USB ports suddenly stop workingFollow

Im using windows xp home edition. Over the weekend i powered my comp down normally and left town for 4 days. I left plugged in a usb extention cord that i use to plug in my card reader(the ext cord is plugged in the back) and also the reciever for my microsoft wireless mouse(also in the back). I came home and plugged in my card reader into the ext cord and the reader lights up that it is recieving power but windows doesnt see it. I plugged it into the 2 in the front with and without using the ext cord, nothing happens. I plug in a usb joystick, nothing happens. I move the mouse which still works into other ports and it wont work. so basically the mouse works and so does anything else that is plugged into the port in the back that the mouse was plugged into over the weekend. I went into the device manager and disabled the power save feature for the usb ports and also downloaded the windows update for sp1 usb ports and still nothing. When i plug in any usb device into the 3 nonresponcive ports and check the device manager it says the device has malfunctioned and it says in device manager "unknown usb device". I know it hasnt malfunctioned because as I said things work in the one port. Anyone have any advice as to what I can try? I though about buying a pci usb card but would rather not if there is a fix.

Oh btw i have uninstalled the USB root hub and reinstalled and have had no luck.

Ill bump this just in case.