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  1. #1

    Computer Question - I lost my USB ports!

    I slipped and hit a bunch of keys on my key board and now I do not have any USB ports. This is on an HP desktop running XP. It is like I turned off a switch.

    The computer boots up fine but now I cannot navigate.

    Any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    Assuming your keyboard works (and your mouse doesn't) hit the windows key (next to alt) and use the arrow keys to get to the run command button, and type in rstui.exe. If you are on Windows 7, hit the windows key and type that in the search box. That will execute System Restore. You can navigate through all the options using your keyboard.
    I'd love to know what key combo you pressed to wipe out those ports.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred View Post
    Assuming your keyboard works (and your mouse doesn't) hit the windows key (next to alt) and use the arrow keys to get to the run command button, and type in rstui.exe. If you are on Windows 7, hit the windows key and type that in the search box. That will execute System Restore. You can navigate through all the options using your keyboard.
    I'd love to know what key combo you pressed to wipe out those ports.
    I'll give that a try tomorrow. I have no idea what combo I hit. Sure is a pain in the gizortinblat.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Ashburn, VA
    That's pretty odd. Most of the ways I know to disable USB ports involve going into registry settings, device manager, or using a 3rd party program to do so.

    I'm not familiar with any hot-key combination that does such a thing - do you have any USB management software running?

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by snowdenscold View Post
    That's pretty odd. Most of the ways I know to disable USB ports involve going into registry settings, device manager, or using a 3rd party program to do so.

    I'm not familiar with any hot-key combination that does such a thing - do you have any USB management software running?
    None that I am aware of.

    I have been planning to go over to Windows 7 Professional - as I have done on my laptop. If I do so, should that cure the issue? (Data is not a real concern as I have always kept a mirror on my laptop.)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    Quote Originally Posted by Indoor66 View Post
    None that I am aware of.

    I have been planning to go over to Windows 7 Professional - as I have done on my laptop. If I do so, should that cure the issue? (Data is not a real concern as I have always kept a mirror on my laptop.)
    Yes. Somehow you hit the magical keycombo that disables your USB, so that is a software problem. Since you are installing a new operating system, and thus a new registry, that problem will go away, until you hit the magical keys again. (Unless you are upgrading from Vista, then it's possible the condition will carry over, but if you are doing a clean install you will be cured.)
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred View Post
    Yes. Somehow you hit the magical keycombo that disables your USB, so that is a software problem. Since you are installing a new operating system, and thus a new registry, that problem will go away, until you hit the magical keys again. (Unless you are upgrading from Vista, then it's possible the condition will carry over, but if you are doing a clean install you will be cured.)
    That is what I shall do. If if fails, I am coming up to New Bern...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    Quote Originally Posted by Indoor66 View Post
    That is what I shall do. If if fails, I am coming up to New Bern...
    By the way, this is something that you can test easily. If you have a USB keyboard, and your pc responds to it before it boots to windows (by pressing ctrl-alt-del for a reboot, or f1 or f2 or whatever yours does to enter startup), then it definitely a software issue. If it doesn't do squat, then you have bigger problems.

    I'll have a homebrew and some barbecue waiting for you.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred View Post
    By the way, this is something that you can test easily. If you have a USB keyboard, and your pc responds to it before it boots to windows (by pressing ctrl-alt-del for a reboot, or f1 or f2 or whatever yours does to enter startup), then it definitely a software issue. If it doesn't do squat, then you have bigger problems.

    I'll have a homebrew and some barbecue waiting for you.
    I fixed it!!!!!

    I went into device manager and uninstalled all USB devices. Then I plugged them in and they were found. I am whole again. Thanks to all for the help.

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