Your error reminds me of the post by someone lately complaining of overuse
of the plugnplay discovery feature. He claimed the system got 'too full' and
needed to be reset in the registry.

This command will open the 'safely remove hardware' feature
RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll

If you are hung on some installed plugNplay device, this may remove it for
you.
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Mark L. Ferguson
..

"SteveB" <SteveB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5702E66F-9A03-48F7-8CC0-568253ED74F2@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> Hi
> Thnaks for the reply.
> I have tried that and it still does not work.
>
> After the reinstall I plug in the devices and it says found new hardware
> and
> tries to find the drivers. I have never had to use a driver for a usb
> memory
> stick. It tries to find some drivers and then comes back and says no
> drivers
> are found. This is really weird. I have been using the devices without
> any
> problems, very strange.
>
> Any other ideas
>
> "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
>[color=green]
>> One good try at a fix is to remove the Root Hub drivers and refind them.
>>
>> Go to Start/Run, and type DEVMGMT.MSC , highlight the USB Root Hub
>> devices,
>> Action menu, "Uninstall", (do Not put a check in 'delete driver") then
>> Action menu,"scan for hardware changes", to find the device drivers again
>> automatically.
>>
>> --
>> Was this helpful? Then click the Ratings button. Voting helps the web
>> interface.
>> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm#RateAPostAsAnswer[/url]
>> Mark L. Ferguson
>> .
>>
>> "SteveB" <SteveB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F4AE72E0-DA54-4800-8403-99BE9305D5BE@microsoft.com...[color=darkred]
>> > Hi
>> > Have a problem with all of the USB ports on my Dell Laptop. It has
>> > been
>> > fine and the USB ports were all working. I have gone to use them and
>> > have
>> > tried to attach a memory stick, digital camera, and other devices and
>> > nothing
>> > is being recognised. Does anyone have any ideas what I have done?
>> >
>> > The devices work on other computers.
>> > I dont really want to have to reinstall vista again as I will lose
>> > everything.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> > Steve[/color]
>>[/color][/color]