problem installing printer and upgrade dongle and using usb stick.inspiron N5010 with windows 7 home.

Have owned the laptop a few yrs and printer used to work fine for about 12 months.Then I tried to use scan for the first time and it wouldn't work.I decided to see if reloading the software would solve it and have been unable to get it working ever since.

The printer and software works fine on my friends pc.

I tried to download the software and get the printer working using my friends internet connection and my own laptop and got the same problem as always which is:

I go through the installation process exactly as I should using the kodak set up wizard (I have tried this so many times I can do it in my sleep!)

I get to the point where I connect my usb cable and the process continues as it should until a box pops up saying your device was not installed successfully.

If i continue to let the process run it eventually also says in the kodak box printer not detected.(my usb cable is fine and i have replaced it with another to check and still get the same).

Also if i click on devices and printers my printer shows but has a  yellow exclamation mark on it.When I troubleshoot it says the drivers are not installed.When I check for driver updates(for the printer) it says they are all up to date.

I have tried both the cd that came with the printer and downloading the latest drivers and software from Kodak.

I have had Kodak techs trying to solve the problem remotely several times and they have failed after saying it is

1. my cable

2.my internet connection

3.my printer itself.

There latest is that it's my pc.

I had an independent tech support guy look at it tonight and he thinks there is something wrong with my usb ports( that allows my old dongle to work ok but wont let my new one or printer work!)

I have also downloaded a kodak removal tool for removing the software each time and a patch that is also listed for the aio software.

Tonight

I looked on the support blogs here and tried the uninstalling of the things listed under the Universal Bus controller from the bottom up starting with the usb root hubs and then restarting. 

My printer is a Kodak esp 3250 AIO.

I recently got an upgrade dongle that won't work in a similar way.it says its software is not installed despite me downloading that from the three mobile site and following all the instructions.

Today I thought I would get a usb stick and save some of my pictures on it to see if that helped but I was stumped by the same installation unsuccessful box that makes me think there is a pattern developing!

Please feel free to ask for more info but I am no expert.

All ideas welcome I almost bought a new printer but now it is clear that wouldnt have worked so I'm glad I didn't!

Can anybody out there help??

Thanks in advance

Alick