Moderator: igrr
If could just be that you have newer notebook with the USB 3.0 ports and things are a bit more "touchy" than my older notebook with 2.0 ports. Also, the USB mini socket on the NodeMCU boards does seem somewhat fragile and there have been many reports of hairline solder breaks, so if you feel comfortable doing it, you may wish to inspect and resolder if necessary - be very careful not to overheat and pull-up the foil from the board.
If your boards are Adafruit, they are under warranty and can be replaced.
On all of my test boards (used over and over and over ...) I put 2-part epoxy on the microUSB jack to relieve stress. Hint: do not over use the epoxy ... just a bit will add support.
Ray