G75 Win8 USB Device Reinitilization Loop - USB devices basically unusable

[Aubreyf]

G75VW, Win8, all available OS updates installed and all drivers upgraded to latest version on Asus download site.
Bought laptop with Win7 installed, issue has been present singe I upgraded it to Win8.

Whenever I plug in a USB device, around 10% of the time it works perfectly. Most of the time when I plug USB devices in, they enter a "reinitilization loop" - Windows keeps recognizing, detaching, and recognizing them again around once per second and the devices never actually start working.

All 4 ports on the machine act exactly the same. Once a device is randomly recognized, it works perfectly until I restart the machine, unplug the device for a second, or plug in a new device. Plugging devices directly into the machine or through a USB hub makes no difference. Port usage lights on the hub and lights on devices themselves flash on and off in sync with the restart loop. Uninstalling "Asus Quick Charge" makes no difference, and neither does terminating all user processes on the machine.

USB hard drives don't seem to be affected - but all my mice, headsets, wifi dongles etc suffer equally.

Has anyone else experienced this before?
Ideas appreciated.

[dstrakele]

ASUS Quick Charge (or Ai Charger Plus) is not compatible with Windows 8. Check your BIOS for a."USB Charge" setting. It may have been enabled when you installed ASUS Quick Charge and not disabled on uninstallation. Disable the setting if it exists and see if it changes your USB device behavior.

[Aubreyf]

Great idea!
There is an "Asus USB Quick Charger in Battery Mode" option in my machine's BIOS - but I just disabled it, and disconnected wall power, and the USB device init loop issue continued.

Anything else I might try?

[dstrakele]

I'd probably try installing the 9.3.0.1026 Intel Chipset Device Software ( http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20775&keyword=intel+Chipset〈=eng) with the -overall switch, so all of the USB drivers get replaced.

[dstrakele]

I'd probably try installing the 9.3.0.1026 Intel Chipset Device Software ( http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20775&keyword=intel+Chipset〈=eng) with the -overall switch, so all of the USB drivers get replaced.

A similar issue is reported in http://superuser.com/questions/464536/usb-drivers-stopped-working-in-windows-8, where a disable/enable workaround is recommended. Still, I'm thinking it's a USB driver issue in Windows 8.

[Aubreyf]

I had already disabled/enabled the USB controllers in device manager without any benefit, but your -overall switch idea seems to have improved things substantially.

I can now run all USB devices simultaneously, unless I plug my mouse into a hub rather than the computer itself (in which case the init loop again rears it's ugly head). This I can live with!

I'll check back in a day or two on whether this seems to have been solved for good.

[Clintlgm]

Just couious what usb hub are you using? Powered or not powered

[Aubreyf]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10307&cs_id=1030702&p_id=5328&seq=1&for...
Acts same when powered as when ac power disconnected.

Before reinstalling the intel chipset software, I could trigger the issue by plugging my mouse directly into an otherwise USB-device free laptop - so I really don't think the hub is at fault.

[Clintlgm]

Just checking I'm still on Win 7 and have a D-Link DUB-H7 USB 2.0 7 port and a Uspeed USB 3.0 4 port hub, I always have them powered up, neither like to have too many things plugged in at the same time. It seems there are power issues to the USB ports on the G75's I can have 2 external 2.5" hard drives connected and no problems but if I try to add another or even a Thumb drive I start getting disconnect problems. I have also found that there are less problems with the two right side ports than the left side ports? I have a Right angle short cable adapter that I use to get around the cables getting in the way of my mouse. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006C0PNJK/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00 I've had no issues with this right angle cable adapter I plug in my Uspeed Hub to it. I plug my D-link hub in on the left side ports. I haven't heard to many issues with USB 2.0 hubs, however a few months ago we had many issues with USB 3.0 hubs Those were solve by defect free cables and new USB 3.0 Drivers from Intel, With Win 8 you have a Microsoft Native USB 3.0 driver should be less of an issue? My Wife's HP Al in one touch screen Win 8 PRO has had no issues with USB 3.0 at all so far.

[Aubreyf]

Interesting. I haven't noticed a higher degree of reliability on one side of the machine than the other, but I have noticed that switching between sides of the machine occasionally gets devices working when nothing else will.

After two days of intermittent use, I can conclude that Intel's drivers alleviated the problem but did not solve it. Things are now reliable enough to get devices working when I need them to after a minute or so of swapping ports, but not 100% reliable. Yesterday my wifi dongle started de- and re-activating every 2 minutes or so, and the computer sat there producing incredibly annoying chime noises for a good 15 minutes 'till I unplugged the dongle.

If anyone else ever experiences this - and especially if you find a full solution - please contribute knowledge here!