My Computer lost/corrupted its USB Mass Storage driver

Yes, it cannot read anything that uses a Mass Storage Device but it can read my iPod through iTunes(but not removable drive) and printer. I'm going to reformat my computer tommorow (9am GMT+8) but I'm saving that for my final resort.

Whenever I plug in my flash drive/SD card reader/portable HDD, I will get the bubble that says 'Found New Hardware Mass Storage Device'. If I click on the bubble, it will ask me to find a driver. I choose 'Install from a list or specific location' and then 'Don't search. I will choose a driver to install". It will come out a list of drivers and I choose the Mass Storage one but it says it cannot install that.

I don't understand whats happening! Can someone point out what could be wrong and solve this mess?

 

USB devices are initialized by the motherboard bios. Mass storage is utilized by Windows. It probably is a Windows problem, though some Dell desktops (Optiplexes) have a bios update that fixes a problem specific to the Dell/Intel mobo.

I have a machine which started "forgetting" my USB drives and memory sticks. Kept getting "inacessable device" errors. A repair install of XP solved the problem, and no apps or data was lost.

 

Oh, I'll try that.