Help please. macbook won't recognize USB or firewire hardware

[knobtwiddler]

Ok, I've got a macbook (intel) w/ os 10.4.10. My external dvd drive and printer used to work fine but now my mac won't recognize either. I've tried the usb ports and firewire. Nothing. I've reinstalled the software Still nothing. What should I do? Repair permissions? Please help, I've got deadline things to print out!

 

[gameguy3001]

What you could try doing is open System Profiler and see if the devices are listed there. You can open it by going under the Apple to About this Mac and click the More Info button. Then see if the devices are listed under USB or Firewire

 

[knobtwiddler]

Nothing was listed in the system profiler. It didn't recognize the Firewire or USB. Any suggestions?

 

[gameguy3001]

If you have the disks that came with the computer, what you could do is:
-Start up from the install disks by putting disk 1 in the computer, shut down the computer, then start up the computer holding the letter C down
-Then select the language you want to use and click the arrow on the bottom right corner
-Then click on utilities on the top of the screen and choose System Profiler from there and test it out

If they still dont appear, then its probably something hardware related.
If it does work now, then doing a Archive and install should solve it.

Hope that helps