USB Ports
 

has anyone had their usb ports go bad/stop working? Is there a fix for this?

Only when the drivers get corrupt.

More info:

Operating system
...and, if winblows, what does device manager say?
Motherboard
Age of computer
Reward for the right answer

;) Just kidding. Seriously, those other questions would help.

Windows 98se, Is a gateway 3-4 years old motherboard unknown it is my mom-in -laws. device manager says nothing.

I worked at gateway for 3 years and every time a comp. would come back with bad usb ports it was because the user would break the port by putting the cord in upside down. Sometimes the port just dies for no reason. Gateway cant make a good computer if their lives depended on it.