Question USB devices only recognised by certain USB Laptop sockets

[vonsworld]

I have a number of external hard drives in USB enclosures. The USB interfaces in the enclosures are not all the same hardware.

I use Dell laptops and they usually have 2 USB ports. I have found that the external drives are often only recognised by one of the sockets, they do not work or appear in explorer when plugged into the other socket.

This is a problem I have noticed on more than one laptop running both Windows 10 & 11, with USB2 and USB3.1 sockets.

I have ensured that the latest drivers are being used.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem and perhaps have a solution please?

 

[Lutfij]

What are the makes and models of your external enclosures? A list of all laptops you've found the issue to exist with with also give us some hint as to why it's recurring.

 

[Lutfij]

What are the makes and models of your external enclosures? A list of all laptops you've found the issue to exist with with also give us some hint as to why it's recurring.