USB Unknown Driver Failed to Install

[chuckbear]

I have a Toshiba laptop with Windows 7 and recently I am getting an error message in the notification area that a usb driver to an unknown device has failed to install. This has happened on start up and at times when I have been on the computer for some time doing nothing but working on the web. In my Device Manager an unknown device shows up under the usb controller. It has the yellow exclamation mark. I typically remove it using uninstall and it goes away for a while but eventually comes back. I am not installing any software and have not for some time. I do not have anything connected to the usb ports on the computer. This is pretty random. Does anyone have any ideas on what causes this or how to stop it? Location information shows port #0003 hub #0004. Chuck

 

[file3456]

Here is some information on this problem. Skip passed the Todo Backup part. Updated | USB Device Not Recognized Keeps Popping Up in Windows 10/8/7 - EaseUS

You can try updating the driver or rolling the driver back.

If that doesn't help, do you not have any USB devices plugged in like a keyboard/mouse? Have you ever plugged in a USB device? You can use USBDeview and remove all devices except the keyboard/mouse. Just try the first option first. View any installed/connected USB device on your system

The other option is to get the hardware ID from the device and find the driver. To do that, double click the device, select details, and from the drop down select hardware IDs.

PCI Lookup

Find unknown devices using a vendor and device ID. | Device Hunt

Don't ever use some third-party program that claims to update your drivers.

 

[RolandJS]

"Don't ever use some third-party program that claims to update your drivers." Those words are golden apples upon a silver platter! For me, there has been one and only one successful exception: Auslogics Drivers Updater. That has worked just fine on both W7Pro laptops for some months now.

 

[chuckbear]

First of all there are NO usb devices connected to the laptop either before during or after this occurs. There is no driver to update since it says installation failed. There is nothing to roll back, update or reinstall since nothing was installed. I tried the information in the link F22 Simpilot provided but it does not help. No hardware ID, it just says unknown since as the error messages said, unknown driver failed to install. There is no Vendor info it just says unknown. There are no third party software installs or driver update software. This is very random. It can happen right after the laptop starts up or two hours later. That's why it is such a mystery. I have uninstalled the unknown usb device in the Device Manager, but it comes back a few days later after I get the error message. Chuck

 

[chuckbear]

By the way. I also did a system restore to try and fix it, but no joy. Chuck

 

[file3456]

Did you use USBDeview like I said?

 

[chuckbear]

Did you use USBDeview like I said?

I did but I'm not sure what to do with the information. I'm also not comfortable just removing all devices with a third party software. I'm concerned that I will do more harm than good since many on the list are things I do use but aren't connected to the computer when the problem occurs. There are a number of entries tha say USB composite device and device type unknown. Chuck

 

[chuckbear]

Here's what I have done so far...


Done a system restore gone back a month. That was before the problem started, but it reappeared anyway.
Updated and refresh all drivers from the Toshiba website. This is a Toshiba laptop.
Updated the Bios.
Ran the USBDeview and uninstalled only drivers I felt comfortable removing.


So I'm not sure what else to do since I don't know the actual cause. Chuck

 

[file3456]

I'm thinking the actual cause is a USB driver that's persistently trying to install its self that got invoked with a USB device you previously installed. To rid this menace you should just remove ALL devices in USBDeView and just leave your keyboard and mouse. Create a system restore point first. The program can be trusted since Nirsoft is world renowned for niffy utilities like this. But as always, scan ALL downloads at Virus Total. Four hits and you toss is the general rule of thumb. It all depends on what the download is.

Now after removing all USB devices and the problem goes away then make note when you plug in a new device if the issue occurs again. Then you'll know what device it is. Own any cheap knock off USB storage thumb drives or something like that? Ones that say they are a gazillion times large for a cheap price which are in fact not.

If the problem is still not gone then I can assume it might be your current keyboard or mouse. Are you using a third party program like Logitech's keyboard and mouse program? If you are you most likely don't need it. Just let Windows use its drivers. Yes, the program would allow encryption for the keyboard, but it's simple and crackable XOR and your keyboard range is only 15 or so feet. For a house I wouldn't worry about it unless you live next to a MIT graduate hacker or the NSA is after you, etc...

 

[file3456]

If the problems is not gone after doing EXACTLY what I say, then I need to see what's running on your computer. Run Autoruns, go to File and save the ARN file. Zip the file and upload here. Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals | Microsoft Docs

 

[chuckbear]

This is a Toshiba laptop with a Synaptic touchpad and built in keyboard with generic drivers for the keyboard. I can't tell in USBDview if the drivers for these show up but since they are not USB devices I doubt it. I have used Flash Drives in the past but only use and buy quality drives. I also have two external drives for storage and back up. I have been using all of these for years with no problem. I will try removal with USBDview and see how it goes. The problem might show up later today or next week. I will have to wait and see if this corrects it and post the results later. Chuck