[SOLVED] USB ports aren't working.

MattShelton · 04-27-2011, 05:21 PM

Only two out of six of my USB ports were working properly. I spoke to someone about this and they advised me to uninstall them in the Control Panel and then they would work. I found four USB items in the area I got told to look in and I had uninstalled 3 out of 4 when my mouse and keyboard stopped working.

My mouse and keyboard work in BIOS but not when Windows loads up.

I've tried taking the power lead out for 20 mins and then putting it back in again but that didn't work.

I have also checked in BIOS and the USB driver is enabled and they still don't work.

I'm struggling with what else to try and do. Some people have said buy a PCI usb card, but if I did that..what would I then do if it meant that my mouse and keyboard started working to enable me to make the rest of my usb ports work again? Similarly with using a PS/2 keyboard / mouse, although I have a feeling that these aren't working either!

They don't work when starting up in safe mode either.

**Dogg** · 04-27-2011, 05:53 PM

So after you uninstalled 3 of the 4, USB is no longer working in Windows? Try booting into Safe Mode, uninstall the remaining USB controller and reboot.

You could try running System Restore and going back to a date before the issue began.

MattShelton · 04-28-2011, 03:03 AM

Thanks for your speedy reply!

Yeh, I don't know whether I uninstalled the one that was running my mouse and keyboard or what but I'd uninstalled three and then as soon as I'd clicked uninstall on the 3rd one it stopped working and I tried my keyboard and that didn't work either.

I tried booting into safe mode, but the mouse and keyboard didn't work in safe mode.

I looked into running System Restore, but the option to restore back to a specific date wasn't available (it was on the screen but wouldn't let me select it). There was an option to just reboot it but I don't want to lose all of my software and everything that I have on the PC. Is there a way I could do it without losing everything?

**Old Rich** · 04-28-2011, 06:05 AM

In Device Manager, click on View at the top. In the dropdown show hidden devices

then uninstall all listed usb items and turn the computer off

unplug all usb devices and reboot twice, then replug in the usb devices

**Jay_JWLH** · 04-28-2011, 06:36 AM

I'm a bit concerned about what you might have really uninstalled. If you uninstall a USB mouse, a restart and a plug in later it should work again. Windows have had generic drivers for keyboards and mice for years, ready to make your USB input devices work seconds after you plug them in. Is the USB ports the type that connects straight to the motherboard? Something like this, but it might be a part of your computer case (as in, doesn't slot into the back of the computer):

To make sure there is nothing wrong at all with your USB ports, try to boot off another operating system like a Ubuntu Live CD. If you can start off that, and your keyboard and mouse is working, then the even better thing is that you can grab all your files off your computer if you decide to do anything big to your computer (reinstall it).

Does the use of any other spare USB keyboard/mouse, or PS/2 one work?

MattShelton · 04-29-2011, 07:08 AM

Rich, thanks for your suggestion, but I can't access device manager, so that isn't an option for me; not even in safe mode, it doesn't work.

Jay, I originally uninstalled usb drivers from the hardware section in the control panel. The USB ports do connect to the motherboard I believe, as they are just part of the tower of the PC.

Sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean by an Ubuntu Live CD, I don't own anything like that and haven't heard of it before?

I can't use any other items through the usb ports, nor the PS/2, so it's not my mouse or keyboard that are malfunctioning, it's definitely something to do with the ports. I'm really struggling with what to do.

**Old Rich** · 04-29-2011, 07:22 AM

If you cannot access Device Manager, you have system problems . . What happened just prior to loosing the USB ports?

**Jay_JWLH** · 04-30-2011, 04:26 AM

To loose functionality of your USB ports, and even your PS/2 ports, is of concern. I assume flash drives or another other device fail to work as well? It is possible that you may need to perform a repair install. Do you have a Windows XP CD?

Ubuntu is an open source software. You can put it onto a CD, boot off it, and I find that a good way to figure out whether the problem is the software (Windows 7), or the actual hardware. Here is the link:
Download | Ubuntu

MattShelton · 05-15-2011, 02:57 AM

Sorry I haven't replied, I've been extremely busy recently. I got a friend round that works in IT and he managed to get it working again, using a keyboard with a PS/2 port, so I don't know what I was doing wrong. The USB ports still aren't all working, but I don't think I'm going to try and risk messing about with them again.

Thanks for your help guys, it's really appreciated.