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On Windows 7 64bit, whenever I plug a USB device (mouse, keyboard, Android phone...) 90% of the time, I have to manually open Device Manager and Scan for hardware changes to be able to use the device.
Do you have any ideas on what's causing this issue and how to solve it?
RationalFragile
Posted 2019-12-30T14:54:54.093
Reputation: 1
1Run SFC /SCANNOW to possibly correct this. If that fails run a Windows 10 Repair Install from the Windows 7 DVD. – John – 2019-12-30T15:04:21.960
@John I have tried that before but it doesn't solve the issue. Also, the issue happens even on a fresh Windows install. Does that mean the installation file is corrupted? (I doubt it.) – RationalFragile – 2019-12-30T15:09:49.217
A fresh install should work. Try updating BIOS, Chipset, Video and Power drivers. Windows 7 is now 10 years old and the devices may be too new. However, more than likely it is a driver issue – John – 2019-12-30T15:12:05.487
I don't think this has anything to do with drivers (unless I'm really mistaken). This doesn't happen with one device, it happens with every device. Somehow the system is not scanning for devices. (BIOS is up-to-date.) – RationalFragile – 2019-12-30T17:02:08.810
In this situation, if a fresh install of Windows 7 did not work (noted above) then the issue is either drivers or (also as noted but less likely) devices too new and not compatible. There is not much else left. – John – 2019-12-30T17:04:44.847
But, devices are compatible; they work after "scan for hardware changes". The only issue is polling for newly connected devices. What controls the frequency of the OS checking if there are new devices connected? – RationalFragile – 2019-12-30T19:29:12.793
I had USB sticks, USB hard drive, iPhone (iTunes), Nokia USB Internet sticks and so on on my Windows 7 machine for five years while I had it (ending in 2013). So maybe there is a hardware issue with the machine you have. – John – 2019-12-30T19:39:10.347
Can a "hardware issue" cause an OS to fail detecting connected USB devices, but also succeed in manual scanning for hardware changes? I could be wrong but this does not seem possible to me. Since the USB device is connected (and draws current) but not receiving the start signal from the host (until the host enumerates the devices in the manual scan). So I really think the issue is in scheduling enumeration of devices. – RationalFragile – 2019-12-30T19:51:32.263
This is not a Windows 7 issue, and you say drivers are up to date, so it must be a hardware compatibility issue of some sort. Is the computer very new? meaning it may not be truly Windows 7 compatible causing this isseu – John – 2019-12-30T19:57:47.277
Sorry but when you say "drivers" what do you mean exactly? This happens to every USB device (including HID devices). It's an HP Notebook 15 (not new) that comes originally with Windows 7. (Again, how can a hardware issue possibly affect only the automatic scan but not the manual scan?) Furthermore, I think it also applies to other devices as well (like bluetooth and even integrated graphics) because sometimes some devices like bluetooth stop working but work again after scanning for hardware changes. – RationalFragile – 2019-12-30T20:06:10.970
No issue with Windows 7 certified Lenovo boxes, so something is wrong (not Windows 7 Retail) but I cannot put my finger on it. – John – 2019-12-30T20:08:28.310