USB not working after system crash

**alucard** · 2011-07-21 18:05

Its a Dell Desktop (not mine). The owners where updating there system (Vista Home Premium), they had to restart, it did not. After trying every trick and technique for repairing I finally got it working.

I manually replaced the Reg files from the C:\windows\system32\config\regback to the config folder using a Boot CD. It worked.

Only problem is the USB keyboard and mouse will not work in Windows. They work in the BIOS, I can enter it and make changes, they will work if I use a BOOT CD/DVD, They don't work in Windows or in Safemode. It's a Dell computer with only USB ports, No ps2 so I can't use any other mouse or keyboard other than USB. 6 USB ports tried them all, same thing. Any suggestions?

***JoeP517*** · 2011-07-21 19:48

It would seem that the drivers are missing. Can you repair Vista?

Joe

**jwitalka** · 2011-07-22 10:53

Try installing the latest chipset drivers.

Jerry

**alucard** · 2011-07-22 18:57

Thanks for the replies. But after fooling around with it for 2 days I gave up. Formated the system and reinstalled Windows. Everything is working perfectly.

**Medico** · 2011-07-22 19:05

May I make a suggestion at this time. Create and Image, then reimage after each change to your system. Search Imaging in these forums for discussions and reasons why. Save yourself days of work next time. Takes about 10 minutes to restore.

**bobprimak** · 2011-08-04 11:56

And for drivers, backing them all up to one external location can save a lot of headaches. Among the free programs which can do a drivers backup (and a restoration or rollback of one, several, or all drivers), I like DriverMax. It nags you to upgrade, but it doesn't have to be allowed to use its Agent every time Windows starts up. (It's just a Startups item.) Information here .

**Magna** · 2011-08-04 18:21

I had this same thing happen although my laptop's touch pad did work. Using it alone, I reverted to an earlier date before all the updates hit and that worked. The next day I reinstalled the updates (which forced new downloads) and voila! One of the updates must have had a major bug in it and it must have been fixed within 24 hours. Wonder who was the guilty party and whether he/she still has a job...

**bobprimak** · 2011-08-05 13:55

Originally Posted by Magna

I had this same thing happen although my laptop's touch pad did work. Using it alone, I reverted to an earlier date before all the updates hit and that worked. The next day I reinstalled the updates (which forced new downloads) and voila! One of the updates must have had a major bug in it and it must have been fixed within 24 hours. Wonder who was the guilty party and whether he/she still has a job...

Sometimes when a few updates install at the same time, one or more doesn't quite get installed properly. This is not necessarily a "bug" per se, but it may require reverting to a previous system state and trying again, as you did successfully.

**robplum** · 2011-10-16 02:28

Originally Posted by JoeP517

It would seem that the drivers are missing. Can you repair Vista?

Joe

I had problem with Vista not detecting USB and searched Google came up with this solution which worked for me

http://www.thedave.ca/geek/windows-v...tion-problems/

**bobprimak** · 2011-10-20 13:11

Drivers can also be found for most USB interfaces and devices through the DriverMax program. It's free to use, and up to two drivers per day can be downloaded and installed for free.

With Dell, any upgrade can be trouble, so a System Image backup is essential. Update these before doing any updates to a Dell computer.

**Magna** · 2011-10-20 15:02

Originally Posted by alucard

It's a Dell computer with only USB ports, No ps2

As I understand it, you can use the keyboard and mouse until Windows fires up. I had this happen on an older version of Windows. Since you know the hardware is working it is just a fluke in the software. Perhaps the drivers for the USBs were not reinstalled. Finding them and reinstalling them can be very difficult.

I assume they have their files backed up (HaHaHaHaHa!) This is a good advertisement for using Carbonite or another cloud-based back-up system. When it happened to me, it required a complete reformat and reinstallation and I lost a great deal of data and software.

First, call Dell tech support and ask them what to do. They should have a solution to install the drivers but will probably give you this advice:

Pending a better solution from someone more experienced than I, see if you can back up their files using what's available to you, remove the entire Windows directory and program, then reinstall Windows. If that doesn't work, you will have to reformat the disk, then reinstall all software and files.

**cabob512** · 2011-10-20 17:39

Get a program called Rollback. It boots before windows and brings you back to before,when all was well. System restore only works when you can boot to Windows.

**Medico** · 2011-10-21 05:07

Actually, System Restore can be accessed from the Installation Media, under Repair My Computer. I have found however that System Restore has mixed success. Worth a try however.

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