mp3 player problems

[nanscamp]

my 2 sons both had an supportplus mp3 512mb player bought for christmas (both the same). they both worked fine till yesterday when my computer just did not recognise them. it kept saying new hardware found, it would not let me install the driver from the disc even though I did not have to do this before and said error installing. does anyone know what I can do. This is my first question here but I have been looking in for a while and you seem to know about anything and everything. Ta

[tellboy]

Welcome to Answerbank.
Are you on XP Home ?
I gather you have connected before with no problems to the same USB socket.
Always try various combinations such as a different socket or boot up with it connected.
When you look in My Computer is it showing as a device with a drive number but "greyed out"
Come back with info

[nanscamp]

1. yes, on XP
2. usually use the same socket
3. tried all sockets with same result
4. doesnt show at all in my computer
5. 1 player shows as charging, 1 completely blank though it may be totally flat.

I can usually flounder around until I have sussed things out but this has got me

[tellboy]

Thanks
Can you try any other USB device in the socket you are using. ?
Did the player come with any other file transfer software apart from the driver (not needed in XP) ?
The power state of the player should not matter as it will pick up power from the USB Socket.
Have you installed or uninstalled anything since it stopped working.?
Have you ever used System Restore in Windows XP ?

[nanscamp]

Thanks for your advice. I forgot about system restore. It sorted something else out for me but not the players so I chucked them in a drawer. I wont be defeated though so I got them out again. Success with one - I just wiggled the wire a bit - very technical - and it works fine now but the other is dead. A friend took them to try and came up with the same result so it looks like I will have to buy 2 new ones cos I cant buy one son without the other.
Thanks again