XP usb trouble

[Space Monkey]

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction here.

My mother has a ****ty Medion laptop running XP. I'm having nasty trouble getting a usb adsl modem working on it. I also remember problems with a usb cd-rw drive. Basically the cd drive was causing the system to freeze as soon as it was plugged in and the modem is doing the same sometimes and at other times the power light on the modem just goes off as though the USB port as been turned off then the system won't shut down.

To spice it up a bit the internall CD/DVD drive has stopped recognising CD's(DVD's are fine though) so I can't do a re-install.

Can anyone tell me where I should be looking to attempt a fix to the USB port(assuming it's the software) as I'm new to XP?

[yashiro]

If you can set the bios to 'boot from CD' then the fact that CD's dont work in windows is circumvented. (this is a common occurance).

As for the USB; do low power devices, like USB mice, function OK on those ports?
If so it seems like a crap hardware issue. You could work round it by buying an external usb hub (powered).

[Space Monkey]

I've tried booting from the CD as you said, but its still not working. I guess the drive must be funked. I`ll try to get hold of a powered hub and test your idea, I can't imagine the modem uses much power, its a BT Voyager105 but hopefully you`re right. This machines really is a heap of scrap, there's something wrong with the modem now. I can only get connected through dialup about 1 in every 3 attempts and even then it only stays online for about 2 mins max then disconnects. I r e a l l y hate it and might damage it intentionally soon.

Thanks for your help anyways

[Freddo]

yashiro is probably right, the power consumption on my old bt speedtouch usb adsl modem was pretty hefty and it would knock the usb controllers over on my mums laptop but not on my pc with a proper usb add-in card

[Space Monkey]

good news, hopefully a powered hub will sort it out then. Thanks