USB ports no longer work

[cmf]

After some booting issues (explained here), the USB ports on my mother's desktop PC no longer function. I'm not sure if this is a driver issue or a controller issue, so I'm putting my question in this section.

We have an extra PS2 keyboard but no mouse.
Things I have tried:
Booting to a Linux Live CD: USB mouse did not work.
Uninstalling all USB devices in device manager and rebooting. Still not working.
Plugging devices into my own PC. They work on mine but not hers.

The USB mouse sometimes receives power (red tracking light illuminates) and sometimes doesn't. Sometimes when I plug in the mouse Windows shows a message claiming the "USB device has malfunctioned."

Any suggestions?

 

[reedo_43]

Sounds like the port or ports are going south on you. If you find one that works, you can get a powered usb hub or if not something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158045&cm_re=4_port_usb_card-_-15-158-045-_-Product

 

[cmf]

We've decided to buy a PS2 mouse to see if that will work. Otherwise we'll get a new PC.

 

[tman1]

Sounds like the port or ports are going south on you. If you find one that works, you can get a powered usb hub or if not something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158045&cm_re=4_port_usb_card-_-15-158-045-_-Product

If the USB ports are failing, then how would getting a USB hub (that plugs into said failing USB ports) going to solve the problem?

 

[tman1]

Any bad capacitors on the motherboard?

 

[reedo_43]

Not all ports fail at the same time....