Question I have 16 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports but my PC only recoginze the USB 3.0 ports.

[Nir_H]

Hi there! I have a problem with my Desktop PC that is running Windows 11. I have 18 USB ports in total (16 in the back + 2 on the front). two of the USB ports that are in the back are USB 3.0 and only them works out of the 18 I have. I have tried multiple OSes like Windows 10, 11 and Ubuntu but in all of them the 16 USB ports don't work. I also tried checking in the BIOS but I saw that all of the USB ports are listed as 'Enabled'. On another note, I have another problem, I have 4 slots of DDR3 memory (2 black and 2 blue) I have connected 2 4GB DDR3 sticks but only 4GB of single channel RAM is showing up on Windows. I can assure you that the ram sticks are working because they came from another PC.
The PC specs for anyone that is interested:
Intel DP67BA
i7-2600 3.40Ghz
'4' GB of RAM (should be 8)
GTX 750 TI
Windows 11

 

[COLGeek]

I just have to ask, but why do you have 16 USB 2.0 ports?

Make sure your memory is installed in the proper slots.

Installing And Removing System Memory; Guidelines For Dual Channel Memory Configuration; Two Or Four Dimms; Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Two Dimms - Intel DP67BA Product Manual [Page 34]

Intel DP67BA Manual Online: installing and removing system memory, Guidelines For Dual Channel Memory Configuration, Two Or Four Dimms, Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Two Dimms, Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Four Dimms. Desktop Board Dp67Ba Has Four...

www.manualslib.com

 

[elderMat7]

I just have to ask, but why do you have 16 USB 2.0 ports?

😆

 

[elderMat7]

About the RAM - Here is the manual for your motherboard - https://www.manualslib.com/manual/440743/Intel-Dp67ba.html?page=34#manual
Are your DIMMs in the blue sockets?

 

[COLGeek]

About the RAM - Here is the manual for your motherboard - https://www.manualslib.com/manual/440743/Intel-Dp67ba.html?page=34#manual
Are your DIMMs in the blue sockets?

Jinx. We literally posted that same info at the same time! Funny!

 

[Darkbreeze]

Just because the RAM works in one machine does not always mean it work in another one. Memory needs to be compatible, not just with the platform, but with the BOARD itself, and not all memory is. For any given generation, whether DDR3, 4, 5, etc., there are going to be sticks or kits that simply won't work with some boards but will with others. So just because it works in another machine does not mean it will work with this one AND if they did not come TOGETHER, in ONE kit, meaning they were tested at the factory for compatiblity, it just increases the probability that any given sticks might not play nice together in any given motherboard. Some boards are much more capable of finding a set of happy timings for sticks that didn't come together, because even if they are the exact same model but were purchased separately, there is still a chance they may not play nice together although it certainly improves the chances that they will beyond what is likely if they were entirely different model numbers.

Also, it REALLY can matter what DIMM slots they are in as well. EXACTLY which slots are these installed in? They SHOULD be installed in the DIMM 1 and DIMM 2 slots which are the second and fourth slots over from the CPU socket with the DIMM 2 slot being the closest to the edge of the motherboard.

Based on the manual, this board does NOT have 16 USB 2.0 ports.

There are 14 USB 2.0 ports (six ports routed to back panel connectors (black) and eight ports routed to four internal onboard headers for use with external and front panel ports).

Did you just recently install Windows 11 on this machine? Have you looked in device manager to see if there are any "remarked" devices, indicating that there is either a problem with them or that the necessary drivers have not been installed? This would be very likely for a board of this age and there is EVERY probability that it's because you are running Windows 11 which is FULLY not supported on anything that old so clearly you've had to use a work around which causes problems of it's own and in fact Windows will intentionally not allow some features to work in this event.

 

[DSzymborski]

Yeah, how did the ports come into existence? They don't appear to be on the motherboard.

Let's get details on this, details on the RAM -- if this is a FrankenRAM situation, working on one motherboard doesn't necessarily mean working on another -- and whatever else has been not included in the details. We need to know the entire story of what's going on here, not just selective parts.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yeah, how did the ports come into existence? They don't appear to be on the motherboard.

There are 14 USB 2.0 ports (six ports routed to back panel connectors (black) and eight ports routed to four internal onboard headers for use with external and front panel ports). According to the manual anyhow.

 

[Nir_H]

I just have to ask, but why do you have 16 USB 2.0 ports?

Make sure your memory is installed in the proper slots.

Installing And Removing System Memory; Guidelines For Dual Channel Memory Configuration; Two Or Four Dimms; Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Two Dimms - Intel DP67BA Product Manual [Page 34]

Intel DP67BA Manual Online: installing and removing system memory, Guidelines For Dual Channel Memory Configuration, Two Or Four Dimms, Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Two Dimms, Example Dual Channel Memory Configuration With Four Dimms. Desktop Board Dp67Ba Has Four...

www.manualslib.com

Hey thanks for replaying! It's an old Desktop PC meant for studios so it is huge in size and have 18 USB ports. I installed the ram in the 2 black slots I think that this is the correct way.

 

[Nir_H]

About the RAM - Here is the manual for your motherboard - https://www.manualslib.com/manual/440743/Intel-Dp67ba.html?page=34#manual
Are your DIMMs in the blue sockets?

Nope. they are in the Black sockets.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Hey thanks for replaying! It's an old Desktop PC meant for studios so it is huge in size and have 18 USB ports. I installed the ram in the 2 black slots I think that this is the correct way.

No, you should be using the blue DIMM slots. That is the correct population according to the manual and basically all modern motherboards since high density DDR3 became a thing.

 

[Darkbreeze]

The bottom line here, aside from the memory, is that your system is not supported for Windows 11. There are no Windows 11 specific drivers for a platform of that age and there will be no Windows 11 drivers to be found ANYWHERE on the Intel website or elsewhere, so if Windows update is not natively finding drivers that are compatible for your storage controllers or USB controllers, then they just aren't going to work. You would be wise to run a proper, activated copy of Windows 10 rather than trying to run a patched up version of 11, and even then, not entirely sure there will adequate driver support for that Sandy bridge platform even with 10, but the chances are at least fairly good that it will. It absolutely won't with 11.

 

[COLGeek]

Hey thanks for replaying! It's an old Desktop PC meant for studios so it is huge in size and have 18 USB ports. I installed the ram in the 2 black slots I think that this is the correct way.

Are all of those ports attached to headers on the motherboard, or do you have some additional adapter cards plugged into the motherboard?

 

[Nir_H]

Yeah, how did the ports come into existence? They don't appear to be on the motherboard.

Let's get details on this, details on the RAM -- if this is a FrankenRAM situation, working on one motherboard doesn't necessarily mean working on another -- and whatever else has been not included in the details. We need to know the entire story of what's going on here, not just selective parts.

I didn't looked too much in the PC but I think that I have another USBs connected as an extension sort of like a cable that conencts to the motherboard. About the RAM, I have pulled it from another PC that also used DDR3 memory but I don't have the other PC anymore since it broke and thrown away. When the other PC wokred the RAM sticks on it worked properly.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Are all of those ports attached to headers on the motherboard, or do you have some additional adapter cards plugged into the motherboard?

I believe this is a driver problem, at least for the six onboard back panel USB 2.0 ports since he's running 11 on a platform that does not support it. I'm betting there will be remarked devices in device manager and no USB controller drivers for 11 on this machine.

 

[Nir_H]

No, you should be using the blue DIMM slots. That is the correct population according to the manual and basically all modern motherboards since high density DDR3 became a thing.

Oh I see I would try to put them on the Blue socekts. Thank you.

 

[COLGeek]

I believe this is a driver problem, at least for the six onboard back panel USB 2.0 ports since he's running 11 on a platform that does not support it. I'm betting there will be remarked devices in device manager and no USB controller drivers for 11 on this machine.

Agreed. Then there is the problem of power draw if a bunch of stuff is actually connected to those ports.

 

[Nir_H]

The bottom line here, aside from the memory, is that your system is not supported for Windows 11. There are no Windows 11 specific drivers for a platform of that age and there will be no Windows 11 drivers to be found ANYWHERE on the Intel website or elsewhere, so if Windows update is not natively finding drivers that are compatible for your storage controllers or USB controllers, then they just aren't going to work. You would be wise to run a proper, activated copy of Windows 10 rather than trying to run a patched up version of 11, and even then, not entirely sure there will adequate driver support for that Sandy bridge platform even with 10, but the chances are at least fairly good that it will. It absolutely won't with 11.

I installed Windows 10 first on the PC and I found all of the problems there so I tried to move into other OSes like Ubuntu and Windows 11 just out of desperation. I agree with you, I will try to go back into Windows 10. Thanks again!

 

[COLGeek]

How many actual USB devices are you attaching at any given time?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, the P67 chipset, which is what that board uses, is 100% not supported in Windows 11. Neither is your Sandy bridge i5-2600 processor. There is no chipset driver support for that platform in Windows 11. That is almost certainly the problem with the lack of the older USB 2.0 ports working.

 

[Nir_H]

How many actual USB devices are you attaching at any given time?

I only have 2 USB ports that are working so I only attched my 2.4Ghz Keyboard and mouse combo and that's it.

 

[Nir_H]

Yes, the P67 chipset, which is what that board uses, is 100% not supported in Windows 11. Neither is your Sandy bridge i5-2600 processor. There is no chipset driver support for that platform in Windows 11. That is almost certainly the problem with the lack of the older USB 2.0 ports working.

Which version of Windows Do you think that I should run? I already tried installed Windows 10 before and I had the same problems. I tried to install Windows 11 just to see what would happen on that OS. Thanks again for trying to help!

 

[COLGeek]

I only have 2 USB ports that are working so I only attched my 2.4Ghz Keyboard and mouse combo and that's it.

Remove all the adapters and cards (assuming you have some) installed if you aren't using them. No point in having.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Since there is no official driver or software support through the Intel website anymore for that board, regardless of what OS you are running, you are going to have to rely on the Windows native drivers or find compatible drivers elsewhere.

Windows 10 SHOULD run on that board and there should be adequate driver support. I'd install 10 and then run Windows update. Install any and all available updates AND look in the advanced section of Windows update for "Optional drivers" and install any that you find there. After doing all that, if the USB ports still aren't working, then we will have to find compatible drivers for it. If none can be found then you are probably going to have to stick with Windows 8.1 but I've run Windows 10 on similar age systems, older even, than that one, without issues. The problem MIGHT, if that doesn't work, be the fact that it's an Intel board but honestly it shouldn't be since it uses a pretty common chipset for that era.

 

[Nir_H]

Since there is no official driver or software support through the Intel website anymore for that board, regardless of what OS you are running, you are going to have to rely on the Windows native drivers or find compatible drivers elsewhere.

Windows 10 SHOULD run on that board and there should be adequate driver support. I'd install 10 and then run Windows update. Install any and all available updates AND look in the advanced section of Windows update for "Optional drivers" and install any that you find there. After doing all that, if the USB ports still aren't working, then we will have to find compatible drivers for it. If none can be found then you are probably going to have to stick with Windows 8.1 but I've run Windows 10 on similar age systems, older even, than that one, without issues. The problem MIGHT, if that doesn't work, be the fact that it's an Intel board but honestly it shouldn't be since it uses a pretty common chipset for that era.

Thanks for your advice I will try to follow it.