USB devices not showing in Device Manager, but they are getting power and appear to work?

[WimboJallis121]

Yesterday I bought a Dualshock 4 controller to play a few a games on my PC.
When I plug it in the light comes on and appears to charge/work, but nothing happens on my system. No noise to tell me my controller's been connected, nothing in the device manager or devices and printers, or even anything to tell me the device isn't recognised or that there's a problem. Nothing. All of my drivers are up to date, including the ones for my motherboard, as well as other general system updates. And I know you have to download software to make the DS4 work, but even when I installed that and plugged the controller in I still had nothing.

I know it's nothing silly like the cable, or USB port as they've all been tested and work with other devices.

I had a similar problem with an optical drive I installed a few days ago. It was wired correctly, had power going to it and could hear it reading discs when I put them in, but for some reason wouldn't show up ANYWHERE on my computer. Even after putting discs in it wouldn't come up with any prompts about what to do. It showed up on the BIOS and Disk Manager though, so when I changed the associated drive letter it worked fine.

Also I'm dual booting as a hackintosh, but when I boot into Yosemite the exact same thing still happens.

I'm usually okay at working things out like this, but this one really has me stumped, so if anyone has anything at all that might help I'd appreciate it.

 

[mcnumpty23]

make sure its plugged in a usb port directly from the motherboard--not a front usb port etc

 

[WimboJallis121]

make sure its plugged in a usb port directly from the motherboard--not a front usb port etc

Yeah thanks, I tried that...

 

[mcnumpty23]

and its in a usb 2.0 port or usb 3.0 port---know those are obvious things but sometimes the simple things work

 

[WimboJallis121]

and its in a usb 2.0 port or usb 3.0 port---know those are obvious things but sometimes the simple things work

I know it's nothing silly like the cable, or USB port as they've all been tested and work with other devices.

Like I said I've tried various ports and cables, but thanks. I've tried absolutely everything I can think of, even the smallest and obvious things \:

 

[mcnumpty23]

and you installed DS4Tool ?

if so try running it in compatibility mode for windows 7 and as administrator

 

[shenquay]

So this is only happening with your PS4 controller or with other devices? Your optical drive was plugged in via USB or SATA?

For your PS4 controller, you do need to download a tool for it to work, it's called DS4-Tool. It sounds like you don't have the tool installed because when I plugged in my PS4 controller before I had the tool it did the same thing as your describing. Or if you're sure you did install the tool make sure it's running otherwise your controller won't work. Also, you might need to install the Xbox Controller drivers, I'm pretty sure I did.

Here's the guide I followed to get my controller working. It's been updated since I used it but it should still work.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/how-to-connect-a-ps4-controller-to-pc/

 

[WimboJallis121]

So this is only happening with your PS4 controller or with other devices? Your optical drive was plugged in via USB or SATA?

For your PS4 controller, you do need to download a tool for it to work, it's called DS4-Tool. It sounds like you don't have the tool installed because when I plugged in my PS4 controller before I had the tool it did the same thing as your describing. Or if you're sure you did install the tool make sure it's running otherwise your controller won't work. Also, you might need to install the Xbox Controller drivers, I'm pretty sure I did.

Here's the guide I followed to get my controller working. It's been updated since I used it but it should still work.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/how-to-connect-a-ps4-controller-to-pc/

Thanks, the optical drive was SATA.
I've already downloaded the tool, as well as the xbox controllers, following this exact guide. Once I installed and ran the software as instructed, it just said 'no controller detected'. Or something along those lines... Here's another video I followed:

Just a quick warning though, the guy's annoying as shit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAeNqMcr8aQ

Would you please mind running through how you set yours up, and the problems you faced? Since you said the same thing was happening. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong? /:

 

[shenquay]

So this is only happening with your PS4 controller or with other devices? Your optical drive was plugged in via USB or SATA?

For your PS4 controller, you do need to download a tool for it to work, it's called DS4-Tool. It sounds like you don't have the tool installed because when I plugged in my PS4 controller before I had the tool it did the same thing as your describing. Or if you're sure you did install the tool make sure it's running otherwise your controller won't work. Also, you might need to install the Xbox Controller drivers, I'm pretty sure I did.

Here's the guide I followed to get my controller working. It's been updated since I used it but it should still work.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/how-to-connect-a-ps4-controller-to-pc/

Thanks, the optical drive was SATA.
I've already downloaded the tool, as well as the xbox controllers, following this exact guide. Once I installed and ran the software as instructed, it just said 'no controller detected'. Or something along those lines... Here's another video I followed:

Just a quick warning though, the guy's annoying as shit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAeNqMcr8aQ

Would you please mind running through how you set yours up, and the problems you faced? Since you said the same thing was happening. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong? /:

I watched the video and that is not the same program that I have. So you might wanna backtrack and uninstall any of the tools/drivers you installed before. They may be in conflict with each other and that might be your problem.

Before I installed anything, I thought I could just plug in my DS4 and it would work. When I plugged it in, my computer didn't recognize any devices but my controller was charging and the lights were on. It was at that point that I went online and found out I had to install the DS4-tool.

So how I got my DS4 to work is I followed the guide I linked. In the guide it has you install the Xbox controller drivers and the DS4-Tool. I installed both of those, some people say you don't have to install the Xbox controller drivers but I did and my DS4 works fine. Once they were installed, I connected my controller by cable to a USB 3.0 port. I've never tried using a USB 2.0 port or Bluetooth. At that point, my computer recognized a device was plugged in but I still couldn't use the controller. Then I opened the DS4-tool and it recognized my controller and set it up with a default profile.

After that it's always worked for me. I just plug it in and start up the DS4-tool. You need to keep the DS4-tool running whenever you use the controller but it's not a problem for me.

 

[WimboJallis121]

So this is only happening with your PS4 controller or with other devices? Your optical drive was plugged in via USB or SATA?

For your PS4 controller, you do need to download a tool for it to work, it's called DS4-Tool. It sounds like you don't have the tool installed because when I plugged in my PS4 controller before I had the tool it did the same thing as your describing. Or if you're sure you did install the tool make sure it's running otherwise your controller won't work. Also, you might need to install the Xbox Controller drivers, I'm pretty sure I did.

Here's the guide I followed to get my controller working. It's been updated since I used it but it should still work.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/how-to-connect-a-ps4-controller-to-pc/

Thanks, the optical drive was SATA.
I've already downloaded the tool, as well as the xbox controllers, following this exact guide. Once I installed and ran the software as instructed, it just said 'no controller detected'. Or something along those lines... Here's another video I followed:

Just a quick warning though, the guy's annoying as shit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAeNqMcr8aQ

Would you please mind running through how you set yours up, and the problems you faced? Since you said the same thing was happening. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong? /:

I watched the video and that is not the same program that I have. So you might wanna backtrack and uninstall any of the tools/drivers you installed before. They may be in conflict with each other and that might be your problem.

Before I installed anything, I thought I could just plug in my DS4 and it would work. When I plugged it in, my computer didn't recognize any devices but my controller was charging and the lights were on. It was at that point that I went online and found out I had to install the DS4-tool.

So how I got my DS4 to work is I followed the guide I linked. In the guide it has you install the Xbox controller drivers and the DS4-Tool. I installed both of those, some people say you don't have to install the Xbox controller drivers but I did and my DS4 works fine. Once they were installed, I connected my controller by cable to a USB 3.0 port. I've never tried using a USB 2.0 port or Bluetooth. At that point, my computer recognized a device was plugged in but I still couldn't use the controller. Then I opened the DS4-tool and it recognized my controller and set it up with a default profile.

After that it's always worked for me. I just plug it in and start up the DS4-tool. You need to keep the DS4-tool running whenever you use the controller but it's not a problem for me.

Thank you so much! I'll try this later and let you know if it works. I'm sure I follwed the same guide you orginally sent me though, but perhaps some of the old software clashed and prevented it from working. I uninstalled everything earlier so I'll try it with just the DS4 Tool + Controller Drivers and see what happens. By the sound of things this should hopefully fix it

 

[WimboJallis121]

So how I got my DS4 to work is I followed the guide I linked. In the guide it has you install the Xbox controller drivers and the DS4-Tool. I installed both of those, some people say you don't have to install the Xbox controller drivers but I did and my DS4 works fine. Once they were installed, I connected my controller by cable to a USB 3.0 port. I've never tried using a USB 2.0 port or Bluetooth. At that point, my computer recognized a device was plugged in but I still couldn't use the controller. Then I opened the DS4-tool and it recognized my controller and set it up with a default profile.

After that it's always worked for me. I just plug it in and start up the DS4-tool. You need to keep the DS4-tool running whenever you use the controller but it's not a problem for me.

Okay I've just done exactly how both the guide, and yourself have said, and still nothing ):

 

[shenquay]

So how I got my DS4 to work is I followed the guide I linked. In the guide it has you install the Xbox controller drivers and the DS4-Tool. I installed both of those, some people say you don't have to install the Xbox controller drivers but I did and my DS4 works fine. Once they were installed, I connected my controller by cable to a USB 3.0 port. I've never tried using a USB 2.0 port or Bluetooth. At that point, my computer recognized a device was plugged in but I still couldn't use the controller. Then I opened the DS4-tool and it recognized my controller and set it up with a default profile.

After that it's always worked for me. I just plug it in and start up the DS4-tool. You need to keep the DS4-tool running whenever you use the controller but it's not a problem for me.

Okay I've just done exactly how both the guide, and yourself have said, and still nothing ):

Sorry for the long wait for the response. I've had one helluva weekend. It sounds like you may have been right and your having problems with your USB controller.

When you plug in your PS4 controller nothing shows up at all? Have you checked Device Manager to see if it comes up? Check under Universal Serial Bus Controllers in Device Manager to make sure it's not coming up as an unknown device. If nothing comes up at all, try plugging a different USB device into the same port, preferably a USB device that you know works. You might want to try multiple devices and see if any of them work. If the other devices don't come up it's probably the USB controller. If the devices are recognized then it's a problem with your DS4.

If it's the USB controller there's multiple methods you can try. A few to try are run Windows Update, Update drivers, re-install USB controllers, or update BIOS.

 

[WimboJallis121]

So how I got my DS4 to work is I followed the guide I linked. In the guide it has you install the Xbox controller drivers and the DS4-Tool. I installed both of those, some people say you don't have to install the Xbox controller drivers but I did and my DS4 works fine. Once they were installed, I connected my controller by cable to a USB 3.0 port. I've never tried using a USB 2.0 port or Bluetooth. At that point, my computer recognized a device was plugged in but I still couldn't use the controller. Then I opened the DS4-tool and it recognized my controller and set it up with a default profile.

After that it's always worked for me. I just plug it in and start up the DS4-tool. You need to keep the DS4-tool running whenever you use the controller but it's not a problem for me.

Okay I've just done exactly how both the guide, and yourself have said, and still nothing ):

Sorry for the long wait for the response. I've had one helluva weekend. It sounds like you may have been right and your having problems with your USB controller.

When you plug in your PS4 controller nothing shows up at all? Have you checked Device Manager to see if it comes up? Check under Universal Serial Bus Controllers in Device Manager to make sure it's not coming up as an unknown device. If nothing comes up at all, try plugging a different USB device into the same port, preferably a USB device that you know works. You might want to try multiple devices and see if any of them work. If the other devices don't come up it's probably the USB controller. If the devices are recognized then it's a problem with your DS4.

If it's the USB controller there's multiple methods you can try. A few to try are run Windows Update, Update drivers, re-install USB controllers, or update BIOS.

Thanks so much again for your reply, but it turns out I wasn't using the right lead! Doh!

You can get basic charge only cables, and data transfer cables. Since using the data cable it's worked perfectly, whereas before the charge cable was, well, charging it. It wasn't being recognised because there was nothing making contact to the data pins, which are the two middle grooves. The two pins on the outside (pins 1 and 4) are the ones actually being used which simply supply the 5 volts of power coming from the USB port on your computer.

 

[WimboJallis121]

Turns out I wasn't using the right lead! Doh!

You can get basic charge only cables, and data transfer cables. Since using the data cable it's worked perfectly, whereas before the charge cable was, well, charging it. It wasn't being recognised because there was nothing making contact to the data pins, which are the two middle grooves. The two pins on the outside (pins 1 and 4) are the ones actually being used which simply supply the 5 volts of power coming from the USB port on your computer.

 

[jathin.kashyap23]

Turns out I wasn't using the right lead! Doh!

You can get basic charge only cables, and data transfer cables. Since using the data cable it's worked perfectly, whereas before the charge cable was, well, charging it. It wasn't being recognised because there was nothing making contact to the data pins, which are the two middle grooves. The two pins on the outside (pins 1 and 4) are the ones actually being used which simply supply the 5 volts of power coming from the USB port on your computer.

I know im 3 years late but im facing a problem that you can help me solve. My ds4 isnt getting detected by the pc in the first place. Nothing on devices and printers, nothing under the HID tab in device manager. is it because im using the the charging cable i received with the console or a special one. Please help me, the controller worked fine 2 days ago as i was using ds4 windows. But now even that program isn't recognizing it. All im getting when i connect the controller is the yellow charging light from the lightbar and nothing more. Heres a detailed story. Please help. Please dont mind if im pushing you too hard but im very desperate.