Hello everyone. I have a rather unique issue going on here. I have a Dell xps400. Late last year all of the usb ports attached to the mobo died. i installed pci usb cards into the pci slots. this worked fine, until i had to do a fresh install of xp on the system. This mobo does not have any ps2 connections for a mouse and keyboard, only usb. The problem is that when you are prompted upon boot-up to strike any key to boot from the disk, the usb ports have not become active at this point. Because of this I am not able to access my BIOS either. I ended up replacing the mobo, which set me back $175. Now, a few short months later, and about 15 days after the new mobos warranty expired, the usb ports have gone out on this one too. I really do not have the money to buy yet another mobo from the rip off artists known as Dell. Is there a way to go in and actually fix the usb ports that are dead. Keep in mind that I repair ultrasounds for a living, doing repairs down to the component level on PCBs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ya can't access the bios, then talk to the person who sold you the computer and say its junk and I want my money back

Dell sold me the computer. I think we both know how that conversation ended.

mmm I would be seriously inclined to really rattle Dell's cage over this. Write to Michael Dell himself and let him know what's going on...? Also contact your local trading standards people (or whatever the US equivalent is) and see what they may do? Similarly local (and not so) consumer groups/sections in your local/national newspapers may help? As regards fixing "wot is amiss" on the MoBo... One would have to know exactly what/where etc. to go; and that could be presumably almost anywhere on the pcb? Are you sure the psu isn't playing up at least on this occasion; check all voltages etc; and maybe it was also a factor with the previous MoBo failure? I have read of those who when they really start to rattle Dell's (and other similar big names) cage they will often resolve it all - amicably in the end.. Certainly 15 days outside a warranty is not acceptable; and I would really bring that to Michael Dell's attention. Things is tight out there for all makes; and they can ill do with negative publicity... If/when you write to Michael Dell, point out that his outfit has enjoyed a high reputation in the past; and naybe suggest that apparently it is now suffering from the arrogance etc. that brought down PanAm, Eastern, and other big outfits, and caused Delta to wobble seriously... All of them forgot about customer satisfaction and service in the not so distant past; and currently Chrysler and General Motors have effectively suffered the same fate?