I would appreciate any thoughts or advice on the following:

My keyboard and mouse have stopped working for a period of 1-2 days on two occasions now several months apart.

PC: Dell Dimension E520
Keyboard/Mouse: Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 800 and Wireless Mouse 1000 (combo) using a single wireless USB receiver.
OS: Windows XP

Attempts to resolve:
1. Batteries: fresh both times. Changed to new batteries. Not a battery problem. Mouse tracking light is active.
2. Windows platform problem: during start up, would not respond to F2 or F8 commands
3. USB hub: I tried moving the wireless receiver to USB ports in the front and back of computer with no resolution. Items that charge from the USB continue to receive a charge. However, external drives (like my phone) do not autoplay or prompt me to choose what to do with them like usual, as if the computer don't know they are plugged in.
4. Inspecting the tower: I remove the access panel on the side for a full view. I gently press on each component to ensure they are not loose.



Each time, the problem resolves after I take the tower to the garage and blow it out with my air compressor. The first time is was fairly dusty as I had not done that in a while. Most recently (today), it was hardly dusty at all since I has this problem not too long ago. Still, after powering it back up and plugging in the wireless receiver to the front USB port, it recognized the device and now it works fine. It also recognizes the receiver in the back USB ports as well. So, blowing it out has worked 2 out of 2 times.

Someone at Best Buy said it might be a PCI card problem. Any thoughts? Any way to confirm that?

Hi Darron,

My name is Saurabh and I work for the Social Media & Community Team at Dell.

I second vger’s recommendation to use a powered USB hub. Also would like to see the performance of keyboard and mouse, when used with any other computer. If possible, kindly use the USB receiver (with keyboard & mouse) with any other computer system. I would also request you to have a close look at the connector of the USB receiver and check for any spots or indentations. I would also like to know, approximately how old is the USB receiver, and has it ever been used it with any other system before?

Kindly also install all windows update and get the service pack 3 installed as well (if required). Click www.update.microsoft.com to download and install the updates.

Kindly also drain the flea power from the computer and then check the performance. In order to do it, kindly follow these steps: Shut down the computer and disconnect all external devices > Remove all physical connections and completely isolate the system tower > Hold down the power button for at least 10 seconds without releasing it > Power the system back on.

While the USB receiver or any other device is plugged in but is not working, kindly check the status of those devices in the device manager. Kindly follow these steps to do the same: Click Start Icon > Click “Run” > Type “devmgmt.msc” (without quotation) > Hit Enter Key > Device Manager Page opens up > Expand option “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” > The USB device connected should show up (right click to check properties). Kindly mention if the devices are visible in the device manager and also capture their “device status” under “general tab”.

Kindly remove and re-install all USB controllers. Before you do that, kindly make sure that you remove all physical USB devices from the computer (except mouse and keyboard). Kindly follow these steps: Click Start Icon > Click “Run” > Type “devmgmt.msc” (without quotation) > Hit Enter Key > Device Manager Page opens up > Expand option “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” > Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time > Restart the computer, and then reinstall the USB controllers using the chipset drivers for your computer. Click http://dell.to/MwfpjA to download and install the chipset driver for your computer. Finally, Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved.

If none of these methods worked for you, you can disable the Selective Suspend feature. Which means that your computer cannot suspend any USB devices that are connected to it, and the USB devices can continue to use power while connected to the computer. To disable the feature, kindly download and install the Microsoft fixit from this link: http://bit.ly/ntTRlw

Kindly perform these steps and write back with the results. Glad and Eager to assist. Please feel free to ask in case you face any ambiguity.

Thank you both for your responses. I have purchased and am using a powered USB hub (Plugable USB 2.0 10-port hub). Seems like less of a software/programming issue and more of a loose connection issue.

vger: I'm not sure if I know the difference between a PCI card and a card reader board. I would have thought they were basically the same thing. Either way, if this happens again and does not resolve, I will probably have to take it to someone to fix. That is, unless replacing this card reader board is around the same difficulty level as replacing RAM, which I have done before.

Saurabh: Thanks for your lengthy, well-thought response. There is no sign of damage to the USB receiver or the ports. The keyboard, mouse, and receiver were bought within the last 1 year. I have not used this keyboard with any other system but it appears to be working perfectly at the moment. I do have SP3 installed. I will forego the process of re-installing all USB-controllers as things are in working order now. As for the selective suspend feature, I wouldn't be able to follow those instructions if this happens again because I wouldn't be able to use the keyboard or mouse. Also, I am pretty convinced it is a hardware problem.

Again, thank you both. I appreciate your help and I am glad this forum exists.