The USB ports on my desktop computer have stopped functioning. The problem started with one port and now the other has been affected. Can anyone please proffer a solution to this problem?

It's hard to say as several things can make USB ports stop responding.
Click on `Start` -> Right Click on `My Computer` -> Properties
`Hardware` tab -> Device Manager

Search for Universal Serial Bus Controllers
Do they have a yellow question mark? Most likely not the case as it worked before . .
Double click on each controller (driver), the device Status should say.
"This device is working properly", do you see that?

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The following is information I was able to gather from Microsoft's site:

Use Device Manager to scan for hardware changes. After your computer scans for hardware changes, it might recognize the USB device connected to the USB port so that you can use the device.

To scan for hardware changes, follow these steps.

[list][li]Click Start, and then click Run.[/li]
[li]Type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK. Device Manager opens.[/li]
[li]In Device Manager, click your computer so that it is highlighted.[/li]
[li]Click Action, and then click Scan for hardware changes.[/li]
[li]Check the USB device to see whether it is working.[/li][/list]

-[n3rve]

Jackelony:

The USB ports on my desktop computer have stopped functioning. The problem started with one port and now the other has been affected. Can anyone please proffer a solution to this problem?

A friend of mine had the same problem what did I do simple, I went to a computer store bought a USB Serial DB9 Adapter and plug it into the Serial Port. Thanks to Xp it detected it and installed it as usually tested it with a mp3 player it connected and worked fine. I only told my friend to pay for my wahala lol for hard modding his system and the end of the day pocked N1000.00 as a token. Well just get one of those at ur local computer store around u ok, here is a picture below incase you dont know what it look like. Hope this helps,

If your USB Ports are having problem with you, change it and buy original USB Ports, becuase if you keep managing, it will damage the holl computer desktop.

@ Poster: Did you reinstall windows? Or use any "naija-arranged" windows software? I had a similar problem coupla years back; darn thing started after I upgraded Win2000 to XP, and the software requested online verification (which I couldn't do, of course ). If you'd reinstalled or upgraded Win, then I guess the software has blocked your ports (consequence of using pirated software). Then again, the problem might simply be that your USB ports are busted.

Anyway, try Ralvy and infoseye's suggestions. If they don't work, just ask for a USB Bus Controller that can be connected to ANY of your systems serial ports (all those hole thingys at the back of a PC or corners of a laptop where external devices are connected); you can get them at any good computer hardware store. If your system detects the new USB controller, it will automatically start the installation wizard; all you have to do is keep clicking "Ok" and "Yes", your system will install it automatically.

Windows XP and newer doesn't need additional drivers for USB. I sense a hardware problem. Maybe due to very frequent plugging and unplugging of devices, you have broken the solder of the USB port. Since it is a desktop, it should have about 6 ports so you can try the other ports. If none is working then you can check your BIOS setup. It might be disabled there. When your PC starts up press DEL (I am assuming it is a coupled PC). The setting should be under Advanced configuration.

Do a clean xp installation with SP2

@jay8ers, You are addressing the USB 2.0 issue as the drivers come with SP2. If the USB ports are not working at all, I guess it is either damaged hardware or BIOS settings.

I think the USB Serial adapter is not really a bad option, but why don't you go for a PCI instead?
You won't need to continue plugging and unpluggin adapters from your system, that might help so you don't break something else, just like you did.

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angelina08:

If your USB Ports are having problem with you, change it and buy original USB Ports, becuase if you keep managing, it will damage the holl computer desktop.

Sorry, not trying to go off topic, but how can a whole computer get damaged because USB ports aren't functional? I'd appreciate further explanation

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sojioguns:

Windows XP and newer doesn't need additional drivers for USB. I sense a hardware problem. Maybe due to very frequent plugging and unplugging of devices, you have broken the solder of the USB port. Since it is a desktop, it should have about 6 ports so you can try the other ports.

Well said, nice suggestions put forward
I also sense a hardware issue, however, I doubt it has anything to do with BIOS settings as it worked previously and the ports started to go bad shortly after another.
See: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817900

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jay8ers:

Do a clean xp installation with SP2

A complete windows installation because USB ports stopped working and/or drivers got corrupt?
Not really necessary in my opinion, although that may help as some viruses (malware) can disable USB ports with few registry changes, that's one other thing I'd like the thread starter to look at.

I'm unable to search for the registry value at this time

Good luck with the computer

-[n3rve]

There is original USB Ports in the market, be careful so that it will not spoiled you desktop, i am sorry of about it.

why dont you get a PCI card and fix on your board. That should solve the problem but make sure the card matches the chipset of your computer.

I'm an engineer,purchase a new pci card and slot it in.

a window base pci card that will work properly with no stress.

What is this PCI card of a thing?

PCI stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect, it is used to specify a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. These devices can take either the form of an integrated circuit fitted onto the motherboard itself, called a planar device in the PCI specification or an expansion card that fits into a socket/slot. The PCI bus is common in modern PCs it is also a very common interface.
The first picture below is a USB PCI Card
While the other two are PCI slots on the mother board.

angelina08:

If your USB Ports are having problem with you, change it and buy original USB Ports, becuase if you keep managing, it will damage the holl computer desktop.

Ralvy:

Sorry, not trying to go off topic, but how can a whole computer get damaged because USB ports aren't functional? I'd appreciate further explanation

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-[n3rve]

@ Ralvy, bros, I come tire too o!  Na the same thing I been think too when I saw that remark.

@poster, Ralvy has pretty much touched on majority of the troubleshooting aspect of the problem.  On the other hand, I'd suggest you uninstall all the USB controllers in device manager (follow Ralvy's instruction on how to get there).  Just right click on each one and select uninstall (that's if there's no yellow exclamation marks on them) then reboot the system.  Nine out of ten times, windows will recognize your hardware and reinstall the USB controllers.  On the other hand, if that still doesn't work, I'd take the PC into safe mode and run a deep scan on the entire system for potential virus.  And if the system checks out clean, then I'd think about investing in a USB PCI card.  DO NOT format your entire PC because of this unless of course you find a virus and your antivirus s/w can't remove it.  Oh, make sure your virus definition files are up to date if you're going to run a deep scan on your system.  And to be on the safe side, I'd turn off system restore before I take it down into safe mode but REMEMBER to turn it back on once you determine your PC is clean.  Good luck bro!  Peace!

If you find it difficult with your USB Ports, get a computer menu text books, it can help you.

you need not to insall new operating system or by USB PCI card, just try the following
1 right click mp computer from desktop and select manage
2 from computer management (Local) choose device manager
3 from device manager console, click on VIEW menu and select show hidden devices
4 from device manager console select universal serial bus controller(most likely the
last item
5 click the + sign and look whether u are going to see any unknown devices Or
unknown USB port (before u perform this action make sure you have selected show
hidden devices from VIEW MENU)
6 If you see any unknow devices right click and choose delete. repeat same to all that u
found
7 restart your computer (This will force the OS to register the USB stack on the BIOS, after
booting up the system, u must see found new hardware, no action is required from your
part, the OS will found and register the appropriate USB Stack)
8 plug ur USB and see whether this solve ur problem, most likely will, if not u need to do
some registry modification which require an expert (i'm 100% sure that installing latest
service pack, adding USB PCI card or upgrading the OS will provide no solution because
this has to do with registry and all of them need to be register to that particular PATH
that store ur USb autodetect information in the registry)

FBS:

why don't you get a PCI card and fix on your board. That should solve the problem but make sure the card matches the chipset of your computer.

Enough talk! tha's your solution right there. excepts you have a lot of time to waste, you can send the PC back to the original manufacturers for fixing. no one here is going to waste their time fixinf your USB slot for you.

@Poster
Your problem might not be hardware, it could simply be a virus messing with your usb port drivever, trus me on this there can be many virus issues with flash drives or any form of external driver ( e.g autorun.inf). Very good origianal antivirus such as mcafee 8.5 or kerspesky might do the trick, make sure its an authentic one, this you can get off the sheves in stores now, run a live update and do a full system scan. But i would suggest you back up your system, format and restore your files,

as dumb as it might sound to someone who has experiences working with computers

this is a software problem with your driver files - possibly a virus.
USBs hardly fail and when they do, one always does

so you having 2 ports failing is possibly a virus that has messed with you usb.inf usually located in C:\Windows\inf on vista
try googling for a solution in this regard.