What do I do if my laptop says 'USB isn't recognizable' when I put...
You most likely have a defective USB port or cable, and the simplest thing to try is to plug your camcorder USB cable into another USB socket. This could be on the same laptop, or on another computer if you have access to one. If that doesn't help, then the cable (or the camcorder's own USB socket) is at fault.
Whichever one of these is causing the problem, your best option is to take the camcorder, laptop and cable along to a local computer store (one that services computers too) and see what they think. Try not to get talked into just buying a new camcorder or laptop though! Try to explore cheaper options with them before you are convinced that a hardware replacement is called for.
One last thing: This isn't a firewire issue.
Whichever one of these is causing the problem, your best option is to take the camcorder, laptop and cable along to a local computer store (one that services computers too) and see what they think. Try not to get talked into just buying a new camcorder or laptop though! Try to explore cheaper options with them before you are convinced that a hardware replacement is called for.
One last thing: This isn't a firewire issue.
You could try checking your Firewire and "Video Devices" settings.