Problems regarding Alcorlink usb 2.0 card reader

[CipINFINIT]

Hi there, I have a HP Laptop 15 dw3041nq and the card reader is...iffy. to say the least. When I plug in a card, the card will not be read unless I'm going manually into Device Manager, disable the reader, wait a few seconds, then enable it again. Is there something bad related to my hardware, considering that the card is read just fine after re-enabling? Is it a driver issue, even though I'm running on an older version since the latest versions made the reader unresponsive? And, most importantly, if anyone will reply, have you found a real solution besides "Check for updates" or "Send the laptop to service" or "Run dism and sfc" or anything that isn't solving my question? Thanks in advance.

[Max3Aj]

@CipINFINIT, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Based on your description, this seems to be a driver-related issue, possibly compounded by power management settings or Windows update conflicts.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help resolve the issue:

Uninstall and Reinstall the Card Reader Driver

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers or Memory technology devices.
3. Right-click on Alcorlink USB 2.0 Card Reader and select Uninstall device.
4. Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device, if available.
5. Restart your laptop. Windows should reinstall the default driver.

Install the HP OEM Driver (Not Windows Update Version)

HP sometimes provides a more stable version of the driver than Windows Update.

1. Go to the HP Software and Driver Downloads page.
2. Enter your product.
3. Select Windows 10 (64-bit).
4. Look under Driver – Storage or Driver – Chipset for the Alcorlink Card Reader driver.
5. Download and install the latest HP-recommended version.

Disable USB Selective Suspend (Power Management Fix)

1. Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
2. Click Change plan settings next to your active plan.
3. Click Change advanced power settings.
4. Expand USB settings > USB selective suspend setting.
5. Set both On battery and Plugged in to Disabled.
6. Click Apply and OK.

Prevent Windows from Updating the Driver Automatically

If the latest driver from HP works but Windows keeps replacing it:

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Do not include drivers with Windows Updates
3. Set it to Enabled.

If you're using Windows 10 Home (which lacks Group Policy Editor), you can use the Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter from Microsoft to block specific driver updates.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support