USB ports dead, help please

[happyhero]

Hi I am trying to help my friend fix his Laptop, (make is Tiny).

All the USB ports no longer react and nothing happens on screen either as if they are not there. So now he can longer print etc because the printer is USB too.

I have looked at the CMOS and there is no where in there to deal with enabling or or disabling USB ports.

I then tried looking at device manger and there is no reference to USB in there either, again so no way to enable or disable. Had it been there I would have tried removing it so it finds them on boot up.

I did find in device manager the IEEE 1394 firewire but no reference to USB.

What can I do?

Is there a way to prove anything, ie if sockets have failed permanently?

Also is there anything physicaly I can do, ie a loose connection that often becomes loose that I should be looking at.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Deluks]

What operating system?

 

[Doc Lenny]

If all else fails has the Laptop got a PCMCIA slot?

 

[mattylad]

Have you tried a search for new hardware in device manager?

 

[happyhero]

Hi thanks for the advice, he has Win XP home running, I have not tried adding hardware but will give that a go hopefully tomorrow when I get to it again, although I have my doubts that will work but will give it a try.

Where would the PCMCIA to USB adaptor card plug in on the laptop?

If it plugs into the slot I think that he may have, my worry is that, that port would be dead too, ie do they not all come from the same place, I am thinking of those multi port things you can buy for a desktop PC with all the photo card slots and usb and firewire connectors on them, do they not all go back on one wire to a place in the PC so would that not be the same with all differing but existing ports on a laptop, or do they all come from different positions?

 

[Deluks]

No the pcmcia adaptor should have its own path back to the motherboard.

 

[happyhero]

Sorry to keep asking questions but with the pcmcia card I hear there are different ones/sizes, what is the best way to know what one he has or do they all fit?

Also getting back to original problem is there a way to prove the USB's on the laptop are dead so we know it is not worth bothering further with them and also to move on and buy a PCMCIA adaptor?

 

[Doc Lenny]

You will just need a standard PCMCIA card, 32-bit CardBus Type II slot.

I guessing the Laptop is around 5-6 years old in which case you may only have usb 1.1 - the card will upgrade the laptop to USB 2.0.

They are widely available for around £10.

Edit: Better double check as it is a Tiny

 

[dave.m]

Happyhero,
Just a word of warning:
It can cause lots of complications running the same problem post in two different forums because the people who are trying to advise you don't know what has been recommended in the other forum and whether you have tried the advice from there, or, more seriously, installed some software that may conflict with what is suggested on here.
It is much better to stick with one set of help at a time.
OK! Post elsewhere if you do not get a solution on one forum within a reasonable time.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1027479

dave