pc/mp3 player question

I'm sure this will be easy as pie for one (all) of you. (But I'm preparing to smash up my pc with a sledge hammer), because for some reason my pc no longer recognises me plugging me in my bog standard sony mp3 player (which just runs off windows media player). A million times I just put my mp3 player onto the synch window on WMP. It recognises it, it calcalates how much memory left and then I drag, drop and synch. Easy, peasy. However today it does nothing (it doesn't even charge, but charges from the main adaptor from the wall). I've goggled a few things and tried some stuff off a few forums but its failing and my patience is dwindling.

I've tried a few things (device manager etc) but perhaps you can help. I'm not very good with computers at the best of times.

Cheers lads

Ps I'm off to the land of nod right now, but I'll check back at 4.30 am (groan) so if I don't reply back, thats the reason.

maybe it's the mp3 player?? have you tried it on an other pc/ device?

i hope someone can help beermeng