USB defeated by OS? How? No KBD/Mouse

This is pretty bizarre. I'm stumped.
Dell Dimension E510 has not conventional KBD/MSE but rather assumes USB. So I plug in the USB slot. At POST all is good, keyboard works, mouse works. But when Windows XP loads, KBD dead, Mouse dead. :banghead

changed ports. changed bus. nothing matters. the OS is defeating the USB onboard device? I bet I shoulda posted this in OS's/XP. Its actually XP Media center.

if anyone has seen something like this before, pls chime in. If a Mod sees this and thinks it better off in the Software bin, feel free to nuke or move.

 

It is not an unusual problem; here is another instance
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic332319.html

Let's have a look at one possible reason for the keyboard and mouse not working within Windows, namely un-wanted UpperFilters settings remaining in the registry.

Mostly it is just the keyboard that has a problem, and there are plenty of instances of this. PS2 connections don't help, because they don't work either.

WARNING:
(The information provided requires using the Windows Registry Editor.)
Improper changes to the registry could render your computer inoperable.
Do NOT make any changes while using the Registry Editor to obtain the necessary information.
********************************************************

:Step1: Create for yourself a bootable BartPE CD.
http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/create-bartpe-bootable-cd-using-pe-builder/

:Step2: Boot from the BartPE CD and load the SYSTEM registry hive.
See the following link for how to do this:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/peboot.htm
(Load the SYSTEM hive, not the SOFTWARE hive.)
When it comes time to UNLOAD THE HIVE and exit the Registry Editor, pay particular attention to item number/step 9, in the linked article.

:Step3: Select key
Navigate to the following key, in the left window pane ...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Select <<< key

and note the number in the data column for the Default & Current entries.
(I will designate x to represent that number, in the following instructions)

:Step4: keyboard
Navigate to the following key, in the left window pane ...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet00x\Control\Class\{4D36E96B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} <<< key

and highlight it (left-click on it). *Be sure to locate the correct key.
Now, in the right-hand-side window pane, you will see on the left under "Name", "UpperFilters".
Double-click on "UpperFilters" and a small window will open.
Please record the items you see listed in the window under "Value data".

Now click "Cancel" to close the small window.

:Step5: mouse
Navigate to the following key, in the left window pane ...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet00x\Control\Class\{4D36E96F-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} <<< key

and highlight it (left-click on it). *Be sure to locate the correct key.
Now, in the right-hand-side window pane, you will see on the left under "Name", "UpperFilters".
Double-click on "UpperFilters" and a small window will open.
Please record the items you see listed in the window under "Value data".

Now click "Cancel" to close the small window.
Now, please UNLOAD THE HIVE, and then close the Registry Editor window.
===============

Please post the lists of "the items you see listed in the window under "Value data"", for both keyboard and mouse.