«USB Device not recognized» error when you try to access a USB external hard drive

This article provides methods to solve the USB Device not recognized error that occurs when you try to access a USB external hard drive.

Symptoms

When you try to access data on an external USB hard drive, you may receive the following error:

USB Device not recognized: One of the devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it.

Original product version: В Windows 10, version 1709, Windows 7 Service Pack 1
Original KB number: В 2654149

Cause

This issue can be caused if any of the following situations exist:

• The currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupt.
• Your PC requires an update for issues that may conflict with a USB external hard drive and Windows.
• Windows may be missing other important updates hardware or software issues.
• Your USB controllers may have become unstable or corrupt.
• Your external drive may be entering selective suspend.
• Your PC motherboard may need updated drivers.

Resolution 1 — Uninstall and then reconnect the external hard drive

This method resolves issues where the currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupt.

1. Select Start, type Device Manager in the Search box.
2. Select Device Manager from the returned list.
3. Select Disk Drives from the list of hardware.
4. Press and hold (or right-click) the USB external hard drive with the issue, and select Uninstall.
5. After the hard drive is uninstalled, unplug the USB cable.
6. Wait for 1 minute and then reconnect the USB cable. The driver should automatically load.
7. Check for the USB drive in Windows Explorer.

Connecting your USB external hard drive into a non-powered USB hub can cause a lack of enough power to operate the external drive. Instead, plug it directly into your computer.

If this method does not solve your issue, proceed to resolution 2.

Resolution 2 — Install hotfixes that resolve issues that may exist on Windows 7

The hotfixes in this method can resolve a known conflict with a USB external hard drive and Windows.

Under Update information, select Download the update package now that corresponds with your version of Windows 7.

1. If you’re unsure of which version of Windows 7 you are running, select the Start button, press and hold (or right-click) Computer >Properties.
   • If 64-bit Operating System is listed next to System type, you’re running the 64-bit version of Windows 7.
   • If 32-bit Operating System is listed next to System type, you’re running the 32-bit (x86) version of Windows 7.

Select Continue. If a User Account Control permission prompt occurs, select Yes.

Select Download > Open.

The download should start in 30 seconds. If it does not, select Start Download > Open.

Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the download and installation.

Select View and request hotfix downloads > Select hotfix.

If prompted, review the license agreement. If you agree to the terms, select I Accept.

Check the box next to your version of Windows 7, then enter your email in the boxes below.

Enter the word verification, then select Request hotfix.

Check your email. You will soon see an email from Microsoft with a download link for the hotfix. Select the link and follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the hotfix.

Restart your computer.

If your problem still persists, proceed to resolution 3.

Resolution 3 — Install the latest Windows Updates

This method will install the latest device drivers for your USB external hard drive.

1. Select the Start button, type Windows Update in the Search box, and then select Windows Update in the results pane.
2. Select Check for Updates. After the scan is complete, select Review optional updates.
3. Select the check box next to the updates, then select Install updates.
4. If prompted, review the license agreement, then select I Accept.
5. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the updates.
6. If prompted, reboot your computer.

If your problem still exits, proceed to resolution 4.

Resolution 4 — Reinstall USB controllers

This method resolves steps where the currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupted.

1. Select Start, then type device manager in the Search box, and then select Device Manager.
2. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Press and hold (or right-click) a device and select Uninstall. Repeat for each device.
3. Once complete, restart your computer. Your USB controllers will automatically install.

If your problem still exists, proceed to resolution 5.

Resolution 5 — Disable USB selective suspend setting

This method prevents your USB external drive from powering down.

1. Select the Start button, type power plan in the Search box, and then select Choose a power plan.
2. Next to your currently selected plan, select Change Plan Settings.
3. Select Change advanced power settings.
4. Select the box to expand USB Settings >USB selective suspend settings.
5. Select Plugged in, select the drop-down menu, and then select disabled.
6. If you’re using a laptop, select Battery, select the drop-down menu, and then select disabled.
7. Select Apply >OK.

If this doesn’t resolve your issue, proceed to resolution 6.

Resolution 6 — Install your motherboard’s latest chipset drivers

This method updates your motherboard’s chipset drivers, so your computer will recognize your USB external hard drive.

1. Review your computer’s documentation that should contain the name of the motherboard manufacturer.
2. Visit your computer manufacturer’s support website. For a list of computer manufacturers’ support sites, see Computer manufacturers’ contact information.
3. Navigate their website to find the appropriate drivers for your motherboard. For assistance, contact your computer manufacturer.

If your issue still exists, we recommend contacting Microsoft product support.

USB Device Not Recognized in Windows 10

Sometimes, when you plug a USB device into your Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 computer, you may receive a USB Device Not Recognized pop-up message. If your USB device is not detected, then this post will show you how you can troubleshoot the issue. You may follow these suggested solutions in any order you think is best suited for your version of Windows OS.

USB Device Not Recognized

On a Windows 10 computer you may see the following message:

The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and Windows does not recognize it. Try reconnection the device. If Windows still does not recognize it, your device may not be working properly.

1] Restart the computer

A simple restart of the Windows computer can sometimes solve this problem. Unplug your USB, restart your computer and plug it in and see if it works now.

If it does not, shut down your computer, wait for a few minutes, and then start your computer again.

2] Disconnect other USBs

To avoid a possible conflict between two connected USB Devices, disconnect your other USB’s, connect this one, and see if it helps.

3] Scan for hardware changes

Run devmgmt.msc to open Device Manager. Under the Action tab, select Scan for hardware changes and see if it helps.

4] Update drivers

Check if you need to update your drivers. Open Control Panel > Printers and devices. Check if you can see any entry for Unidentified USB device or Unknown Device. Open its Properties and update its driver, if an update is found to be available.

5] Check USB Properties

From the Device Manager, under USB Root Hub Properties, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. See if this helps. If not check it back again.

5] Run Troubleshooters

The automated tools check the hardware or USB that is connected to the computer for any known issues and fix them automatically.

6] Get this Hotfix

If you are using Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012, there is a specific issue that affected this version of Windows. This could happen if your USB port gets disabled after you safely remove the device from the port. Download and request a hotfix from KB2830154 if you face this issue.

7] USB 3.0 device?

If its your USB 3.0 device that are not being recognized, see t his post on USB 3.0 External Hard Drive not recognized in Windows.

Hope something helps.

Have more tips on this? Let us know them via the comments section below.

Date: March 31, 2020 Tags: Troubleshoot, USB

How to Fix USB Device Not Recognized in Windows

The fix that worked for us, plus a few others you can try

Are you getting a “USB device not recognized” error whenever you plug in a USB mouse, keyboard, camera, or other device? I can’t live without USB ports and currently have 5 ports on my computer so that I can connect my mouse, keyboard, camera, phone, and printer to it all at once!

For those of you with even more USB gadgets, you probably have connected a USB hub to one of your USB ports so that can you connect even more devices. Most of the time this works great, but occasionally your computer might stop recognizing USB devices. The odd thing about this error is that the ports are working just fine, as I was able to still charge my cell phone without a problem, but couldn’t get my camera recognized using the same port.

After spending a lot of time and trying a bunch of different ways to fix the problem, only one solution ended up working for me. I’ll mention that solution first, but will also mention the other possible solutions, as the first solution may not fix the problem for everyone.

Also, check out our YouTube video if your USB drive is not showing up on your Windows computer.

Method 1 – Unplug Computer

So how did I finally fix the problem? Well, if you are lucky, it’s a super simple solution! Try this method first and if it works, you’ll have saved a lot of time.

Simply unplug your computer from the power supply. Yes that is it! Note that this does not mean just turning off your computer using the power button because most modern computers don’t actually turn off completely and the motherboard will still get power. This is useful sometimes if you want to remotely wake up a computer, etc.

The motherboard is where all of hardware of the computer connects to, including the USB ports. Sometimes the motherboard needs to be “rebooted” because things can go wrong, i.e. all or some USB ports suddenly stop working. The small microprocessor on the motherboard will reload the drivers and your USB ports should hopefully be recognizing devices again.

So first turn off your computer using the Shut Down option in Windows or pressing the power button and then UNPLUG the PC from the wall outlet. Let it sit for several minutes and then plug it back in.

Method 2 – Update Device Driver

If Windows is not able to recognize the device, you may also see in Device Manager that the device shows up as an “Unknown Device”. You can get to Device Manager by clicking on Start and typing in devmgmt.msc or by going to Control Panel and clicking on Device Manager.

In that case, you should right-click on Unknown Device, click on Properties, then the Driver tab and then click Update Driver.

If this doesn’t work, you can also try to download the driver for your device from the manufacturer’s website. If the USB device is just a flash drive, then it’s probably not a driver issue. However, if you are installing a USB printer, drawing pad, etc, then it might be worth downloading the driver for that specific device.

Method 3 – Restart & Disconnect USB Devices

The next thing you can try is to disconnect all USB devices and then restart the machine. once you have restarted, try to connect the USB device that was causing the problem.

If that particular USB port doesn’t recognize it, try another one. If the device is recognized by a different USB port, there could be a hardware problem with one of the USB ports. If no USB port recognizes the device, then keep reading because it’s probably something else.

Method 4 – USB Root Hub

Another thing you can try is to open Device Manager, expand USB Serial Bus Controllers, right-click on USB Root Hub and then click on Properties.

Click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power box. If you have more than one USB Root Hub listed, you need to repeat these steps for each one.

Click OK and then restart your computer. Try to reconnect the USB device and see if it is recognized. If not, go back to the power management tab for each one and check the box again. If it does recognize the device, then leave them unchecked.

Method 5 – Connect Directly to PC

A friend of mine ran into this issue and the cause ended up being his USB hub. He only had three USB ports on his computer, so he bought a hub where he could connect an additional 8 USB devices.

I guess this proved too much for his computer and it just started sporadically not recognizing various devices. After removing the hub and connecting the device directly to the computer, it worked just fine.

We haven’t really been able to find any other solution to this problem other than reducing the number of items connected to the hub. Actually, one other solution worked, but it meant having to buy a new USB hub with more power.

If you are having this problem with Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, then you might be in luck. Microsoft has released a fix for Windows 8 not detecting USB devices properly. Make sure to install this hotfix if running Windows 8.

Method 6 – USB Troubleshooter

If nothing has worked so far, you can download the Windows USB Troubleshooter Fixit tool. It’s a free tool that works with Windows XP, Vista and 7.

You can either have the troubleshooter fix the problems for you or select the fixes yourself. I would just let it fix them for you since the choices can sometimes be confusing and technical for the novice user.

Method 7 – Update Generic USB Hub

If you are getting the Unknown Device error in Device Manager, you can also try one other thing. Open Device Manager and then expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers.

You should see at least one item called Generic USB Hub. On some computers, you might see two, three or more of these. Right-click on the first one and choose Update Driver Software.

When the update dialog pops up, choose Browse my computer for driver software.

Then click on Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer at the bottom.

From the list, select Generic USB Hub. Normally, there won’t be anything else listed except for that one choice. Click Next and then click Close once it finishes installing it.

At this point, the Device Manager screen should refresh and either the unknown device will still be there or it may now be recognized. If it’s still showing as not recognized, then you repeat the process for each Generic USB Hub listed.

Method 8 – Uninstall USB Devices

As a last resort, you can also try uninstalling all USB devices from your system and then restarting. I mention this last because even though Windows is supposed to automatically recognize the USB controllers, hubs and devices automatically, it can sometimes fail and you’ll end up with no USB ports working.

I had a computer with 6 USB ports and only one port would not work properly. I uninstalled everything under USB Serial Bus Controllers in Device Manager and restarted. Instead of re-detecting everything, I was left with no USB port working, so be careful when using this method.

Go to Device Manager and start uninstalling each item from under USB Serial Bus Controllers. Before you start with anything that is already working, uninstall the items with exclamation points or that are listed as Unknown Device.

Method 9 – Uninstall Hidden Devices

By default, Device Manager doesn’t show all devices that have been installed to the system. It basically only shows the ones that are currently connected. However, if you installed a USB printer earlier and now no longer use it, it will still be installed, but won’t show up in Device Manager.

Certain hidden or ghost USB devices can cause conflicts with current USB devices and therefore lead to this error. You can view hidden devices in Device Manager by first opening a command prompt and then typing the following two commands:

Once Device Manager loads, you need to click on View and then click on Show Hidden Devices.

Now you want to expand Imaging Devices, Universal Serial Bus Controllers and Unknown Devices. If you see anything listed there that is greyed out or that says unknown device, go ahead and right-click on them and choose Uninstall. Hopefully, removing the older devices will allow the newer devices to work properly.

Other Possible Solutions

If nothing has worked until this point, it’s pretty safe to say there could be a problem with the actual hardware. The best thing to do is to connect the device to another computer and see if it works or not. If not, then it’s definitely an issue with the device.

Possible Solution #1 – The other possible solutions are to try a different USB cable, if you have one lying around. If not, just buy a new cheap USB cable from Amazon: A to B, A to Micro B, A to Mini B, or A to A. This is a fairly rare problem, but I have seen it occur a few times over my many years doing technical support.

Possible Solution # 2 – Another possible solution is to take the device, connect it to another machine and if it does recognize the device properly, to then eject it properly from that computer before reconnecting it to the original computer. I’ve seen this problem occur with several flash drives that were unplugged without ejecting properly. After connecting them to another computer and ejecting them properly from there, they suddenly started to show up on the original computer that was not recognizing them.

Possible Solution #3 – A few people have had luck getting rid of this problem by updating the BIOS. I’ve already written an article about whether it’s a good idea or not to update the BIOS, but in this case, it might be worth a try. You can also go into the BIOS and disable USB, restart the computer and then enable USB again. The only thing you need to make sure is that you have a PS2 port on your computer, otherwise you won’t be able to do anything once you disable USB in the BIOS if your keyboard and mouse are connected via USB.

Hopefully, one of the many solutions above will solve your USB problem. If not, post a comment and I’ll try to help. Enjoy!

Founder of Online Tech Tips and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications. Read Aseem’s Full Bio