Hello. I run a Windows XP Gateway desktop. Ever since suddenly disconnecting my ipod from a USB port, my computer fails to recognize my optical mouse. The pointer is still visible but stuck in one place and the little red light on the bottom of the mouse still shines so the power is there. I have rebooted the computer many, many times, deleted the USB ports but still no luck. It doesn't even move at start-up. I don't think it's a problem with the mouse itself since I plugged in an older one (non-optical) to check, and it did not work. Nor will my Wacom tablet be recognized and it is installed. Not to mention its frustrating navigating windows with keyboard shortcuts. I'm also not sure about un-installing and re-installing the USB ports or Mouse drivers because I don't have disks since it came with the computer.

I'm not the most computer savvy person at all, so if anyone has some simple, understandable help.. that'd be great, thanks.

"I don't think it's a problem with the mouse itself since I plugged in an older one (non-optical) to check, and it did not work."

Is this other mouse you tried still a USB? Or an old serial type, or PS2?

If non-USB, the PS2 "Awareness", or the serial port may be set to OFF in the machines bios.

Have you visited Gateway and obtained/installed all the latest drivers for your system?

In case, download, install, and run Everest Home Edition on this machine. (Clean FreeWare) Once it's finished loading and running, click on Report, Report Wizard in the Menu Bar. Save all hardware related pages (the default) to a TEXT file in a location of your choice. (It will default the location to C:\Program Files\Lavalys\EVEREST Home Edition\Reports.)

Please Attach that text document to your next posting. (When posting, click on Advanced, and just below the posting box you'll see "Additional Options", and within that, "Attach Files". Click on "Manage Attachments" and follow the prompts. Browse to the file and choose UPLOAD.) Please don't copy/paste the contents into the posting. It makes for a large post, and somewhat disrupts the posting readability.