USB Flash Drives Do Not Fit HP Victus 15-fb2082wm Socket

[DaveM4785]

I have a problem with tight fit of some USB-A flash drives in the socket next to the charging port on the left side of my Victus 15-fb2082wm laptop. I have several flash drives that have a solid cast metal (stainless steel or aluminum) that are difficult to insert and remove. They fit OK in the socket on the other side of the laptop. Flash drives that have a plastic body and stamped metal plug fit OK in both sockets.

Since the drives that fit tight in the left side socket work OK in the right side socket, is the left side socket just tight and *SHOULD* be OK with use over a period of time?  Is it safe to push hard on tight fitting plugs to get them into that socket, or is this a warranty problem with a defective socket?

The flash drives that have the problem are a variety of brands, including Samsung, Sandisk, SSK, iDiskk and some cheap ones that do not have a name on the drive.

[erico · Accepted solution]

As long as you are inserting the USB flash drive in the proper orientation there is no issue with using a little force.

I  have experienced the very same issue you have reported. 

If you are not installing them in the proper orientation, using force will damage the port.

I always look before installing a USB flash drive.

That is also why I absolutely prefer using the USB Type-C drives in the USB Type-C port, besides the obvious higher bandwidth improvement  over USB type-A  drives for data transfer.

[DaveM4785]

Here is proof that USB type A plugs are not a standard size - I checked several flash drives with a digital caliper. The width varies from 11.91 mm to 12.19 mm. The flash drives with the solid cast metal bodies range from 11.99 mm to 12.19 mm. The flash drives with plastic bodies and stamped metal plugs are 11.91 mm to 11.95 mm. Ironically, the "brand name" flash drives account for all but one of those that are the tightest fitting. I have two that are 12.19 mm. They absolutely will not go into the left side socket on the Victus laptop, but the do work OK with both USB-A sockets on my older 15-dy2152wm laptop.