Dead USB ports on my laptop

[1stTimeCaller]

I had the work laptop at home last night and it doesn't 'see' the two USB ports it has on it.

At work I use a docking station and it has two USB ports that work, one for my mouse and one for the printer.

Is there any way I can turn the lappy's USB ports on when it's not in the docking station?

[mrowl]

was the power cable plugged in? sometimes thats the first thing a laptop turns off for power management.

[JohnnyMack]

Eat dirt.

[1stTimeCaller]

now that you mention it mrowl, I plugged the transformer into the wall but I didn't plug the power into the computer.

Thanks for reminding me that I'm 3/4 retarted.

[NormanPride]

First question in tech support is always "Is it plugged in?"

[1stTimeCaller]

Well it was on and working, well, everything except the USB ports and I thought maybe the docking station had something to do with it.

Why would it turn off the USB ports and not the 3.5 floppy drive or the CD drive?

[yermom]

they aren't disabled in the BIOS or something are they?

does everything look ok in the Device Manager?

[Mjcpr]

does everything look ok in the Device Manager?

His hand is fine, stay on topic.

[1stTimeCaller]

they aren't disabled in the BIOS or something are they?

does everything look ok in the Device Manager?

I have no idear what you are talking about.

the two on the docking station work when it's in the docking station. actually, they have worked before when not in the docking station because I've used the mouse before when at home w/o the docking station. I'm gonna go with our nocturnal avian friend's suggestion.

[yermom]

you haven't already plugged it in?

[yermom]

oh yeah, this is at home

[OCUDad]

Try using Device Manager to uninstall (not disable, uninstall) the USB controller . Then reboot so the OS can rediscover the USB port and reinstall the driver.

Apologies if you've already tried this.