Question Windows isn't recognizing any storage devices ?

[Timon_Geo]

Can anyone help me figure out why my Windows 10 PC isn't recognizing any storage devices, such as USB drives, external SSDs, or my camera for importing photos? I've tried several solutions I found online, but nothing seems to work. When I open Device Manager, the devices show up as 'Unknown Device.' I've attempted updating drivers and searching for new ones, but that hasn't resolved the issue.

 

[stonecarver]

Can you please list your system specs so we at least know what parts were working with.

Is this a new install of Windows 10?

Is this an old install and now for some reason your now having issues where before all those items worked.

Please update so we have more to work with to figure things out.

 

[Timon_Geo]

Can you please list your system specs so we at least know what parts were working with.

Is this a new install of Windows 10?

Is this an old install and now for some reason your now having issues where before all those items worked.

Please update so we have more to work with to figure things out.

I’m using an older installation of Windows 10 Pro with the following specs:

CPU-Ryzen 2700x
GPU-RTX 3060 ti
Motherboard-ASUS ROG Strix B450-F

The system worked fine a few months ago, but now it no longer recognizes any USB storage devices. I’ve tested all available USB ports, but none of them detect external drives or flash storage.

The last hardware change I made was upgrading the RAM from 16 GB to 24 GB and reducing the memory clock speed.

I’m wondering if Windows has a security setting or option that could be blocking storage device recognition. Other USB peripherals—such as my mouse, keyboard, microphone, and a USB Wi-Fi adapter—work perfectly fine.

 

[Ralston18]

Your personal PC or company PC?

= = = =

FYI - Group Policy (gpedit) check the configuration:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-access-removable-storage-devices-windows-10

If USB storage has been disabled and you have the necessary admin rights then you can re-enable the use of USB storage devices.

 

[Timon_Geo]

Your personal PC or company PC?

= = = =

FYI - Group Policy (gpedit) check the configuration:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-access-removable-storage-devices-windows-10

If USB storage has been disabled and you have the necessary admin rights then you can re-enable the use of USB storage devices.

It's my personal PC , I checked it its not enabled sadly

 

[Ralston18]

Being your personal PC then you should be able to select and enable the setting.

Log into your PC using your Admin account.

Follow the 8 step procedure provided in the link.

 

[steveb1976]

did you install the "chipset drivers" after the install?
as this will sometimes cause this issue,. if its not installed or outdated.

 

[hussaj]

Do the USBs show in disk management?
While upgrading did you do any BIOS update?
Check BIOS for any USBs setting and enable
Do the USB show in Bios?
Remove the new stick RAM and check.
Why did you need to lower clock speed?

 

[Timon_Geo]

did you install the "chipset drivers" after the install?
as this will sometimes cause this issue,. if its not installed or outdated

I installed the newest, changed nothing

 

[Timon_Geo]

Being your personal PC then you should be able to select and enable the setting.

Log into your PC using your Admin account.

Follow the 8 step procedure provided in the link

The thing is that I don't want to disable them .I check the setting and they are off so it wasn't that

 

[Timon_Geo]

Do the USBs show in disk management?
While upgrading did you do any BIOS update?
Check BIOS for any USBs setting and enable
Do the USB show in Bios?
Remove the new stick RAM and check.
Why did you need to lower clock speed?

- Yes, they show up as unknown devices but everything else shows up correctly. Ii also know what kind of storage it is (USB card reader, External SSD and my camera), but there is no option to open them in file explorer or any other application (I use PlayMemories Home for my Sony camera and that also don't read the camera ).

-Yes, but i only changed the RAM setting. I just checked again the USB setting are all unchanged and everything is as it should be .

-I only saw Keyboard(5) and mouse(2) even though more devices plugged in that work properly .

-I couldn't run 3 ram sticks at 2999 mhz so had to lower to ~2700 mhz something nothing to do with the USB sticks

 

[Ralston18]

You posted:

"The thing is that I don't want to disable them .I check the setting and they are off so it wasn't that"

You are looking at the following setting - correct?

All Removable Storage classes: Deny all access

Are you saying that the "Deny all access policy" is Enabled?

Open Group Policy, go to the applicable windows showing the Removable Storage configuration settings.

Take another look and read the Help box.

The Help box shown by my system (Configuration being Not Configured):

Configure access to all removable storage classes.

This policy setting takes precedence over any individual removable storage policy settings. To manage individual classes, use the policy settings available for each class.

If you enable this policy setting, no access is allowed to any removable storage class.

If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, write and read accesses are allowed to all removable storage classes.

= = = =

If you are seeing something different then take some screenshots and post the screenshots here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

 

[Timon_Geo]

I didn't touch any of the setting, they were all on not configured and I even disabled the setting (All Removable Storage classes: Deny all access) but it didn't change anything after the restart.

https://imgur.com/jFXL2aT

View: https://imgur.com/jFXL2aT


This is what I am seeing

https://imgur.com/oAGi6sf

View: https://imgur.com/oAGi6sf

https://imgur.com/0vRdjDn

View: https://imgur.com/0vRdjDn

https://imgur.com/kZ2Xlnf

View: https://imgur.com/kZ2Xlnf

When I plug in my new external SSD that I have already setup on my laptop its also comes up with unknown device +
(The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)
There are no compatible drivers for this device.
To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver.)
I have also tried downloading some sketchy drivers that do nothing

 

[hussaj]

Check the chipset driver in device manager
I think it is been overwritten by Microsoft update whereas it is a board specific driver
According to the motherboard, this is the driver should be
Chipset