USB problem: some ports dead, others working

[JP Prevot]

Hi!

My computer went back to service already twice this year for a new motherboard... after the second change, it came back with 2 (contiguous) of the nine USB ports not working.

The shop is now telling me that it is a software problem not covered by the warranty.
The soft is the original vista that came with the computer.

Two independent technicians told me that this was an hilarious excuse for not servicing my computer, and something they had never come across!

I must say that this would be the third service in a row, and since then another problem is there: the card reader fell back into the case, which, by the law here entitles me to ask for a full refund as it would be the fourth failure in a row.

The computer is sealed and under warranty. I can't open it... It means back to service, and another month without it.

The motherboard is from Acer. The computer has four USB ports at the back, four on the top of the case and one on the front panel, with the card reader.

Two of the ports in the top panel where "dead" when coming back from the second change of board, no matter which device I tried.

All the ports were funcional before the service.


I do not understand how that could be a software problem.

Am I wrong or right?

 

[nukemaster]

This is funny, I would bet they did not even plug the damn things back in when changing the board. I have not seen software make a usb port not work.

On startup, look for what it tells you to press to "Enter setup" or similar, not recovery. now once you know the key and have entered setup, plug your keyboard(if its usb) into the top ports one at a time and see if any work(powering down between attempts just in case the board does not detect from within setup). at post(power on self test) there is no software loaded that can effect ports, if they do not work there, they do not work at all.

 

[JP Prevot]

Thank you for popping in!
Nothing worked on those two ports.
My bet is also somebody forgot to plug them back after the (second) change of board.
But I need reassurance about that before demanding my money back.