Hi there to anyone willing to assist! I don't know if I'm just trippin' out or if lack of knowledge be the case... I have just purchased a new laptop (notebbok actually...) it has 4 x USB 2.0 ports (this info is in docs that came with unit) My confusion lies here - I have a USB Mass storage Device and, like I mentioned above, I dunno if I'm goin' crazy or whatever... but the USB stick doesn't appear to fit into ANY of the 4 slots available!?! Am I missing out on something, guys? Do you know something I don't know? As far as I was (or at least thought I was) aware you can plug these little sluggers straight into your desktop computer and "giterdone" - whatever 'it' maybe - I half just assumed it would be the same deal for the portable kind... Please help... I'm confused! Is it as simple as purchasing the correct cable to enable connection between the 2 devices or even more simple? Any and all input is appreciated... Thanks for your time guys.

Does the USB drive/cable and the ports on your laptop look like those shown in this picture: http://www.novopc.com/wp-content/up... -Ryan Adams Free Computer Tips and more:http://RyanTAdams.com Paid Tech Support: Black Diamond

USB flash drives are all the same. Either you are trying to insert upside down or the ports are not USB. If all four are the same then they must be USB. The picture RT linked above shows a 1394 fire wire port on the left side. That is a competing type of access port and is not USB.

As a follow up, if you are referring to an external drive which connects with a usb cable (as opposed to a "thumb drive" that has the USB connector built in), make sure you are using the right type of cable. There are several plug styles: "A" which is what you would typically find on a computer, "B" which is often used on printers/scanners and then the associated "mini" connectors found on smaller devices like cameras. -Ryan Adams Free Computer Tips and more:http://RyanTAdams.com Paid Tech Support: Black Diamond

Ok... I have just checked the Quick Guide for my notebook to make sure I read it right... and according to the description for both right and left views, there are 2 USB 2.0 Ports on each side... the quick guide mentions that they are ports for USB mouse and Camera etc... Last time I connected a camera to a computer, the port I used to connect my USB drive was the same port I used to plug the cable connected to the camera into... The ports on this dcesktop, however, I remember looking the same as the one provided via link but the images in the link that was supplied do differ from the ports on my current/new unit... they are without the white part inside the connection... and this is an indication that they are 2 different types of access ports, you say? Well... where does this leave me with getting my info off flash drive and onto my notebook? Thank you all for the assistance too! Much appreciated :)

There is no standard that says the inside of the USB port has to be white. As I mentioned above, the other type of port is also shown in the same link. As I also indicated above it would not be likely that you have 4 1394 Firewire ports. You could possibly have 2 of those though. The shape of the opening is NOT symmetrical. My guess is that you are simply inserting the devices upside down.

Thank You OtheHill... I wasn't trying to insert it upside down... I was just being a wimp and not pushing hard enough! Being my new baby I guess I just didn't quite give it the shove it really needed... but I have now got the device connected... ta! Thank you for your assistance, it was a minor problem, I know, but you lent a hand none the less... Told you guys I could have been trippin' out - turns out I was!