USB ports suddenly don't work.r

[tennisanyone]

I did search the FAQ for USB troubleshooting but it doesn't seem to help.  I'm not sure what the problem is and I don't wanna start changing settings if it's not necessary... so here goes:

I have the Windows ME operating system and it's a Gateway computer.

The issue is my USB ports have suddenly stopped working.  I didn't install anything, remove anything and I don't think I was even downloading anything and now they don't work.  My audio doesn't work either.  I can't even play a music file because an error occurs.  I'm not sure if this is all related but it has all begun at the same time.

I really just want the USB ports working so I can load my important files onto my external storage device and then I plan to reinstall Windows.  I need to hold out a little longer before Vista comes out.

Here's what I've been able to find with the USB port issue.  In the device manager there is no indication that my USBs are having problems.  When I click on an individual one the info window initially says that the device is working.  When I click on the power tab it says the device isn't working properly and there is nothing in the box to select.

That's all I've been able to figure out on my own.  All I know for sure is any device I hook up to the USB port the computer doesn't see.  No "F:" drive shows up in "my computer".

Any ideas on fixing this?

[GX1_Man]

Delete the USB entries in Device Manager and reboot the machine. What happens now?

If this is a Windows and not a hardware problem the below may help you IF the above does not.

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1152393515

[tennisanyone]

Well deleting them didn't work.  Let me give you some more details before I go to that link and do what it recommends.

I removed only the "USB Root Hub" (there were 2) from the device manager and not the "VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB universal hot controller" which each "USB Root Hub" was under.

When the computer rebooted it initially searched for the drivers for the new found hardware.  It seemed to do so.

I then attached a device to the USB port and then a window popped up saying it wanted to search for software for this new device.  I selected the recommended automatic search and away it went.  It was unable to locate software for this device.  It doesn't matter what device I attach to the USB port it still doesn't locate any software for it.  After I hit finish I get this message: SuRegCreateKey failed.

When I look at the properties for each USB port the power tab now shows that they are working properly.

I did look at the link you provided.  From what I understand from that it's a way to back up your files before you reformat and reinstall windows.  Is that right?  From what I've gathered I would like to backup 15GB of data.  That would require way too many CD-ROMs than I want to deal with.  That's why I'm just trying to hook up my 30GB ipod and store it on there for the time being.  But that requires the USB ports working.  Which, again they had been doing just fine a few days ago.

[tennisanyone]

any help please...

[B3ni]

have you tried searching for the device driver online??

[GX1_Man]

Try using the Linux Live CD and see if the USB ports are indeed functional and the external drive can be accessed. If it is a hardware problem then Windows is irrelevant.

A Gateway with ME installed is obviously not a new machine.

[tennisanyone]

okay I downloaded slax5.1.8.1, now what?  There are a bunch of seperate files and I don't know which ones I should burn to a disk.  It all came in WinRAR.  I tried looking through the slax website for help and it almost seemed like I would have to download something else to make the CD.  But I'm not sure of that.  I need step-by-step instructions of how to make a LinuxliveCD now that I've downloaded the file.

[vibhor_agarwalin]

What do you have.

It should be an .iso file.
Simply burn that in a CD.

[GX1_Man]

You got rar files from the Slax site? I don't think so. You should get an .iso file which you burn with Nero etc. as an ISO (not merely burning it to a CD).

Here is the link. I don't know what you have downloaded or from where. I just did it to test.

http://www.slax.org/download.php

[tennisanyone]

You got rar files from the Slax site? I don't think so. You should get an .iso file which you burn with Nero etc. as an ISO (not merely burning it to a CD).
 
Here is the link. I don't know what you have downloaded or from where. I just did it to test.
 
http://www.slax.org/download.php

Yes that's the link I got it from.  I used the http to download it.  Isn't WinRAR just a type of zip file?  Anyways if it's an iso file I need here's all the iso files I see:

make_iso.sh   File sh
make_iso.bat  MS-DOS Batch File

I do have a slax-killbill-5.1.8.1 folder on my desktop.  When I open it I see five WinRAR zip archive icons and they are: slaxsave, save1024, save256, save128, save512

[GX1_Man]

Use the standard edition 5.1.8 http link on the right side of the page I posted. It will download an ISO file. Use that. Do not make this more complicated than it is.

[ale52]

Have you tried a system restore to a point before you started having issues?

Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore

Alan <><  

[patio]

I removed only the "USB Root Hub" (there were 2) from the device manager and not the "VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB universal hot controller" which each "USB Root Hub" was under.

Delete each instance listed there; there will be listings under each hub...not just the Hub. Don't delete the PCI controller hub yet unless you have your motherboard driver CD handy as you may need it.

[tennisanyone]

okay gx1_man... I got it burned to a disk.  I rebooted my computer with the disk in and it went to the disk on start up.  After it cycled through some stuff in DOS is stopped at a DOS prompt.  Here's what it shows...

Caldera DR-DOS 7.03
(copyright info here)
[DR-Dos] A:\>


I don't know what to do from here.  I tried looking through the website I got it from but I don't know what is happening so I don't know where to look for the info I need.  And I'm not trying to make this complicated.

-------------------
I tried a system restore but it doesn't work.  Whenever it's just about to reboot I get a power meter warning... once it does reboot I'm told the system restore didn't work.

[GX1_Man]

Caldera DR-DOS is a DOS, it is in no way related to Linux.

I am very curious as to what you downloaded, because that is definitely not the SLax ISO I directed you to.

[street1 (RIP)]

http://merlin.fit.vutbr.cz/mirrors/slax/SLAX-5.x/slax-5.1.8.1.iso

http://america.winimage.com/download/winima80.zip

[patio]

I removed only the "USB Root Hub" (there were 2) from the device manager and not the "VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB universal hot controller" which each "USB Root Hub" was under.

Delete each instance listed there; there will be listings under each hub...not just the Hub. Don't delete the PCI controller hub yet unless you have your motherboard driver CD handy as you may need it.