USB 2.0 Issue

[Mclarenf1905]

I'm having a rather odd problem with the USB ports on my Laptop, and I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me with this.
I don't know how to describe it exactly but I'll try my best.
It just started today to the best of my knowledge.
My USB Ports Don't seem to be recognizing most of the hardawre that I've been plugging into them, My External DVD drive, My Ipod, and my flash drive, but for some reason it does recognize the Playstation controller input I have for it, prior to today all of the other three devices worked, but I haven't plugged any of them in in the past month either excluding my iPod which i had in for a few minutes on the 25th to update some songs.
So far I've tried re updating all the drivers for the devices, I went into USB port Properties and checked the status of the ports, which were all fine, and I even downloaded a program that checked my USB ports for problems and it said they were all function properly, (but I have a feeling that just checked the same way Device manager does)
Any suggestions as to what might be wrong?

Oh, I don't think this would help much but my Laptops an IBM ThinkPad R40 (Almost 4 years old)
and I'm running Windows Xp professional with the service pack 2 upgrade.
Thanks.

 

[schultzy]

By, the sounds of it your usb ports arent getting enough power through them, and im sorry to say that im not really sure how to fix it, if it is that,
Try restarting with the devices in the usb port

 

[penfold]

Have you checked to be sure that the devices work on other machines?

if so, and other things work in the port, one would suspect driver issues.

 

[Mclarenf1905]

Have you checked to be sure that the devices work on other machines?

if so, and other things work in the port, one would suspect driver issues.

yea, I forgot to mention that, the devices do work on other machines, and as for driver issues, I've reinstalled the drivers and still nothing happened, unless you mean the driver for the USB.

Try restarting with the devices in the usb port

already tried that too
but thanks.