Here's my problem: I recently purchased a new MP3 player to put music on (obviously)and the problem is that when my external hard drive and the MP3 player are plugged in at the same time, the MP3 player is not recognized ("USB Device Not Recognized" error message). There has been one exception. One time when I plugged in the MP3 player first and then the external drive second, everything worked fine. Since then I have been able to transfer a few songs and then it tells me the MP3 player has malfunctioned. Often times it wont even detect the MP3 player at all (unless I unplug the external and then it detects it every time). I have tried every combination of plugging each device into different USB ports (front and back), but nothing seems to work. Both the external drive and MP3 player have their own power supplies. I've made sure all the drivers and firmware are updated.... Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks Thanks

This may be dumb, you other guys can slam me for this! >>> Redo USB drivers and external storage drivers if you got them. Unlike mine your USB ports are probably factory installed so try the motherboard disc driver. Could go (start) then (settings) then (control panel)Then (system) then (hardware)then(device manager)THEN expand USB items and storage items, look for yellow ? ,check it and troubleshoot and/or hardware install. Let it search for best driver if you don't have any, Also let it go online and search microsoft for updated driver. I've chased USB ports around and back, they seem to like to dedicate a port for an item. So my external storage used to work in front now it works in back after plugging in the camera. This seems to happen when you use that port for a different device and let it autoinstall, then it must determine a routing for the paticular divice and doesn't like to give it back to the previous device. Without major shuttingdown , disconnecting all power sorces, and clearing. My son's swapped printer, external DVD, and external storage all around. In some cases I think on 2000PRO you can screw around in the device manager section and change port routing and lettering. Try finding that. Crunch

Get a powered USB hub and voila problem solved.