USB device not recognized

Problem: I have had some trouble with my XP sp3 PC. My mouse and printer still function; however, the mass storage devices, like my 500GB External HDD and my flash drives, bring up the error "USB Device not Recognized. One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it."

Reserach:
I searched some support articles through Microsoft's support website, only to find that all their solutions didn't function.

This article,however, provides a great deal of options.
http://www.ntcompatible.com/Desperately_need_help_---_USB_Devices_Not_Recognized_t32356.html

Hypothesis: I have al;ready tried to update drives, scan for updates in hardware, reboot my computer, and change power settings on my USB Root Hubs.

I am going to now attempt unplugging all the USB drives and then turning off the computer and then unplugging the cable from the wall.

Yes, it worked...All is well!