Dongle Question

[Apples555]

I tried searching for this question, but wasn't able to find this problem.

I have a simple problem. I have two Apple USB dongles for my 2019 13" MacBook Pro with USB-C, one with USB/HDMI/power, the other just USB. If the computer goes to sleep, USB functionality goes away and never comes back.

For example, if I have a flash drive plugged in and leave to do something, when I come back and wake the computer, Mac OS complains that the disk was not ejected safely and the flash drive (including light) is off. Similarly, taking out the flash drive and plugging it back in won't let anything recognize it, even though it lights up. The only way to mount it again is to unplug and replug the dongle itself.

Is this normal? Seems unusual. Everything is updated, running 12.0.1 Monterey. No problems otherwise.

 

[Fishrrman]

Just to clarify... don't you mean "USB hubs" instead of "USB dongles" ???

 

[Apples555]

Nope. I'm referring to this one and this one.

 

[wilberforce]

I have a USB-A to USB-C dongle (Amazon Basics), using with a 14" MBP, and when I wake it the flash drive is still mounted fine.

 

[Apples555]

This problem is still here for me. All Apple dongles, no unusual hardware or software modifications. As soon as the computer tries to sleep, the dongle's USB functionality is gone. The dongle has to be removed and replugged. All existing connections are severed. Power flows through the USB/HDMI/power dongle for charging just fine, so it's still connected. It happens with both dongles I have, so it's not just one, and both are Apple.

 

[Sanpete]

How did you determine that it's the dongles instead of the attached devices?

 

[Apples555]

Because it's every device, including my external hard drives, iPhone, Walkman, flash drives etc. It didn't happen with these devices on my previous MacBook Pro with built-in USB ports.

And it doesn't happen when they are connected to any of my other computers.

 

[Sanpete]

That is a mystery. Not normal, and not something I recall reading about here. Did you ask at the Apple forums too?

If you haven't tried it, I'd try booting in safe mode. I resets certain things, sometimes helps with odd problems.

 

[Apples555]

Thanks for the reply. I'll ask on the Apple forums.

I've tried safe mode. I've also tried a full wipe and reinstall. The butterfly keyboard failed on one key in October 2021 so the top half with the battery was replaced by Apple. The rep noted the condition my computer was in, virtually unblemished since 2019 when I bought it new. I bought the two dongles back then too.

I think I first noticed it in 2019, when I first bought the computer. I was coming from a 2010 MacBook Pro that had performed wonderfully. At the time, I thought it was just a temporary quirk of the new dongles, but it's been 3 years.