Laptop Wont Detect USB Drives.

[Cynik]

Okay, my laptop is fairly new, just recently bought it. All of a sudden it stops reading any of my USB drives. It will read the USB once i restart my laptop but if i take it out and re insert it; it doesn't show up. I also checked in computer management and the USB is nowhere to be seen. However, when i connect something like my phone via USB cable it is recognized and never fails to show up. It is very annoying that i cant get my USB drives to be recognized. I don't really want to send my laptop back because of such a small issue.

 

Any help guys?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

When you disconnect any of the USB drives, are you using the "Safely remove" system before disconnecting it?

If the computer hasn't had the message to disconnect, the problem you describe can happen, and also you risk damaging the drive or worse the computer.

 

Nev.

[Cynik]

I always use the safely remove option. Is there any way to fix this?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, OK to that, we can rule out the safely remove option as a reason.

You say you see nothing for USB in device manager, usually it is at the bottom of the list, "Universal Serial Bus controllers" are you sure that isn't there?

if it is, click on the arrow to the left to expand it, any red or yellow marks next to anything?

If not it may be a driver faulty and needs updating, or removing and replacing, but let us know what you find in device manager first please.

 

Nev.

[Cynik]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1802[/ATTACH]Hey, this is what i can see in device manager. I cannot access the USB that i have plugged in.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi,

thanks for the screen shot, nothing looks to be wrong in there though.

Just to try and rule out, have you tried the drive or drives in a different computer, do they work OK or not?

Can you also please let us know what make and model your laptop is, and also how many USB ports and are any USB 3. Also how many card reader slots does it have as well.

 

Nev.