Problem with external USB 2.0 powered hub.

First, the keyboard and mouse should be plugged into rear USB ports.  That should have been noted on your install sheet.

What happens if you connect the keyboard to the rear port and reboot the PC?  Can you access the setup (F2 at POST) and then use the keyboard in the Setup?  If that works, boot up Windows with the keyboard in a rear port and it should work. 

As far as the Staples hub, if Windows cannot find drivers for it and install it take it back to Staples.  Also avoid Belkin hubs, I've run into problems with these with my own PC and with a couple of client's PC's that I support.

I took the USB hub in question to a friend who is also running Windows 7 Pro and the USB hub works as it should. So I am left with what appears to be one of two problems or maybe both. Either Windows 7 Pro is messed up or I have a problem with the USB ports on my system. If the problem is with Windows 7 itself I only have one option to correct this. That is a clean install. I can't do a repair install because I upgraded from Home premium to Pro by buying an upgrade key. I would really like to avoid doing a clean install.

Suggest you reinstall the Intel motherboard chipset drivers.  One of the main thing the chipset drivers do is define all the hardware devices on the motherboard, including the USB.  After reinstalling, restart the PC. 

Check the status of the USB in the Device Manager - see if there are any errors noted. 

Hi Force12c,

Let me suggest the Cables to Go 7 Port USB 2.0 Hub ($26 shipped free from Amazon). I've used this on my XPS 8100 with Win 7-64 and have had no problems.

I finally decided to do a clean install of Windows. This fixed the issue with the USB ports. About the chipset drivers for this system, which ones should be used from Intel's site. If possible I would prefer to use their chipset drivers instead of the ones from Dell.