The popup stating “device is not recognized” can be downright annoying. It is as if that you have broken your hardware but you actually have no idea what happened. Well, there can be multiple reasons why this error occurs. Here’s a brief overview of some reasons why the devices cannot be recognized:
- Maybe the computer unit or the notebook has been shut down for a long time with the device still plugged in. At first this does not seem to be a problem – well, not until you get the popup. To be honest, it really is not much of a major problem. It’s just that when you shut the computer down for a long time without removing the device, the computer either: needs to be refreshed (from a minuscule lag) or needs to be reconfigured (because the Plug and Play function is not in routine with your system).
- Maybe the computer is not in compatible mode. This may cause irregularities. Go to the Add New Hardware of the Control Panel. Switch the computer to “compatible mode”. (Note: This is not usually a solution for USBs as this is usually done with printers, etc.)
- Maybe because of recent reformatting. One possible reason is because the computer has been reformatted and it has not been updated yet to a version of its operating system that supports the hardware.
You may resolve this by troubleshooting it yourself. If you think you are knowledgeable enough run the “Device Manager” (type “devmgmt.msc” in “Run”). The Device Manager, obviously, manages all hardware wired to your computer. This can be very useful especially if you have enough computer knowledge to resolve your computer’s issues. Otherwise, leave the problem to experts. Meddling with items in your computer that you have not enough knowledge about may break your computer down, so be careful in troubleshooting.
