Memory card reader/USBs not working

Hello everyone, I was hoping yall gime a hand with this problem. All my usb ports and memory card reader won't access my devices/ sd cards etc. There is no drive letter in My Computer (it went missing for some reason)for my removable drive and when I plug in a USB device or insert a SD card all I get is the safely remove device icon in the task bar.
This is a compaq presario R4100 laptop XP home SP2. I contacted tech support and they provided me with a new driver but no luck, a tech from alocal computer store sugested to do a clean install of windows, I like to find a solution before I do that.
Thanks

 

I have recently experineced the same problem and I really don't know why? Have you been changing settings within the "Services" and or tweaking your system?

The only way I have been able to resolve it (pain in the arse) is to right click on "My Computer > Manage > Disk Management, wait for this to load then right click on the drive without an assigned Drive letter and select Change Drive Letters and Paths, add the device a drive letter and then right click on the device (for some reason I always have to do it twice) and either Open or Explore the medium. Very convoluted I know but this method is currently working for me.

 

No, I don't think I done anything with the settings other than updates and virus/spyware scans and removals and power settings. My friend did what you just mentioned but i have to do that everytine i unplug and plug a device/sd card.

 

Sadly this is what I have to do each and every time I plug in a USB device.