USB: works with Linux but not with Windows XP

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Hi all,

I have a Dell Latitute D630 laptop with Windows XP SP2.

I have a problem with USB ports: the only USB device that works is a
Microsoft wired mouse. Everything else (keyboards, wireless mice, USB
keys, external hard drives) does not: every time I plug one of these
devices, Windows asks for the drivers but then fails to find them.
Evem if I install them first (e.g., as I did for a Microsoft wireless
mouse), when I connect the device Windows asks me for drivers anyway
and then fails to find them.

The IT department of my company (it's not a private laptop) has no
clue, nor does Dell. They made me run all sorts of diagnostics, and
the hardware is fine, as confirmed by Linux: I ran a Linux Live
Knoppix distribution (off the dvd, without installing on the hard
drive) and all the USB devices I mentioned work perfectly under Linux!

Dell suggested I get in touch with Microsoft, but those @@###$$## want
£ 46 for the "support" even if it's a brand new laptop. My company is
not willing to pay for that, nor am I willing to spend my money to fix
the company's laptop!

Dell made me upgrade the Bios and a number of drivers, but nothing
changed.

The only alternative they proposed was the classic IT "solution", the
equivalent of killing a mosquito with a nuclear bomb: reformatting the
hard drive and reinstalling everything from scratch, which would be
very annoying and time-consuming.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions on how to fix this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
.

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