USB ports don't work

[ycc]

I am a beginner with Linux and I have just downloaded Open SuSE 10.2 Live CD. Networking, web-browsing works well, however one problem remains: USB ports don't work in one of my two laptop computers.

When I insert a flash-memory stick the CD starts working, but no icon appears on desktop.

There is no /dev/sda file, so I have tried:
> sudo mknod /dev/sda b 8 0
> sudo mount /dev/sda /mnt/usbflash
> sudo mount /dev/sda /media/usbflash
This has no effect, the last two commands give the following response: "mount point does not exist"
(I don't really know what I am doing here, but I couldn't resist trying a little. I spent the 1980's in front of UNIX terminals, but seem to have lost the touch since )

I have tried FAT, FAT32, USB 1.1, USB 2.0 flash memories with same result. In my older (Compaq) computer I have no problem using the USB ports under Linux.

My two laptop computers:
1. 3½ years old Compaq Presario 2147EA, 1.8GHz, 448 Mb Ram.
USB 1.1 ports. (USB ports work OK)
2. 6 months old, Fujitsu Siemens Amilo, 1.6 GHz, 448 Mb RAM. USB 2.0 ports. USB PORTS WILL NOT WORK.

Under WinXP USB ports work in both computers.

Grateful for advice

(Below I put some information the system gave me about thte USB ports)







EHCI Host Controller (1)
Manufacturer: Linux 2.6.18.2-34-
default ehci_hcd
Serial #: 0000:00:10.3
Class
9
(Hub)
Subclass
0
(
Unused)
Protocol
0
USB Version
2.00

Vendor ID
0x0
Product ID
0x0
Revision
0.00

Speed
480 Mbit/s
Channels
6
Max. Packet Size
64



UHCI Host Controller (2)
Manufacturer: Linux 2.6.18.2-34-
default uhci_hcd
Serial #: 0000:00:10.0
Class
9
(Hub)
Subclass
0
(
Unused)
Protocol
0
USB Version
1.01
Vendor ID
0x0
Product ID
0x0
Revision
0.00
Speed
12 Mbit/s
Channels
2
Max. Packet Size
64

[ycc]

Please help, I keep fighting this problem. If I can't make the USB ports work, I can't switch to Linux. I really don't know what I am doing. I am sure many of you could give valuable advice. I am just trying out commands I found on the internet. Four hours of work has only given a change of error messages.

Trying to make USB ports work (for flash memory or any device).
The system seems to recognize the USB ports. Making:
Yast2 / Hardware / Harware info
gives a lot of information about the USB ports (sorry I can't see how I can copy this information to this post.)

Giving the commands:
mknod /dev/sda b 8 0
mknod /dev/sda1 b 8 1
mkdir /media/myflashmemory
mount /dev/sda /media/myflashmemory

The system accepts commands up to the last one (mount ...).

The system then replies:

"/dev/sda is not a valid block device"

(Which seems "illogical" to me since if I make "file /dev/sda",
the system replies: "/dev/sda block special (8/0)")

So, please help, what is the problem? Maybe the "/dev/sda" produced by mknod is not correct? Does this mean (in simple terms) "the driver routine is incorrect"? Should I try to get another "driver routine"? Is this possible? I surfed the manufacturers webpage (Fujitsu Siemens) and there seems not to be any "driver routines" for USB ports under LInux. But a flashmemory is pretty standard, isn't it? I guess routines are included in SUSE 10.2.
Anyway, if the problem is that no driver routine exists, I maybe should just give up installing Linux on that machine?

Thanks for input, I feel almost up against the wall on this problem.