more around it not being quite flush with the chassis.

 

Just wait til the new USB Type C EPR comes out later in the year...

[FN-GM]

We have 40 2 year old HP Elitebooks and 300 3+ year old Dell Latitudes. Having a quick look on our service desk we have had 0 reports of USB-C connector issues for Dell but 4 for the HP laptops. Although all repaired under warranty a 10% failure rate isn't good.

[mullet_man]

We have 40 2 year old HP Elitebooks and 300 3+ year old Dell Latitudes. Having a quick look on our service desk we have had 0 reports of USB-C connector issues for Dell but 4 for the HP laptops. Although all repaired under warranty a 10% failure rate isn't good.

 

I think the issue we've had this is the teachers are moving classrooms every lesson, so your getting 5 potential plug ins and 5 pull outs each day. Normally a teacher might plug in once in the morning and leave laptop plugged in all day.

 

I've bought some of the contact cleaner spray that might fix one issue I have, but others one has a something that's fallen in the port from inside it looks like. When I ever get five mins I'll have a look by taking the thing apart.

[mullet_man]

I've got contact cleaner, USBC is quiet sensitive to dirt and this has fixed numerous issues with our HP Docks. (video is usually fine but charging and sometimes usb audio stops!)

 

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/electronics-cleaners/0491752/?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-CSS_UK_EN_Facilities_Cleaning_%26_Maintenance_Whoop-_-Contact%20Cleaners_Whoop%20(2)-_-491752&gclid=CjwKCAjwqvyFBhB7EiwAER786Y4NeAMCVyDJsmm_nXjwm79PchgYEm0_2nHYsJXDsBKUibR2duG5gRoCJaEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&matchtype=&pla-318742889448

This seems to have sorted a laptop that was charging via the dock but not projecting.

 

Thanks for the heads up on this as it could be really useful for future random issues.