I have been using my laptop for about a month without a problem, but over the last week or two I have had a problem where I lose access to all of my USB ports when resuming from sleep mode. If I go into hybernate or restart the computer, the ports miraculously return. The techs at the manufacturer can't figure it out and wanted me to do a full system restore, which is a little too drastic a solution! The only real thing I can connect it to, is I had to use Virtual PC (XP) around the time this started.

There is a recent KB, Knowledge Base, article on this. Suggest you try googling this problem but set the time frame to the last 6 months to cull out much of the unwanted info.

Greg, Is this kb applicable? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2484742/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14498

Greg, Also try this one on for size: Wake from sleep - Troubleshoot problems This one has been helpful to many.

The first one matched the problem, but the registry key outline was already present. The second one (Wake from sleep) is a different issue altogether. I am going to keep on trying. My son's solution is just not to let the laptop go to sleep. I'm not comfortable running it constantly, and it takes a month of Sunday's just to restart this thing. I certainly appreciate the help. For the time being I think I am going to have it hybernate instead of sleep. At least then the ports come up.

Although having it hybernate instead of sleeping, allows the usb ports to work, hybernation is slow and sleeping is much, much quicker. I see, also, that this problem has existed in Vista for quite some time now (over a year). I am hoping and praying that they decide to at least try and address the issue. I agree with some of the other rants about how long it should, or shouldn't, take to fix a very basic function. When Microsoft went from Vista to Win 7, they copied the same bad code. What gives??

Go into Device Manager and click on the "+" sign next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Open the Properties for each "hub" listing. Under the Power Management tab, make sure the box is cleared next to "Allow the computer to turn off. . ." entry. This will prevent the ports from "sleeping" even though the notebook is. SC Tom

Thanks Tom. I tried that too. No luck so far. Sony tech support had me go into the bios and do a reset to factory default. That didn't help and they suggested a full OS re-install. That's not even an option, in my book, as several pieces of software need new license codes when they are reinstalled. I have had to reinstall them several times and I don't know how many more times they're going to keep giving me license codes.

Hi, There is a patch available with microsoft. It is available in 3rd party hardware support. Also check with sony for the same patch support. Most of the Laptop manufacturers are providing patch for this known issue. Aloysius Jegan

Also check the below link for more info. ( Check under "Workaround" section) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817900Aloysius Jegan

Hi AJ, The link to the microsoft site provided, didn't have anything to help, but I am interested in the 3rd party info you mention. Sony's techs have no idea, so anything else you may have would be certainly worth trying. Greg

I don't know if it matters, but the build of my Win 7 is 7601. I am hoping that someone from MS will look into this issue, because a lot of people have it and it is a major problem for the users. It's a shame that a brand new machine sould be having such problems. I am begging for help! A patch or a hotfix would be sonderful!! Searching MS's web site, reveals this issue going back to 2009 and still no solution.

Hi Greg, Microsoft has been fixed this problem, but it is not successful with all PC/Notebook manufacturers. So, the OEM developers itself started giving patch for this issue. I have seen the patch upto Windows Vista version. Lenovo, HP, Dell and other people are providing this patch. Sony is providing this patch for some selective models. Go to sony support, enter or auto detect your model and check for the update. With Windows 7 SP1 your USB drives should work properly. Anyway, check the below sony support link to understand how to wake up a USB drive after sleep in Vista, Do the equivalent modification in your Windows 7 PC registry. It will work for you. http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=http--supportmicrosoftcom-kb-928631&sliceId=&docTypeID=DT_MICROSOFTKB_1_1&dialogID=268806033&stateId=1%200%20268804250 Hope this will work for you. Aloysius Jegan

Thank You AJ!!! I went to the Sony link you gave me and followed the instructions there. I had to add the indicated registry modifications to 19 USB keys, before it would work consistently, but my USB ports are finally running the way they are supposed to! I can't thank you enough! Greg

Can you please email me the contents of this Sony KB article? It says I do not have permission to view it!?