Powered USB Multi-port Hub Issues

[AB9NN]

I have a 5 port USB powered hub. I run 3 RTLSDR dongles from it. The other night I unplugged them carefully and powered down and disconnected power from my PC as storms were near. Next morning one dongle seemingly did not work. Come to find out that two of the USB slots on the hub do not work but the rest of them do. This is the second hub that has gone bad. I live in Michigan and we get a lot of lightning and so there is a lot of connecting and disconnecting from the hub. This hub has only been a matter of months however. Wondering if there are more durable hubs or if there is some procedure I should be following? I pull them gently straight out and know not to force anything or put any sort of angular motion on them. Wondering how often this happens to others.

 

[DRL-XM43]

Do you connect it to USB v2 or 3?

Have you tried switching to a different port?

Do other devices work in the "dead" positions?

Have you tried a zadig re-install?

Have you tried uninstalling the hub in windows devices and let it re discover it?

 

[kruser]

Have you tried a zadig re-install?

I've definitely had to run zadig on many occasions after plugging in RTLSDR dongles into other ports.

My other guess would be a static zap took out the dead ports on the OPs USB hub when he was removing or inserting something.
If that's the case, you need to look at your indoor humidity levels and get them raised higher if low!

The other thing could be using different power sources for the hub's power adapter that is not the same source as that which powers the computer you are plugging it into. This can create a voltage potential between the grounds of the computer and the powered hub. Make sure they are both plugged into the same power strip or whatever your AC power source is. Just a suggestion as most devices today should be protected from this but I've seen it happen.
What about the antenna inputs on the SDR sticks that were in the blown usb ports? I think the antennas ground is connected on through to the USB port ground so something could have gotten in that way as well.
Of course the above is assuming there is no physical damage to the failed ports sockets.

 

[N9JIG]

If you plugged a USB cable into a different jack then the port might still be good but the address has changed.

Check Device Manager and see if (and what) the address assignments are and if needed change them or plug back into the same jack they were in.

I have a fairly complicated arrangement with 3 hubs, 24 radios and other stuff so I have to be very careful about what is connected where lest I have to go back and reassign addresses.