USB 2.0 Controller - possibly missing?

I have a new (May 2017) desktop PC running latest Windows 10 vn1703 with 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front and 4 USB 2.0 ports on the back.

Device Manager only lists USB 3.0, i.e. one 'USB 3.0 eXtensible host controller' and one 'USB Root Hub (3.0)'.

Should there be any controller or root hub for USB 2.0??

I have read that USB 2.0/3.0 should be upwards and downwards compatible and yes, the keyboard, mouse and various memory sticks work in all the ports. However I have a USB 2.0 device (a Satmap) which will not work on this machine in any of the ports. It works fine on an older machine that has only USB 2.0 ports (and therefore controllers) running Windows 10 vn1607.

On the new machine, Device Manager knows the Satmap is connected (lists as USB Mass Storage Device under USB controllers, as USB Device under Disk Drives and also under Portable Devices) but nothing else can 'see' it - neither File Explorer nor the Satmap application software.

Running Troubleshooter (when it is already plugged in to a USB 2.0 port) just returns the message "USB Mass Storage Device can't work properly with USB 3.0. If the USB 2.0 device is incompatible with USB 3.0, plugging it into a USB 2.0 port can solve the problem."

Having read through various USB threads, I have tried uninstalling everything under USB controllers but that made no difference.

Any thoughts on what to try next will be gratefully received.

There may be a BIOS setting for enabling the USB2 ports in legacy mode.

I have read that USB 2.0/3.0 should be upwards and downwards compatible and yes, the keyboard, mouse and various memory sticks work in all the ports.

Most USB 3.0 ports will work with USB 2.0 devices but shouldn't the other way around. Older hardware is seldom forward compatible with new hardware.

My latest computer shows a Generic USB Hub for the USB 2.0 ports on the back and a USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) for the rear and front USB 3.0 ports.

USB 3.0 software should be included with the computer, USB 2.0 is usually supported in the BIOS for use by the keyboard during bootup.

If the legacy mode in bios doesn't work ... and you haven't tried this. With your Satmap connected, plug in a USB stick (USB 2.0 port).

My laptop won't recognize my USB HDD sometimes (shows in Device Manager, etc), but soon as I plug in a USB stick (and it gets recognized) the USB HDD shows up in file explorer and I can use it. Don't really know why this works.

philc43 said:

There may be a BIOS setting for enabling the USB2 ports in legacy mode.

Thanks for reply. I can't find anything about USB2 in BIOS. Not entirely sure what I would be looking for and where.

Berton said:

My latest computer shows a Generic USB Hub for the USB 2.0 ports on the back and a USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) for the rear and front USB 3.0 ports.

My computer has only the USB 3.0 Root Hub. No 'Generic USB Hub' at all. Hence I am wondering if this is the problem with my device not working but I may be clutching at straws.

Eagle51 said:

If the legacy mode in bios doesn't work ... and you haven't tried this. With your Satmap connected, plug in a USB stick (USB 2.0 port).

Thanks. This would have been great if it worked but, sadly, it didn't.

Berton said:

Here's a screenshot of my Device Manager and USB:
Attachment 142166

Thanks - mine certainly looks inadequate. Unsurprisingly every port (2 USB3.0 and 4USB2.0) is in "Hub #1".