USB port issue..

[New_compforum_user]

Machine:

Sony Vaio PCV-RX465DS
Windows XP Home Edition
1.4 ghz Pentium 4 processor
nVidia GeForce 2/MX 400 (32 mb)
512 mb SD RAM
60 gb hdd
made in 2001

I believe my USB (1.0) ports are going bad. I have a laser mouse hooked into one of the USB ports on the front of the machine, and it will frequently shut off. I have to unplug/replug it in in order to use it again. I'm also using a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB adapter as a Soft-AP (did the tutorial) and it too will shut off on me (I've tried it on various USB ports) after just a few minutes of use.

Is there anything I can do? Should I just replace the ports? Is that possible? Are they cheap?

 

[The_Other_One]

You can't "replace" ports on a motherboard, but you can add them with PCI expansion cards. It's pretty rare USB ports die, but that's a possibility. Though I'd look into software problems first. Look to see if Sony has any USB drivers for your machine, maybe chipset ones as well (if they are separate). You could also try a Windows repair. It may not help, but it really shouldn't hurt anything either...

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm