Question PC will no longer recognize thumb drives

[John Biddle]

My PC, which seems to work as always in every other respect, will no longer recognize my USB thumb drives. It does recognize my external hard drive and my phone. I've tried multiple different thumb drives on multiple different USB ports with no luck. The PC beeps when I connect them as if it sees the device, but the device doesn't show up in file manager.

I tried to make a bootable thumb drive and was advised to format the thumb drive, which I did, and none have worked ever since. I only did that to one of them.

 

[COLGeek]

What are the specs for the system in question (make/model of all installed components)?

In particular, the motherboard info is needed. Sounds like a USB driver issue.

In "my computer" does the thumb drive appear? If so, can you left click on it and format it from there?

 

[DaleH]

My PC, which seems to work as always in every other respect, will no longer recognize my USB thumb drives. It does recognize my external hard drive and my phone. I've tried multiple different thumb drives on multiple different USB ports with no luck. The PC beeps when I connect them as if it sees the device, but the device doesn't show up in file manager.

I tried to make a bootable thumb drive and was advised to format the thumb drive, which I did, and none have worked ever since. I only did that to one of them.

You might try a USB board.

 

[John Biddle]

It's a Dell XPS 8900. System Summary under System Information just gives me a spinner. Eventually got error msg: Cannot access the Windows Instrumentation Software. I believe it's a Dell proprietary mobo.

Just standard original equipment components no enhanced video. 16G memory win 10 Home.

The thumb drives do NOT appear in My Computer. The external hard drive and my phone do appear there when connected.

 

[COLGeek]

Go here:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/xps-8900-desktop/drivers

Check for missing updates/ drivers.

You may even be able to run diagnostics.

 

[stonecarver]

Sometimes you can go into device manager and go to your USB Tree and start from the bottom and "uninstall the device" and keep going up the tree.

When asked if you want to delete the driver CHOOSE NO.

Go up the Tree until you loose your mouse and keyboard. Don't worry just hard reboot. A fresh set of USB drivers will install when you reboot. Make sure you only have the mouse and keyboard plugged in on reboot.

Wait until it is finished

Than retry the USB Thumb drive "s" and yes your External hard drives will need to put there drivers back on when there plugged in.