XP not recognizing anything USB & 2nd hard disk!

[ELLEphant]

I recently found that anything USB that i Plug into my computer ( any usb port) xp gives me the "found new hardware" wizard w/ the error of " there was a problem installing this device--data is invalid". it's only a 256MB flash drive with nothing on it. so i put that issue aside for a while. then i got a western digital 80Gb IDE harddrive and i connected that crap in and the 'found new hardware' error comes up. SAME ERROR! the bios know's its there; device manager shows the hard disk ( and flash drive; pics below) but will not open anything.

i asked my A+ teacher about it, he said that it's most likely a virus:
-i am using avast 4.7 home edition
-updated all virus definitions
-ran a thorough scan of my entire primary hard drive
-NOTHING came up infected.

i've included a screenshot of my running processes just in case someone recognizes something fishy

Pics:

I'm training to get my a+ so anything you think would help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CCT]

Since this is the post with all the data I'll respond here:

Step1:

Go to Start, Run and type 'sfc /scannow' (no quotes - have your install disk handy in case it asks for it).

Let it check your files and repair anything it finds bad.

 

[ELLEphant]

ran what CCT told me to do...no different.

 

[CCT]

OK, step 2:

There are 2 places plug and play can be enabled - Services and Bios.

Make sure both are enabled.

Note: I am ignoring your hard drive for now.

These things may not help BUT they do eliminate guessing.


edit: in case I am away -

Next check is to go to Start, Run: 'chkdsk /f' (no quotes - it should say it can't run now do you want me to blah blah - say yes and then reboot

http://www.ss64.com/nt/chkdsk.html

After that, you can either PM Howard Hopkinson to tranfer you to the Spyware section or try a Repair Install THEN PM Howie. lol

A Repair Install WILL NOT kill your files BUT will require you do download any Service pack you don't have and the MILLION XP security updates (thanks Billy Boy for NO SP3).

gl anyway