Peripherals stop working

[Beth]

I am a new XP user with a brand new Emachine laptop.
When I work at home, I use the laptop as the CPU but
connect traditional peripherals -- HP flatscreen monitor,
a MFC 4800 Brother printer/fax, a microsoft Intellimouse,
a generic keyboard and a palm -- all through a USB hub.
I keep having problems in which my printer will show up
offline and then not be able to print when I put it
online. I'll be working along and my mouse will just
stop moving. (I can still move the cursor if I use the
touchpad.)

So far I've tried connecting items directly to the
computer. Still happens. I've uninstalled and
reinstalled all drivers and all peripherals. Doesn't
work. After spending HOURS on the phone with emachines
support who exhausted everything and figured I needed to
do a system restore to figure out if its a hardware or
software problem. Instead, I took the computer back and
got a new one-- just in case it was the hardware. Didn't
work. This is driving me absolutely crazy. Can anyone
advise? (Yes, I've installed all System Pack updates
available.)

 

[JAX]

It may be rude to answer a question with a question but, do you have all the
latest XP drivers for all your hardware?

JAX

 

[Beth]

Yes. I downloaded the latest drivers for XP available for
the printer and the mouse (the two things that are acting
up). All others were resident in XP.

 

[JAX]

Since you have the touch-pad on the laptop. Try just connecting the printer
and using the touch-pad for whatever control you need and see if the printer
works correctly. Try using the mouse without the printer connected and see
if it works. This should narrow down the possibilities for the source of the
problem.

JAX

 

[purplehaz]

Get updated drivers for the usb hub and/or usb drivers, if available. You
did the mouse and printer, but they all interface thru the usb hub, so maybe
you need to update your usb drivers. Check the computer makers website.