WinXPME 0 Newbie Poster

Recently I can only get my USB and flash card slots to work after I put a devise into the slot then reboot the computer. So, after I take pictures or want to use my flash drive, I have to place it into the slot, then reboot every time for it to be recognized. Any sugesstions? Am I missing something simple?

Sony Vaio destop with Windows XP