PC hardware forum: USB ports not owrking properly

I couldn't tell you the motherboard make or model, but I can find out later this evening.
Also my devices will sometimes only connect, but even my memory stick sometimes fails and even if it does connect I can't access it. The USB harness is hooked up properly.
How can I check to see if the correct drivers are installed?
I have an external hard drive which used to be connected but now if I connect it I get an error message saying that it is and input/output error.

So you are evidently using USB ports from a header (installed on the MB) is there an open PCI slot on the MB? If so, have you tried a standalone USB slot card, usb 2.0? Not knowing what the MB is or what it is capable of, since it is running Win XP am thinking it might be an older unit. If you are using onboard ports and are having issues, assuming you have ALL the proper drivers installed and ALL connections are correct, the next step would be a USB 2.0 slot card. Another poster mentioned power hungry devices, etc., this is another consideration, which may take us back to the system itself and could get a bit more complex, starting with PSU and going from there.

If you're trying the frt. USB ports, forget those for now, use the rear USB ports. Provided you still have some available or make it possible, route USB devices elsewhere for time being. The point being, rear USB ports tend to be directly coming from mtrbd. as in NO harness and they tend to be more power stable. Now, test your USB devices and see if it improves.

Your reply that your USB stick doesn't always work, maybe a clue a fault lies with the USb stick, it happens. Further, it may hose that USB port until a reboot. Also, if you have alot of USB devices, these in turn need thier share of power and overall USB ports are VERY LIMITED power wise. Simpler devices tend to work at ease vs. older or demanding like cameras or ext. HDs. You can buy an ext. USB HUB which is AC powered and hope that helps. A USB pci type card can help too besides adding extra ports they too tend to be more power stable.

Enter the system device manager in control panel and check the status of USB listing. There should be no red/yellow flags by the USB controller tag and/or cause attention to some USB need. It should be all collapsed under that listing, not expanded and pointing to some attention, just like all the other listings present. You can expand a USB tag and just see what the properties are as a check, thus verifying the driver is "active and working".

System info, checkout getting PCWizard 2012, google for it and install. It can provide mtrbd. details, etc.. and its freebie s/w.

tada -----Willy