USB port on laptop not working

[telfordstar]

I have a packard bell laptop which I've had for over a year now. All was fine then I got my iPod touch and was charging it and syncing it with iTunes. These last few times I've plugged USB in it tells me on laptop that it is an unknown device and won't let me charge or download. Help

[blueivy]

I have a packard bell laptop which I've had for over a year now. All was fine then I got my iPod touch and was charging it and syncing it with iTunes. These last few times I've plugged USB in it tells me on laptop that it is an unknown device and won't let me charge or download. Help

Are you absolutely sure about the charging? If that is the case then it's a hardware problem, probably a faulty port. Charging should happens immediately when you plug the device in as it doesn't need Windows for anything and therefore the 'unknown device' error won't make a difference to whether it charges or not.

[EDDIE]

I have a packard bell laptop which I've had for over a year now. All was fine then I got my iPod touch and was charging it and syncing it with iTunes. These last few times I've plugged USB in it tells me on laptop that it is an unknown device and won't let me charge or download. Help

I have an iphone i quite often sync using the laptop what usually causes it to say unknown device is when your using your itouch in the the same usb port and then if you use another device in that same usb port that causes that problem i tend to have one usb port on the laptop dedicated to the iphone and never plug anything else in to that usb port.
But to be honest about i find the itunes software on vista very unstable in my opinion and if the itunes is playing up i use nortons to clean up the register files and the rest of it and that normally cures it
But it is a good idea to do a back up your files on itouch just in case.
The other thing u can do is reboot your itouch in case its that because it should charge and if your itouch is the same as the iphone u press the top right button with the go back button at the same time to reboot.#
But most problems i get now i try to open up i tunes software and sometimes it doesnt and thats annoying and i have to clean the register files before it opens its really strange.

[telfordstar]

Thank you both for your replys they are very helpful. I had to charge it up on hubbys ps3 which charged it perfect but now all my songs have disapeared from iPod touch for no reason. I had to reset iPod before so might try that again. If it is a faulty USB port can it be fixed?

[blueivy]

Thank you both for your replys they are very helpful. I had to charge it up on hubbys ps3 which charged it perfect but now all my songs have disapeared from iPod touch for no reason. I had to reset iPod before so might try that again. If it is a faulty USB port can it be fixed?

With a bit of soldering know how, maybe.

Do you only have 1 USB port?

[telfordstar]

With a bit of soldering know how, maybe.

Do you only have 1 USB port?

No I have 3 but when I tried cable in one at the back it says that if I move it to another port it will work quicker but then today all if them said that it wasn't regognising the iPod!

[blueivy]

No I have 3 but when I tried cable in one at the back it says that if I move it to another port it will work quicker but then today all if them said that it wasn't regognising the iPod!

Did ANY of them charge the iPod though?

[telfordstar]

Did ANY of them charge the iPod though?

Yeah they did aye and I could download from iTunes direct from laptop as well.

[blueivy]

Yeah they did aye and I could download from iTunes direct from laptop as well.

It looks like it's just one dodgy port then. I'd forget about it and ignore it as fixing it could be more trouble than it's worth unless you are handy with a soldering iron and a multimeter.

If you need any more USB ports I'd buy a USB hub. They are relatively cheap (check eBay if you want a relly cheap one).

You can get powered one (you plug into the wall) and unpowered (which takes it power off the USB socket on the PC). I'd recommend a powered one as you have the option of using the power (if you need it) or not (if you don't).

[EDDIE]

Thank you both for your replys they are very helpful. I had to charge it up on hubbys ps3 which charged it perfect but now all my songs have disapeared from iPod touch for no reason. I had to reset iPod before so might try that again. If it is a faulty USB port can it be fixed?

you shouldnt need the ps3 to charge it u should have got a plug to charge it.
As for your music disappearing
1.were is the music stored if it is stored on an external hardrive u have to keep switching the external hardrive on everytime u sync?
2.In the itunes software were u sync in the option part at the bottom is the sync all ticked music box ticked?.
Its hard to diagnose a fault unless your there but im going to go for saying its not faulty hardware its a software fault is your problems and by what you are saying i would say you have just got an apple touch and your not used to useing itunes software yet it took me ages to get use to the software to and see music disappear of your touch without u wanting it i had the same problems until i understood the itunes software.
If i was you i would load to much music and games onto the itouch until your used to it because u can waste a lot of time uploading on your touch

[telfordstar]

It looks like it's just one dodgy port then. I'd forget about it and ignore it as fixing it could be more trouble than it's worth unless you are handy with a soldering iron and a multimeter.

If you need any more USB ports I'd buy a USB hub. They are relatively cheap (check eBay if you want a relly cheap one).

You can get powered one (you plug into the wall) and unpowered (which takes it power off the USB socket on the PC). I'd recommend a powered one as you have the option of using the power (if you need it) or not (if you don't).

Thanks Paul you've been a big help thats what I thought it might of been but I'm no expert. I might invest in one of these see how I get on or maybe persuade hubby that itsctime for a new laptop.

[telfordstar]

you shouldnt need the ps3 to charge it u should have got a plug to charge it.
As for your music disappearing
1.were is the music stored if it is stored on an external hardrive u have to keep switching the external hardrive on everytime u sync?
2.In the itunes software were u sync in the option part at the bottom is the sync all ticked music box ticked?.
Its hard to diagnose a fault unless your there but im going to go for saying its not faulty hardware its a software fault is your problems and by what you are saying i would say you have just got an apple touch and your not used to useing itunes software yet it took me ages to get use to the software to and see music disappear of your touch without u wanting it i had the same problems until i understood the itunes software.
If i was you i would load to much music and games onto the itouch until your used to it because u can waste a lot of time uploading on your touch

Thanks eddie I think I might have to invest in a plug now. Must admit this iTunes and iPod are trying my patience I was buying tunes direct from iPod using my livebox but now all they songs have disapeared?