Please help me before I lose my mind.

Whenever I plug my mouse or indeed iPhone cable into my Sony Vaio laptop I get the message that the USB is not recognised - not all the time but even if it does work, it'll stop.

Now I have had this issue in my previous Compaq laptop too.  Both computers run XP Home.  It all started about six months ago and back then I though the issue was a dead mouse but of course, it wasn't.

I researched and followed the instruction to remove the battery and put it back in - this worked for a time.  Another answer was to delete a certain windows update which I can no longer remember but I did that and again, worked for a while.

The other day I had had enough so purchased a second hand Sony Vaio.  All was well and now ... it isn't.  The same freakin' problem.

I hate the touch pad but regardless - I only have two USB ports and I need to use them for the printer and iPhone cable.

Please please help me.  I cannot be the only person who has had this issue and someone somewhere must have been able to fix it.

I am going to sit here and wait until you answer.  haha

Thanks
Allessandra