USB 2.0 storage device malfunctioned in windows XP. Unknown Device!

All of a sudden my external USB 2 outlet crashed, and i could not transfer photos from my my EOS camera . Win XP kept reporting a device malfunction and the drive was unrecognised. Device manager kept showing an 'unknown device' and any attempt to reinstall or update drivers would fail.

This worked..

Shutdown your PC. And then physically disconnect it from the mains power supply. This apparently clears any residual power on the motherboard. Leave it disconnected for a while (I recommend 15 minutes as that's how long I waited).
Also, hold the power on\off button in for about a minute. Flushes any
Reconnect everything, boot up your PC and enjoy your fully functioning USB 2 ports and devices again!