One USB-A port doesn't work with a specific USB

[makeworld]

I am running Arch Linux but I am not sure if that is related to the issue. My Framework is an original model with the 11th gen Intel CPU.

The top right port (as seen when the laptop is open) is giving me problems. I have the USB-A expansion card in it. It seems to accept several USBs, but there is one that doesn’t work there, and only mounts in the bottom right port.

This is what I see in the kernel log:

[68677.239828] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[68677.433094] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 16 using xhci_hcd
[68679.439842] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[68679.440057] usb usb3-port1: attempt power cycle
[68681.523327] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[68683.943275] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[68683.943410] usb usb3-port1: unable to enumerate USB device

and

[68460.390985] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 9 using xhci_hcd
[68465.794629] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[68481.371626] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[68481.678189] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 10 using xhci_hcd
[68486.918553] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[68502.488781] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[68502.595387] usb usb3-port1: attempt power cycle
[68502.718879] usb 3-9: reset full-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[68503.258648] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 11 using xhci_hcd
[68508.482037] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/8, error -110
[68524.055308] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/8, error -110
[68524.291759] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 12 using xhci_hcd
[68529.388407] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/8, error -110
[68544.961835] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/8, error -110
[68545.068456] usb usb3-port1: unable to enumerate USB device

When the device successfully connects in the bottom right port, I get this info on it:

[68698.460358] usb 2-2: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[68698.477755] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0951, idProduct=1666, bcdDevice= 1.10
[68698.477760] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[68698.477761] usb 2-2: Product: DataTraveler 3.0
[68698.477763] usb 2-2: Manufacturer: Kingston
[68698.477763] usb 2-2: SerialNumber: F46D04658961E330996C004E
[68698.478654] usb-storage 2-2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[68698.478746] scsi host0: usb-storage 2-2:1.0
[68699.500571] scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Kingston DataTraveler 3.0 PMAP PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[68699.500695] sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
[68699.594637] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 60604416 512-byte logical blocks: (31.0 GB/28.9 GiB)
[68699.595128] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
[68699.595132] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 45 00 00 00
[68699.595374] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[68699.598217]  sda: sda1 sda2
[68699.598406] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk

Additionally, this is how lsusb reports the drive:

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0951:1666 Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 G3/G4/SE9 G2/50 Kyson

Any ideas why this USB drive wouldn’t work in one of the ports?

[Elliot_Lu]

Try to see if other expansion cards work and then put back the USB A expansion card.

On Windows, I experienced an issue where my USB A expansion card suddenly stopped working for no reason. I swapped it out with a Micro SD expansion card and it worked just fine. Then when I put the USB A back, it started working again. This was on Windows though, so it may not be your issue.

[makeworld]

Thanks for the replies. I have just reset my mainboard, and I’m still seeing that the USB is not recognized in the top right port, but works in the bottom right port.

As for the suggestion of using another expansion card, I tried that and was able to read a microSD. But swapping back to the USB A card didn’t fix anything unfortunately.

[  571.026897] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  571.216802] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 19 using xhci_hcd
[  573.003322] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  573.003472] usb usb3-port1: attempt power cycle
[  574.863511] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  574.986790] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 21 using xhci_hcd
[  574.986899] usb 3-1: Device not responding to setup address.
[  575.193391] usb 3-1: Device not responding to setup address.
[  575.400059] usb 3-1: device not accepting address 21, error -71
[  575.400232] usb usb3-port1: unable to enumerate USB device
[  577.736560] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  579.729798] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  579.729839] usb usb3-port1: attempt power cycle
[  582.003276] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  584.206372] usb usb3-port1: Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
[  584.206504] usb usb3-port1: unable to enumerate USB device

Again a different USB drive works in this port, so the cause of this issue is pretty unclear to me. Does anyone have any further suggestions? I’ll try and gather more data about what USB devices work or don’t work in this specific port (with the USB-A card).

[makeworld]

Interestingly my Kobo device doesn’t work in the bottom right but does work in the top right.

[Elliot_Lu]

In the end I would not recommend putting your USB A on the top right port of the Framework 16. If you look at the image for the recommended Expansion card placements, putting USB As in the top row of ports can lead to extra power usage. It would be better to use it on the bottom two rows instead. You also will not be able to use the full USB 4 capabilities.

Expansion Card Slot functionality on Framework Laptop 16

[makeworld]

I’ve seen that before, but I am using a Framework 13. I haven’t been able to find anything like that diagram for the 13, AFAIK all ports should be equal on it.

[Elliot_Lu]

Apologies about that. Intel Frameworks should have all the ports equal. Do you have any other devices plugged into the Framework? It may be that the usb drive isn’t receiving enough power so it refuses to connect.

I would also agree that you should try to perform a mainboard reset as suggested above.

[makeworld]

I already tried a mainboard reset as I mentioned above. The only other thing often plugged in is an HDMI cable, but unplugging that makes no different for my issue. I’ll continue to investigate.

[makeworld]

Plugging in this problem USB drive halfway worked. It looks like I’m having a problem many others have experienced, and may need to send for a mainboard replacement unfortunately.

[TRACKING] USB-A an ongoing problem?

I was wondering if the ongoing problems of the USB-A port carry forward. The problem I’m referring to is the power issues that sometimes require things to be plugged in half-way to function. Is this an issue with all mainboards? Was this fixed on the Framework 16 laptop?

[RESPONDED] Quirky USB Port

(I originally posted this in a thread on display output problems, though I now think it’s unrelated. It might be related to this other post on USB-A Yubikey problems…) I’ve had a problem with a couple of external USB hard drives when plugging them into one of the laptop’s USB ports. The drives get power but no data. At least, the drive doesn’t appear in the list of drives, but its light stays on. I’ve tried swapping the USB-A framework expansion cards (I have two), but the problem only happ…