USB Death!!

Hey guys!
I got a little problem with one of my main systems I use at home. The other night I noticed the lights on my keyboard and mouse were not lit up. I rebooted the system and got my mouse back but noT the keyboard. I switched the mouse and keyboard USB to see maybe I had one bad USB port. After I did that I got nothing for neither port. I have a total of 4 USB ports on my puter. I get nothing from them all. I went ahead and rebooted again, now my puter stays on the motherboard type splash screen at boot up. It will not go past that point now.
I think I might have some dead USB ports, how can both the 2 on the mobo and extra usb card die? I wonder.

I don't think I have a bad keyboard or mouse. (Keyboard fairly new and has been working great and mouse bought about a week ago)

Logitech Wireless Keyboard
Logitech MX510 Mouse (Wired)

Any ideas of what might have happened that the USB ports all freaked out and its sticking at that splash screen.

I have recently installed another video card with dual dvi feeding 2 19" lcds and an external CD/CD-RW/DVD (USB) drive.

There are many possible variables, but I just wanted to get some of your guys opinions.

Thanks,
ZiPPy

now here's something interesting! I have a similar *unexplained* and *gross* problem (I believe it was originated right after a power failure): All of my usb ports, including both the USB v2 that I have connected externally and the onboard v1.1 sieze functioning in case of a sudden power failure or manual disconnection.. Or even a sudden increase/decrease in power voltage (they are pretty common here in Greece and can be fatal) and the only way to get the devices working is.. (plz don't laugh!).. to connect the USB cable suddenly enough!! I know it sounds crazy, but it is true and definite (I have lost hours trying to see why only one out of ten times I plugged my usb mouse worked -though it was always correctly supplied with power-.. and then I realized that it was when I pushed the plug suddenly and only then that it worked
And that, no matter whether computer was turned on -even though today's motherboards are never completelly "off"-.

Perhaps the same trick works for you too, though problem seems more serious if you can't even boot!

PS. btw I was just wondering if you happen to have a Gigabyte M/B

Hey nske,
Let me get this straight, your saying you have to plug in the USB cable really quickly to get it to work? Wow! thats nuts!! Last night I was sitting there plugging it into all my USB ports to see if I can get anything. But heck I will give it a try.

Whats bothering me more as you said it looks more serious, is that its not booting and sticking at the splash screen.
Thanks man, I'll try anything at this point hehe

ZiPPy

yes exactly that.. I agree it's nuts, still I'm glad it works.

From what I've seen in general, usb controllers are really susceptible to power issues..

I have the SAME issue here !! the USB optical mouse doesn't come on sometimes (or just goes off suddenly)... and yes we have power fluctuations...

but what I don't understand is how this effected my boot sequence. Now it just sits at my mobo type splash screen.

On this note...anybody use Norton Ghost? How easy is it to do and implement when you want to rebuild? I think Im gonna build my puter up with all my programs and updates then create a back up before I get online so I know I have a good install. This way I won't have to keep formatting and rebuilding over and over again.

ZiPPy