USB 2.0 accessories suffering from connectivity issues in 2020 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Comments

• Reply 1 of 13

  lkrupp Posts: 10,557member

  June 18, 2020 12:21PM

  Of course the firmware of these USB 2 devices are perfect and flawless, right. They comply with the standard... until they don't. Look, this could indeed be a problem with the Macs involved but travel down memory lane with me to the time when an OS X update caused cheap, third party RAM to stop being recognized. Oh the outrage, the claims of skullduggery by Apple to force people to buy only Apple RAM. The whirlwind continued until some clever individual figured out the firmware on the RAM that failed was not quite right and that Apple's recent update tightened requirements for RAM acceptance. A patch for the bad RAM was even developed so it would be recognized again by Apple's hardware. That episode pointed out that the truth often reveals itself later on and we'll find out what's really going on here too.
  
  In the meantime, of course, this new "USB-gate" will grow legs, become a viral "thing" on tech blogs, spawn class-actions, and turn Apple into a punching bag once again. Before we even know what's going on.

  edited June 2020
• Reply 2 of 13

  entropys Posts: 4,166member

  June 18, 2020 12:24PM

  If only a macbook came with an actual USB-A port this would not be happening. Imagine.

  
• Reply 3 of 13

  MplsP Posts: 3,925member

  June 18, 2020 1:36PM

  entropys said:

  If only a macbook came with an actual USB-A port this would not be happening. Imagine.

  That was my thought, too, but you can’t be sure. USB C is the connector, not the port. If they don’t say if simply using a USB C to A adaptor helps, but it could be something with how the MacBook deals with the hubs. Since Apple is requiring people to use docks and adaptors the onus is on them to make sure they work. 

  
  

  lkrupp said:

  Of course the firmware of these USB 2 devices are perfect and flawless, right. They comply with the standard... until they don't. Look, this could indeed be a problem with the Macs involved but travel down memory lane with me to the time when an OS X update caused cheap, third party RAM to stop being recognized. Oh the outrage, the claims of skullduggery by Apple to force people to buy only Apple RAM. The whirlwind continued until some clever individual figured out the firmware on the RAM that failed was not quite right and that Apple's recent update tightened requirements for RAM acceptance. A patch for the bad RAM was even developed so it would be recognized again by Apple's hardware. That episode pointed out that the truth often reveals itself later on and we'll find out what's really going on here too.
  
  In the meantime, of course, this new "USB-gate" will grow legs, become a viral "thing" on tech blogs, spawn class-actions, and turn Apple into a punching bag once again. Before we even know what's going on.

  So the devices worked before and work with other computers but suddenly stop working with the MacBook. Therefore they have bad firmware? And the included ‘problem’ devices include Apple keyboards. You seem to have a case of ‘Apple Derangement Syndrome.’ From what I’ve read in the article, this is a problem with the MacBook until proven otherwise. Hopefully it’s just a firmware fix and not an issue with the usb controller chip. 

  
• Reply 4 of 13

  lkrupp Posts: 10,557member

  June 18, 2020 1:54PM

  MplsP said:

  So the devices worked before and work with other computers but suddenly stop working with the MacBook. Therefore they have bad firmware? And the included ‘problem’ devices include Apple keyboards. You seem to have a case of ‘Apple Derangement Syndrome.’ From what I’ve read in the article, this is a problem with the MacBook until proven otherwise. Hopefully it’s just a firmware fix and not an issue with the usb controller chip. 
  

  No, it's not a fait accompli. We don't know the details. We don't even know the number of people claiming the issue. At least I'm willing to wait for the truth to come out instead of the usual knee-jerk blame Apple horseshit that goes on around here. 

  
• Reply 5 of 13

  anantksundaram Posts: 20,404member

  June 18, 2020 1:55PM

  I've had this issue many times. It's like playing whack-a-mole with the four ports on my 16" MBP...

  
• Reply 6 of 13

  Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member

  June 18, 2020 2:39PM

  MplsP said:

  entropys said:

  If only a macbook came with an actual USB-A port this would not be happening. Imagine.

  That was my thought, too, but you can’t be sure. USB C is the connector, not the port. If they don’t say if simply using a USB C to A adaptor helps, but it could be something with how the MacBook deals with the hubs. Since Apple is requiring people to use docks and adaptors the onus is on them to make sure they work. 

  
  

  lkrupp said:

  Of course the firmware of these USB 2 devices are perfect and flawless, right. They comply with the standard... until they don't. Look, this could indeed be a problem with the Macs involved but travel down memory lane with me to the time when an OS X update caused cheap, third party RAM to stop being recognized. Oh the outrage, the claims of skullduggery by Apple to force people to buy only Apple RAM. The whirlwind continued until some clever individual figured out the firmware on the RAM that failed was not quite right and that Apple's recent update tightened requirements for RAM acceptance. A patch for the bad RAM was even developed so it would be recognized again by Apple's hardware. That episode pointed out that the truth often reveals itself later on and we'll find out what's really going on here too.
  
  In the meantime, of course, this new "USB-gate" will grow legs, become a viral "thing" on tech blogs, spawn class-actions, and turn Apple into a punching bag once again. Before we even know what's going on.

  So the devices worked before and work with other computers but suddenly stop working with the MacBook. Therefore they have bad firmware? And the included ‘problem’ devices include Apple keyboards. You seem to have a case of ‘Apple Derangement Syndrome.’ From what I’ve read in the article, this is a problem with the MacBook until proven otherwise. Hopefully it’s just a firmware fix and not an issue with the usb controller chip. 

  The problem device may not be the Apple keyboard if he plugged it into the hub
• Reply 7 of 13

  zoetmb Posts: 2,654member

  June 18, 2020 5:30PM

  I have a late-2016 MBP.  I've always had a problem with USB devices.   If they're connected to the Mac with a USB-A to USB-C adapter, they'll only work if I separate the connection at the adapter and plug it back in again.   If I simply unplug the cable + adapter from the Mac and plug it back in again, they're not recognized.
  
  I thought I was also having a problem with a very old USB-A hub.  So I bought a USB-C hub so that there would be no adapter on the Mac side.   Doesn't matter.   Mac doesn't recognize the devices unless I unplug them at the hub and plug them back in again.    I find this to be a royal pain.   
• Reply 8 of 13

  steve_jobs Posts: 86member

  June 18, 2020 6:16PM

  Maybe a usb GPIO reprogramming is needed for ref : https://www.ics.com/blog/gpio-programming-using-sysfs-interface ; https://stackoverflow.com/questions/34058936/intel-chipset-gpio-programming .
  
  
• Reply 9 of 13

  thephoenix74 Posts: 3member

  June 18, 2020 7:52PM

  I have had USB Hub problems for years.  Nothing new here, they are useless.

  edited June 2020
• Reply 10 of 13

  commentzilla Posts: 725member

  June 18, 2020 11:01PM

  Considering how amazing the keyboard/trackpad is I don't use a mouse or external keyboard with my laptop. Outside of that I have almost no USB 2.0 devices left and the ones I have are all used via TB or USB-C docks.

  
• Reply 11 of 13

  fastasleep Posts: 6,417member

  June 19, 2020 8:36AM

  entropys said:

  If only a macbook came with an actual USB-A port this would not be happening. Imagine.

  That makes absolutely zero sense. 

  
• Reply 12 of 13

  Mike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator

  June 19, 2020 10:59AM

  zoetmb said:

  I have a late-2016 MBP.  I've always had a problem with USB devices.   If they're connected to the Mac with a USB-A to USB-C adapter, they'll only work if I separate the connection at the adapter and plug it back in again.   If I simply unplug the cable + adapter from the Mac and plug it back in again, they're not recognized.
  
  I thought I was also having a problem with a very old USB-A hub.  So I bought a USB-C hub so that there would be no adapter on the Mac side.   Doesn't matter.   Mac doesn't recognize the devices unless I unplug them at the hub and plug them back in again.    I find this to be a royal pain.   

  This is not the same thing, and points to a hardware problem -- likely an issue with the Thunderbolt controller -- with your particular machine.

  
• Reply 13 of 13

  darkvader Posts: 1,146member

  June 19, 2020 4:57PM

  lkrupp said:

  Of course the firmware of these USB 2 devices are perfect and flawless, right. They comply with the standard... until they don't. Look, this could indeed be a problem with the Macs involved but travel down memory lane with me to the time when an OS X update caused cheap, third party RAM to stop being recognized. Oh the outrage, the claims of skullduggery by Apple to force people to buy only Apple RAM. The whirlwind continued until some clever individual figured out the firmware on the RAM that failed was not quite right and that Apple's recent update tightened requirements for RAM acceptance. A patch for the bad RAM was even developed so it would be recognized again by Apple's hardware. That episode pointed out that the truth often reveals itself later on and we'll find out what's really going on here too.
  
  In the meantime, of course, this new "USB-gate" will grow legs, become a viral "thing" on tech blogs, spawn class-actions, and turn Apple into a punching bag once again. Before we even know what's going on.

  
  

  1.  Device works on other Macs.

  
  

  2.  Device has problems on 2020 MBP and MBA.

  
  

  3.  IT'S APPLE'S FAULT.  No excuses.
  

  
  

  You don't get to play "blame the USB device manufacturer" when the device that has the problem is the new Mac.  It's clearly and obviously the new Mac's fault.  Apple needs to fix it.