Test for USB(2.0) slot status?

[CMStorm]

Hit a snag.

The very first uninstall disabled the mouse and then the keyboard seemed to stop too. So I couldn't uninstall the others. Eeek!
Forced switched-off and restart. <gulp>
No mouse to be able to login. <OMG>
Then minutes later, the mouse and keyboard control returned,...all...by...themselves!!! Enabling me to talk to you guys again (although I can switch to my emergency Netbook if necessary).

So er, no one warned me about the mouse going out of action

Q. How to proceed down that list of controllers you have seen?

 

[YAMAHA]

They returned because windows re-installed them, carry on but leave out the one(s) you deleted first time

 

[Boozad]

So er, no one warned me about the mouse going out of action

Q. How to proceed down that list of controllers you have seen?

Yeah with the peripherals being USB they won't work if you've disabled and uninstalled the USB controller, but with a restart Windows should automatically install the USB drivers. Have you tried the HDD since you restarted?

 

[CMStorm]

To my surprise the list collapsed rapidly as I went through them (expecting a one by one effect - so maybe several use the same drivers).

Restarted.

No improvement and now my headphones aren't working as well.

 

[CMStorm]

All seemed to reinstall ok by the way.

But no fix to the original problem.

The suspect usb slot does still have power, if that's a clue. The usb stick lights up. And so does my external drive.

 

[YAMAHA]

Is it just one slot thats not working?

Have a read through this, it may help:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/50285-35-ports-provide-power-recognize-device

 

[CMStorm]

All four usb2 don't seem to work now. Not sure about the two usb3, I have nothing to test them with.
My mouse, keyboard, and two Epson devices are ok. Don't know if that is useful to know.

Had a read through your link. Educational but couldn't see anything I could use sadly.

My next step is an pcspecialist IT request. I have full home support if I recall.

Doesn't the weekly Windows Update create Restore points automatically? I was wondering if I could restore back a week and if that would help?

 

[Boozad]

If you go into System Restore there should be a list of restore points you can choose from. If there's one far back enough to before the problem started occuring then it's definitely worth giving it a try.

 

[CMStorm]

Windows 7 Restore points disappeared overnight!

On Bank Holiday Monday I screengrabed the list of four Restore points, as a reminder of what to do the following day when I got the time.

The next day that list has unbelievably reduced to one (the original made by the installer nearly two years ago)! My manual point and the two auto Microsoft update points had disappeared!

Q. What happened to the other three Restore points overnight?

So what changed between then and now? I only restarted. I didn't manually run any other software overnight (I have read that some programs can remove restore points). And yesterday was only five days after the weekly Windows Restore point of the 22nd (the point I WAS going to use to repair my lost usb controllers and it's now gone).

Note: I immediately made another manual Restore point. Which is still there in the list after a restart. <shrug>

 

[Boozad]

That's really strange. I've never seen that before. This is pretty baffling to be honest, I'll give it some more thought and see if I can come up with anything.

 

[YAMAHA]

Just a thought but have you done a virus scan? I had a PC a few years ago that had a similar problem with system restore (and a few other things) which turned out to be a virus. Might be worth checking.

 

[CMStorm]

Fair point. I have had an up-to-date Symantec Norton Anti-Virus running since day one, and regularly use Malwarebytes Ant-Malware and CCleaner.

Two things have been suggested:
1) Increase the max storage size for System Restore (mine has now been updated from 1% to 5%).
2) Try Control Panels > Programs and Features > View Installed Updates > Uninstall the last bunch (which are 23 standard Microsoft updates installed on the 15th).

 

[CMStorm]

Now on my spare Netbook. Main pc is currently inaccessible.

Tonight I repeated your suggestion of uninstalling the usb controllers from the start of the list. I skipped the first two (which I believe from the first attempt we discovered were the mouse and keyboard. And I unplugged my headphones beforehand this time around to see what would happen).

And...

Reached uninstalling the second last on the list and it disabled the mouse. So I had to do a forced switch off.

Switched on after and...

No mouse control or keyboard control --- even after an hour of disk activity.

The disk light is flickering indicating the pc is 'doing something' but... not looking good. Eeek!

What to try if the mouse control does not return???

 

[CMStorm]

Mouse and keyboard control returned when I plugged them into different usb slots. :yes:

So, the original question remains...

Q. How to unscramble and reassign my usb slot controllers?

 

[YAMAHA]

Did you do a virus scan?

 

[CMStorm]

Good reminder. So Norton has been scanning the entire computer. Let's see.

 

[CMStorm]

Only found some Tracking Cookies and quarantined them. Any more thoughts?

 

[CMStorm]

Research has offered two more possible solutions to recover my USB controllers and I was wondering what you think of these?

Note: the problem started with and persists with... portable usb 'storage' devices, and not peripherals.

1) Replace Windows usbstor.inf if it has been removed. The code for a copy and paste is listed on the Windows forum shown below.
2) Edit SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class inside "regedit" from the Start menu. Making a copy first is recommended of course but then the notes I was offered suggest deleting the "Upperfilters" and "Lowerfilters" of a very particular Control Class value.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...ices-but-does-not-see-external-usb-hard-drive

These are not something I am going to 'try' without an IT professional sitting right next to me. But might be of interest to you. Provide other ideas...

 

[steaky360]

Is it silly for me to suggest getting in touch with PCS? It might be something they know how to solve already? Save you a fair bit of hassle? I had a wee glance through and I dont know if someone else already suggested this, but PCS will offer support to you even if your warranty has ran out (lifetime technical support). Might be worth giving it a shot? They're open till midday on a Saturday.

 

[Boozad]

Just a thought, but do the external drives appear in disk management? I'm wondering if Windows isn't assigning drive letters to the externals seeing as the peripherals are working.