[donchulo]

Here's the problem:

I recently uninstalled the full version of Nero and replaced it with a less bloated version, installed Kaspersky Anti-Virus and Sunbelt Kerio Firewall. Since then however, Windows XP (SP2) won't recognize my USB CD/DVD drive. If I unplug the device and plug it back in again a baloon pops up saying "USB device not recognized". In device manager it lists the device as "Unknown device". My USB mouse is functioning perfectly well and the CD/DVD drive did before I made the changes. I've also tried it on another machine and it works fine there too.

Without reinstalling Windows what can I do?

Thanks.

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Remove the USB leads from the PC, with the exception of any for the keyboard and mouse

Click start, right click my computer, click properties, hardware, device manager, look for USB controllers, click the + then right click each entry, click remove, confirm, clear the list and reboot

Check any peripherals are switched off, plug one lead in, switch the peripheral on

[Retired Tech]

Remove the USB leads from the PC, with the exception of any for the keyboard and mouse

Click start, right click my computer, click properties, hardware, device manager, look for USB controllers, click the + then right click each entry, click remove, confirm, clear the list and reboot

Check any peripherals are switched off, plug one lead in, switch the peripheral on

[donchulo]

Remove the USB leads from the PC, with the exception of any for the keyboard and mouse

Click start, right click my computer, click properties, hardware, device manager, look for USB controllers, click the + then right click each entry, click remove, confirm, clear the list and reboot

Check any peripherals are switched off, plug one lead in, switch the peripheral on

Thanks for the reply but I've already tried that.

[Retired Tech]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD

Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

If you do not have an XP CD you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

If you do not have an XP CD and are unable to borrow one, run the scan, click skip if it asks for the CD, if it keeps asking, click cancel.

If it kept asking for the XP CD then system files are missing

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this.

This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

[donchulo]

Ok, I've solved it. Someone suggested I switch off and then unplug the PC for a few seconds (I also removed the battery on my laptop) and then reboot. Hey presto, it works fine.

Thanks for your help anyway.