Question usb hub prevents boot

[silversmith]

With powered USB 3 hub plugged into power, Win 10 does not boot at all, Unplug power (usb connections still there), boot is normal. Plug in power to USB after boot starts is fine. What is this? Thanks.

 

[J_E_D_70]

I’d think a short somewhere. Tried multiple ports on the pc or a different cable from hub to pc?

 

[Unolocogringo]

Could be secure boot in bios.
If any hardware changes the computer will not boot, this includes usb devices.

 

[onespeedbiker]

What USB drives are plugged in. It could be Windows is trying to boot from one of the USBs even with no boot information (happens to me from time to time). With the power unplugged, USB is not getting enough power to be seen by BIOs as a possible boot drive.

 

[silversmith]

I appreciate the responses. I already tried different ports and cables. There are No USB drives connected (only printers). This is Dell 8920, Win 10. I really hesitate to disable secure boot since usually a system reset is needed to restore it, and it may well not be the problem. All further thoughts appreciated.

 

[onespeedbiker]

What order are your boot devices? If USB is ahead of your system disk, place your system disk in front of the USB and see if it changes. Also unplug you printer and see if with a powered hub it will boot. Which USB port are you using for the hub. In the front or back, 2.0 or 3.0 bus? Is your bios current?

 

[onespeedbiker]

Check your bio, the most recent is 1.0.19 and is dated Mar, 2019. Many of these BIOS updates are to keep up with windows 10 updates. Further, Dell has categorized this BIOS update as urgent. https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/xps-8920-desktop/drivers

 

[silversmith]

Thanks so much to all for responses.

My 'secure boot' indeed is already DISABLED.

My Dell Bios is already the current one: 1.0.19.

My Bios Boot reports: ACPI (...); PCI (...);Sata(...); HD(Part 1, ...) . The PCI is the SSD op sys drive. My confusion is that ACPI is a power control system, not a drive - I'm not sure if I should change it out of first position. Guidance appreciated. Many thanks.
Peter

 

[J_E_D_70]

Did the hub work and then stop or is it new? If new would return it for a new one.

 

[silversmith]

This is a most interesting comment. This is a new hub - indeed because of this behaviour I did return it for replacement - but since the second new one acted the same way, I'm no longer convinced the hub is at fault. Further, I have tested this same hub, plugged into power, on another Win 10 computer, and it booted perfectly. Thanks for the idea though. Peter

 

[onespeedbiker]

Is the printer connected to the hub when you try and boot? If so disconnect it and try again to boot. I have been searching the internet and it seems this is a well known phenomena. It appears with some motherboards, a powered hub interupts the boot process just as Windows starts to load. There is lots of speculation why but nothing definitive. It can even happen without any peripherals attached; it's the presence of the powered hub itself.

As far as the ACPI/ APCI it is probably boot instructions, that are options in the BIOs. In some cases they have been associated with your hub issues, but not always. Here is a an interesting link about that. https://www.techspot.com/community/topics/usb-hub-and-boot-problems.18940/

 

[silversmith]

Thank you. From your research it seems I am stuck - that is I can not have USB hub power plugged in at time of boot on my machine. What a pain. So frustrating that this is not the case on my second machine. Peter

 

[J_E_D_70]

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/xps-8920-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf
See page 106 for a few USB-related options - would change them one at a time to see if that helps.

 

[silversmith]

I thank you again for your fine research. Any POWERED USB hub (all by itself) does not allow even start of boot. Remove the USB power, and all boots normally. It brings me back to the same point about boot order: My Bios (the default) lists boot order: ACPI;PCI;SATA;HD.
I am concerned about what to change/remove lest I not be able to get back in to change again. Your more specific guidance very much appreciated.
Peter

 

[onespeedbiker]

Looking at ACPI;PCI;SATA;HD, is appears to be a single string for your hard drive, so it is not your boot order. Could you take a photo of this BIOs screen and post it? BTW you will likely need to use a photo sharing website such as Postimage.com

 

[silversmith]

I'm grateful for your diligence. OK - here are 3 links to 3 screenshots of my Bios. Your comments most appreciated as to how to adjust Bios to allow boot with Powered USB hubs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LAPaCfnJai49SIgzkpx6VIyquDulqXNu/view?usp=sharing

Bios 02.jpg

drive.google.com

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wG1JsyshtHHjz24Jaj8Z6PmRQ4-QznIh/view?usp=sharing

 

[captaincharisma]

what is the make and model of the hub? if its some cheap off brand HUB from ebay or amazon then that's likely why you are having all these problems

 

[silversmith]

Hub is Amazon - $14. But I tried 2 other powered USB hubs in my system, and both had same problem with power plugged in. BUT these same hubs have no issue at all in another Win 10 machine on which I tested them. So I can't help but think there is a configuration issue in my machine. I did check to update all drivers in the control panel.
Many thanks for your thoughts.
Peter

 

[onespeedbiker]

ACPI;PCI;SATA;HD is not your boot order, it is the BIOS loading drivers to allow hardware options to boot (I think). I would assume one of the other choices of the Boot menu, that are covered by the window on the third photo would be your boot order; saying that I don't see how it well help your problem. There is one thing that should be done anyway, is to enable USB boot support. and see if that does anything.

 

[silversmith]

I enabled USB boot support. Still, no boot with USB hub power plugged in (no problem with power plug out).
It was worth a try. Any other thoughts greatly appreciated.
Peter