Broken USB Ports/How do I use a mouse?

grindinrent

Preface: I may be posting in the wrong group and/or a dumb ?
I have a ASUS PC Lap model AR5B95
I only use this computer for work, work that is much improved by use of a mouse over a touch pad.
My USB Ports recently stopped working. What is the quickest/easiest/cheapest way to go about finding a mouse or adapter to solve my problem?
I thought there were firewire mice, the start of this search... newb/not techie.

thnx 4 your time,

GR

jonnyfingers

If your laptop has a serial port you could use a serial to usb adapter.

But to me it would be strange for multiple USB ports to stop working at the same time. In that case it could be a problem with the USB driver and not the actual hardware.

grindinrent

Great. It did seem like a pretty sudden and unexpected change, considering this is a lap that hasn't sustained any damage. I use it A LOT. Other than that, it seemed way too new to have something as essential as USB ports stop working.
*Maybe pertinent: On the day the ports stopped working, I plugged an ancient mouse (from like 2003) in. It downloaded the drivers then didn't work.
*FWIW this started w/ intermittent problems w/ the port. I would unplug/replug the mouse a few times and it would start working normally.

I use this computer almost 100% for tasks that don't involve any of the Windows software... all me working in a client. I'd love to avoid replacing the board or something, since I REALLY just need use of a mouse again. (@ least)

Advice?

Thanks in advance

Kinetic^

Right click "My Computer", select properties.

If it's Vista/7 then Device Manager will be on your left.

If it's XP then select the "hardware" tab and then click Device Manager up the top.


See if there are any red X's on any items in there. If there are then you have an issue with software which is easily solved. If it's not, then you could have an underlying hardware fault.

Krusader

Your controller hub could be ****ed, all your USB ports are connected to the hub, are you constantly pulling out usb drives without going through the 'Safely Remove Hardware' procedure.
Try updating your USB drivers and see does it work

skregs

Get a Mac

ricman

you could get a usb to ps2 connector, 3 euro,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector
http://www.dhgate.com/microsoft-9-pin-serial-mouse-ibm-pc-xt-ergo/r-ff8080812cf97120012d2e5311df4e96.html

or buy a serial mouse as above, most pcs have a ps2 connector.buy one from adverts ie ,as they dont sell em in the shops as far as i know.

delw

get a wireless mouse

hobochris

delw wrote: »

get a wireless mouse

still need a usb port for the receiver.

delw

hobochris wrote: »

still need a usb port for the receiver.

true

hobochris

skregs wrote: »

Get a Mac

The op has enough issues already :P

bonzodog2

Is this a laptop ? AR5B95 seems to be a wifi card. If a laptop, does it have PCMCIA or express slot? I use a PCMCIA/4 x USB adapter, but my laptop is quite old.
Try deleting the USB hub from Device Manager and let it redetect.
If its a desktop PC, you could get a PCI USB card
I trust you've done a complete restart?

JonathanAnon

The issue is either with the hardware or the software.. I would completely remove everything USB-related within Control Panel | System | Device Manager, and then reboot.... When Windows reboots, it will reinstall all of these devices.. As was said above, you could also try updating the drivers or reinstalling them from the original CD, in case the ones currently on your drive are corrupt.

You could also take down the CD bootable version of Ubuntu, run it on your computer from the CD and try the USB ports with a USB stick or something... to see if the USB hardware will work with the Ubuntu drivers..

http://www.ubuntu.com/download

If neither works then I would think you have blown the controller.

ricman

There , s a 95 per cent chance the usb files are damaged by a virus ,its not a hardware problem,try a linux livecd like mint,or this one,
http://www.livecdlist.com/local-area-security-linux
see here http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/system_file_checker.mspx?mfr=true
it checks for broken system files , it may not neccessarily detect usb files that have been changed by a virus .
if you have acess to another pc running the same os,eg windows xp service pack2 , you could simply copy the usb files from the windows directory.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329632
usbui.dll usbport.sys usbuhci.sys usbehci.sys hccoin.dll Usbstor.sys usbhub.sys are some of the files i have in windows /system32 directory on my aspire laptop.

Go to control panel,system,hardware, device manager,click on the usb items,system devices, usb controllers,then right click on each controller,click propertys, driver details, it gives the usb driver file and location used for each controller,eg usbstor.sys is the driver file used for acessing storage devices, drives etc via the usb ports on the laptop.
Then you,ll have a list of all the laptop driver files on the laptop.
You should have all the files listed above ,its possible windows 7 may use different files than windows xp.
Use imgburn .free program to burn the linux iso image file to a 700meg cdr disk.

wheatrice

ricman wrote: »

you could get a usb to ps2 connector, 3 euro,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector
http://www.dhgate.com/microsoft-9-pin-serial-mouse-ibm-pc-xt-ergo/r-ff8080812cf97120012d2e5311df4e96.html

or buy a serial mouse as above, most pcs have a ps2 connector.buy one from adverts ie ,as they dont sell em in the shops as far as i know.

The price really cheap, thanks

fionny

skregs wrote: »

Get a Mac

Get a life

rabbite

ricman wrote: »

you could get a usb to ps2 connector, 3 euro,
http://www.dhgate.com/microsoft-9-pin-serial-mouse-ibm-pc-xt-ergo/r-ff8080812cf97120012d2e5311df4e96.html

or buy a serial mouse as above, most pcs have a ps2 connector.buy one from adverts ie ,as they dont sell em in the shops as far as i know.

It's so cheap!thanks!

rabbite

ricman wrote: »

you could get a usb to ps2 connector, 3 euro,
http://www.dhgate.com/microsoft-9-pin-serial-mouse-ibm-pc-xt-ergo/r-ff8080812cf97120012d2e5311df4e96.html

or buy a serial mouse as above, most pcs have a ps2 connector.buy one from adverts ie ,as they dont sell em in the shops as far as i know.

a lovely mouse.thanks!