No PB on PC

My PB used to connect well via USB to my win 7 laptop. For the past month or so, however, when I connect the PB to the PC, it would apparently sync, it would charge, but I could not back up and it did not show up on the PC's files manager.

As of today I can, for some reason, back up to my PC, but it still doesn't show up in file manager, so there's no way to transfer files or even see the files that were backed up. When I click on Files in Desktop Manager, I just get an error message saying an error occurred while attempting to connect.

In settings my IP address shows up for both USB and wifi, but my computer can't locate either address.

I don't dare a wipe since there's no assurance I'll be able to access any of the more than 50 gigs I have on the PB.