USB connection query

[#1]

I have a couple of 4 port usb hubs,..... however.. some things work and others need some jigging about to get recognised....
Laptop is Dell Inspiron1545 abour 4 years old.... got a couple of usb ports  near the power input socket, and one on the other side ... use the latter one for my mouse... ( seeing as I am right handed and that port is on the right side)... use the lower of the left pair, for my USB/Serial Adapter to plug in my morse key... ( permanently attached, as is the mouse)...
so got one remaining usb port, and need to plug in two or three things at the same time.... got an extender, and put one of the 4 Port usb adapter into it... plug in my mp4 player... works ok.... plug in my memory stick, and I get a message

Quote

Your usb mass storage device can perform faster if it is plugged in to a hi-speed port __________________________________________________________________ The hubs shown in bold type have free ports that can support the HI-Speed usb device ___________________________________________________________________ Intel(R) ICH( Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 293A USB root Hub (6Ports) unused port unused port unused port unused port unused port unused port Intel(R) ICH9 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 293C USB Root Hub (6 Ports) unused port unused port unused port unused port Realtec USB2.0 Card Reader unused port _________________________________________________________________________ Recommendation Disconnect the USB Mass Storage Device from its current port and then connect it to one of th eports on a hub shown in bold type. __________________________________________________________________________

So... the question is... how do I identify which of those usb ports is which?
Bear in mind... the number of ports I have on the laptop is 3.
The number already in use is 2 ( Mouse and USB/serial port)
The 3rd is now "in use" as a 4 port hub, with two items plugged in....
total items plugged in is 4....
remaining empty ports in the 4 port hub is 2...
yet according to the above I have two usb root hubs.... with 12 ports available ?
HELP !... 

[#2]

ITS windows  it belives it has those ports , it cant tell you if they actually work .
my neighbour had exactly the same thing , windows says 8 but 6 have broken contacts which dont work , so in fact he has 2 only ,despite windows sayin 8 
he has no choice but to use a 4 port hub

[#3]

In other words ? ? ? 
A useless message ? ? ?

[#4]

I think Windows will report the number of ports a particular USB 'facilitator' can support, not the number that are physically connected nor the number that are external rather than internal (in your example the card reader presumably uses an internal port).  The computer can 'sense' when a device is connected to a USB port but not if a USB port is physically capable of having a device connected to it.
So you can only tell which is which by plugging something in.