6 Ways to Fix the “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” Error in Windows 10

If Windows 10 won’t recognize your USB drive Here’s how you can resolve it.

When you connect a USB device with your computer The USB device descriptor is used to identify the device that is connected. This assists the system in determining which driver to load for the device.
If you find that the USB device descriptor fails it won’t be able to recognize the external device you’ve connected. Instead, you’ll receive an error warning that says “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” or “A Request for the USB Device Descriptor Failed.”

If you’re facing this issue follow this guide for more information on how to resolve your issue “Unknown USB device descriptor request failed” error in Windows 10.

What Causes the Unknown USB Device Error?

This “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” error may be due to specific hardware or system issues. Below are the possible reasons for this error:

  • The latest software update you received caused issues and eventually caused the corruption of the USB drivers.
  • The problem occurred during the process of changing parts of your computer.
  • There were mistakes when you set your USB driver’s settings.
  • There is a problem with the USB port being damaged.
  • It is possible that the USB device has been damaged or corrupted or infected by malware.
  • There is a problem with the USB drivers being outdated or corrupted.
  • Is the BIOS system in need of an update?

If you are aware of what is causing this error Here are six solutions to fix it.

1. Quick Fixes for the “Unknown USB Device Descriptor Request Failed” Error

Before you begin applying the specific techniques in this article, here are a few quick tips that you could consider:
  1. Reboot your computer and check whether this solves the issue.
  2. Plug your USB device into a different USB port. If this solves your problem, then the original USB port is probably damaged.
  3. Plug your USB device into a different computer. This will let you know whether the issue is caused by your USB device or the PC.
  4. Deleting the Windows speedy startup feature. This setting will boot your computer quickly and can cause a variety of performance issues for your PC. Thus, removing it and then restarting your PC may aid.

If these solutions don’t solve your “USB device descriptor failed” problem, proceed to the next option.

2. Scan Your PC for Hardware Changes

The second method you can consider is to check your PC for hardware modifications. After the scan is completed the PC should identify the USB device.

  1. For the first step, connect the USB device to your computer.
  2. Start your Device Manager using Win + and then X and then select the Device Manager.
  3. In the menu for headers in the device, the Manager Click to open the “Action” tab, then select Scan for changes to the hardware from the menu.

Allow the system to detect all hardware changes, and then see whether this solves your issue.

3. Reinstall the USB Drivers

Malfunctioning USB drivers might be causing this error. To fix the issue, it’s necessary to remove your unidentified USB device (Device Descriptor Failure) drivers and reinstall them.

Here’s how to reinstall your USB drivers:

  1. Start your Device Manager using Win + and then X and then select the Device Manager.
  2. Add your section on the Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
  3. Right-click on the driver that is not recognized as a USB Device (Device Request for Descriptor Failed) driver and selects uninstall the device.

Reboot your system once the scan is completed. This will prompt you to install your USB drivers and will assist in eliminating the issue.

4. Update the Generic USB Hub Drivers

If the method you tried before failed then you should try upgrading the generic USB hub drivers. There’s a possibility that this USB driver is not up-to-date and this is why you’re having problems.

Here’s how you can update your Generic USB Hub drivers:

  1. Start the device Manager with the help of Win + the X key and then select the Device Manager.
  2. Add your Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
  3. Click on Right-clicking the Generic USB Hub option, then click on the update driver option.

Then, in the window that opens up choose Automatically search for drivers..

Your computer will search for compatible drivers on the internet. After the update has been completed then plug in the USB device and verify whether it has fixed the problem.

5. Use the Windows Troubleshooting Tool

You can also fix your “Unknown USB Device” error with Windows Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. Windows Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. This is a built-in Windows tool that allows you to find and fix different system issues.

Here’s how to eliminate this “Unknown USB\device descriptor failure” issue with this tool:

  1. Launch the troubleshooter by entering Troubleshoot in the search bar of the Start menu and then selecting the most appropriate match..
  2. Click on the Hardware and Devices and then choose Troubleshooter to begin the process.

After you’ve finished closing the troubleshooter, restart your computer to apply the solutions. This should fix issues with the “unknown USB device descriptor failed” issue and other issues related to hardware.

6. Disable the USB Selective Suspend Setting

Another way to fix your issue is to deactivate your USB Selective Suspend setting.

Here are some steps to be sure to follow:

  1. Launch Control Panel. Open Control Panel by typing Control Panel in the Windows Search Bar and selecting the most appropriate match.
  2. Click on Systems and Security, Power Options, and Modify Plan settings.
  3. Choose the Advanced setting for the power option within the next window.
  4. Find then expand USB options within the Power Options screen.
  5. The setting can be expanded to include your USB selective suspend setting and deactivate each of the options for Battery on along with the plugged-in options.
  6. Select to Apply after which click “OK”.

Then, restart your computer to make the modifications. Connect your USB devices to your computer and verify whether it has solved the problem.

Fixing the Unknown USB Device Error the Easy Way

At this point, it is likely that you should have the “Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)” error is likely to be fixed. Similar to most USB-related problems it is possible to fix this issue by reinstalling your USB drivers. If this doesn’t work for you, try one of the other solutions we’ve provided.

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