USB devices (Universal Serial Bus) have become one of the most widely used devices today due to their easy handling, design and variety. These devices are used in different ways including hardware devices, scanners, web cameras, cameras, etc. They work without affecting the normal functioning of the computer. They are designed to be connected to the computer when the requirement arises.
There are times when these devices start to malfunction. It may stop responding after inserting it into the port. USB devices can also malfunction if they are unplugged from the computer’s port before being properly unplugged. Here are the five most common problems you may face with USB devices:
1. Incompatible USB driver
In most cases, USB devices are not detected due to an incompatible device driver. For USB to work properly, you must have a proper driver installed on your system. Usually this issue is not pictured as the Windows operating system is installed with the correct type of driver or they are downloaded via Windows update. So if you are facing this issue with your USB device, the first course of action is to check the driver.
2. USB device not recognized by the system
Sometimes the computer does not recognize the USB device, especially when the computer has resumed the session after a short period of hibernation or the system was in standby mode. This mainly happens because it takes 5-10 seconds for the device driver to detect the device. So this problem can be easily solved by taking the device out once from the port and inserting it again.
3. Opening a program by AutoPlay
AutoPlay is the dialog you normally see every time you insert a USB device. It becomes annoying for the user if AutoPlay starts opening a program that is not required by the user. If you do not want to see this autoplay dialog, please follow the simple steps below.
Click ‘Start’ >> ‘Control Panel’ >> ‘Hardware and Sound’
Here you need to open AutoPlay. Now choose the ‘Take no action’ option to stop seeing the autoplay dialog after you have inserted the USB device.
4. The USB 2.0 port is not working on your computer
Again, the driver may be to blame if your computer’s USB 2.0 port is not working or has developed certain problems. There can be two causes behind this problem. Either the correct type of driver is not installed on your system, or the port itself is not working. Drivers are one of the main reasons for USB device not working. Check with “Device Manager” to make sure of the root cause of the problem.
5. Can’t stop the device
Usually, we tend to stop the USB device once our purpose is served. Sometimes you may not be able to do it due to some error. You may encounter the error message “The device cannot be stopped at this time.” This mainly happens because some files have remained open on the drive of the device. Your device may get bricked if you have unknowingly left any of the background processes such as antivirus software and others running. The “Safely remove USB icon” present in the system tray will help you to detect the device crash problems, their reasons and the respective resolutions.
You might encounter other USB drive issues besides the ones mentioned above. If you continue to experience device issues even after implementing the tips above, consider calling an experienced IT support service provider. They will help you with whatever problem you are facing.