Front USB ports not functioning

I have a Dell Dimension 2400 Early yesterday as I plugged in my card reader Scan Disk, I received an error message stating " A USB device has exceeded the power limits of it's hub port". I pulled the device out and it never functioned again. I tried my 128MB flash drive which I know works without success.

I worked with Dell's tech service and have downloaded a driver, restored the system to an earlier date, and went clearing the NVRAM and resetting the BIOS Defaults all w/o success. I am thinking that these ports are fried. The rear USB ports work fine. In fact one is connected to my printer. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Leo

 

Can you take the ports out at all and try them on another pc? This would be the only way to determine if it's the ports or not.
Also, this may sound stupid, but I have a usb hub on my monitor and it requires a usb hub driver so you don't need any drivers for it do you?

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;870893&Product=windowsxpsp2

Also, you can check to see how much power is available by going into your device manager, and checking the properties on your root hub. Then select the POWER tab. This will tell you how much power you have left....