USB port difficulties

[G-AZUK]

Tried out a new ipod last night on my laptop, worked fine the first time when setting it up. A little later I connected it up to put some files on it, the laptop wouldn’t recognise the device, so I disconnected, the laptop froze, and couldn’t be shut down, even the off button wasn’t working. I let the laptop power down overnight and this morning it fired it up and it works again, however all of my USB ports are now disabled, and I can even get it to recognise a USB key in any of the ports. Any clues?

[Keef]

It sounds horribly as if you've zapped the USB ports in your laptop. Maybe static discharging from the iPod to the laptop.

If the laptop freezes like that, hold down the OFF button for about ten seconds, and it will switch off (well, mine does).

The Control Panel should tell you what your USB ports are doing/thinking.

[Pontius Navigator]

Before I learnt the hold down trick I found removing the battery worked quite well.

Mind you letting it discharge over night is not a bad ploy for battery life anyway.