When Windows 10 won’t recognize your USB drive, here’s how to fix it.
When you connect a USB device to your PC, the USB device descriptor helps identify the connected device, determining which device driver to load.
If the USB device descriptor malfunctions, your PC won’t recognize your connected USB device. You’ll get an error message that reads, “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed).”
If you’re experiencing this error, read on to find out how to fix the unknown USB device error on Windows 10.
The “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” error can occur due to hardware or system-specific issues. These are various causes for this error:
Now that you know what causes this error, here are six ways you can resolve it.
Before you can apply some of the detailed methods in this article, here are some quick tricks you could try:
If these quick fixes don’t resolve your issue, move on to the next method.
The next method you could try is to scan your PC for any hardware changes. When the scan is complete, your PC could recognize the connected USB device.
Wait for the system to recognize all hardware changes and see if this resolves your issue.
Faulty USB drivers could be causing this error. To resolve this issue, you’ll need to uninstall the Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Failure) drivers and reinstall them.
When you finish uninstalling the drivers, reboot your system. This will automatically reinstall the USB drivers and should help get rid of the error.
If the previous method didn’t work out, you can try updating the Generic USB Hub drivers. There is a chance that this USB driver is outdated and is the reason you’re encountering issues. Here’s how you can update the Generic USB Hub drivers.
In the new window, select Search automatically for drivers.
Your PC will search for compatible drivers online. When the update is complete, plug in your USB device and check if this has resolved your issue.
You can also resolve the Unknown USB Device error using the Windows Troubleshooter. This is an in-built Windows 10 tool that helps you search for and fix various system issues.
When the process is complete, close the troubleshooter and restart your PC to implement the fixes.
Another method that could resolve your issue would be to disable the USB Selective Suspend Setting.
Restart your PC to apply these changes. Plug your USB devices in and check if this has resolved your issue.
By now, the “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” Error should be resolved. It is a frustrating error, but most USB issues are resolved after reinstalling the USB drivers.
USB ports not working? Here’s how to quickly identify the problem and fix it as fast as possible.
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About The Author
Modisha Tladi
(15 Articles Published)
Modisha is a Tech Content Writer & Blogger who’s passionate about emerging tech and innovations. He enjoys doing research and writing insightful content for tech companies. He spends most of his time listening to music and also likes playing video games, traveling, and watching action-comedy movies.
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