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I was actually just browsing the web (playing urban dead, to be honest) and my comp suddenly resets itself. Maybe there was a surge on the line (though I have a surge buster).

Anyway, it comes back and the keyboard doesn't work, only the mouse. Some investigation shows the keyboard works on my ps3. So I try different USB ports for they KB. None of them work. In fact I suspect none of them are even supplying voltage. During this time the comp once freezing while I'm googling (I was using character map to labouriously write in search terms) and even once on boot up. No more freezes so far though!

This is quite weird because the back ports and the front ports, which plug into quite different spots on the mother board.

One issue might be some sort of power management problem - maybe the comp thinks they should be shut down to save power and wont turn them back on. I tried a microsoft solution for that, even running their fixit program, but to no avail.

I've uninstalled the drivers and restarted (so the comp would reinstall the drivers) to no avail.

If you're wondering I bought a cheap keyboard with a PS/2 adapter, since my mouse was working in it's PS/2 port, I figured the keyboard port might still work - and it does.

Anyone heard of anything like this USB problem before?

I would bet money it's your power supply. If you have a spare computer lying around switch out the power supply to see if that does the trick. If you installed a new video card lately then it your power supply may be too small to power it.

Hello,

I assume you are running on Windows, and perhaps 7.
What I would try is to force it to 'reinstall' it somehow.

Right click on My Computer -> Manage.
-> Device Manager
--> [+] Keyboards
---> Look at the list of keyboards you have there, should be perhaps 1-2 devices.
---> Plug and Unplug your usb-keyboard and see if it adds-removes a keyboard listed.
---> IF it adds a keyboard when you plug, and it doesnt work. Right click on the Keyboard that it lists and 'UNINSTALL'.
---> Let it uninstall it fully and then when its not there anymore unplug your keyboard and plug it back.

Then it should reinstall it and perhaps it should work.
Power surges that causes a computer to freeze, might cause drivers to go corrupt. This is more usual with graphics drivers when they are constantly being used.

I haven't changed my graphics card in forever (OMG, I'm a heathen! lol!)

It's good advice, but I actually went through all my USB drivers, uninstalled all of them (and it reinstalled them on reboot). No change. It's a weird error - if the motherboard was screwed up I shouldn't be able to type and send this. It's just shut down all the USB ports.

I went into bios (now that I had a keyboard that it would recognise when I hit del!) - it had usb keyboard support turned off? So I turned that back on but I'm bad and haven't retested a usb keyboard. I did text a camera that usually plugged in neatly before - still didn't work.

As I recall when I had the usb keyboard in, it didn't show anything under keyboards to uninstall.

I think the usb ports are just cold - it can't even sense them. Nor do they give power (sometimes usb ports can go down, but you could still recharge a phone from them. I suspect but have not tested whether a phone can't be charged from them)

Thanks for reading, guys. This is an odd one!

Ah, ok so the problem is in all USB ports with all devices and not just keyboard connected to a usb.. Sorry did not read right the first time

Then it's a different story, probably the motherboard ain't getting enough power for the usbs or something Could try something what Halls said then.

But a really weird issue there, hopefully it's fixable by doing something on software side!

On windows 7/Windows 8 (not sure for vista, don't in windows XP) Make sure you have an internet connection.

-> Win + R
-> type in "devmgmt.msc"
-> Uninstall all your USB controllers
-> Restart your PC (windows should reinstall all the drivers automatically, wait a minute)

I have no doubt it is a power issue. Whether mother board or power supply but my vote is on power supply.

hallsofvallhalla wrote:I have no doubt it is a power issue. Whether mother board or power supply but my vote is on power supply.

I'm super not familiar with replacing the power supply. I guess I'll have to open it up, see if I understand it much (yeah, I hardly mess with my comps insides. Actually, side question, how do you get a fan off a motherboard, so you can give it a really good clean?). Then find out prices for a replacement from a store, to see how much it'll cost as an experiment to see if that's the prob.

Power Supplies are super easy. SUPER EASY. Make sure when you take off the fan you do not unseat the heat sink from the processor. This can cause vacuum spaces in the liquid silver which will cause over heating. There should be a clasp that holds it on. Simply unclasp. I would not however. I would just blow it out real good. Use a reverse setting on a vacuum.

hallsofvallhalla wrote:I would not however. I would just blow it out real good. Use a reverse setting on a vacuum.

Fair call - I might get one of those solder sucker bulbs, but just use it for squeezing out air.

I've never seen a vacuum cleaner with a reverse setting!