USB device keeps connecting and disconnecting in Windows: how to find the cause and fix it

When USB devices are connected or disconnected, Windows 10, 8.1 and Windows 7 play a sound and some users find that the USB connection and disconnect sound appear constantly, while it is not clear what the device is. Another opportunity is that the device is known, but it is not known why it keeps disconnecting and reconnecting.

This tutorial will cover each of the problems in order: first about how to find out why the USB device disconnects and connects the sound keeps playing and which device is generating it, later on why it may be happening and how to fix the problem.

Constant USB connect and disconnect sounds: how to find out which device causes them

If you keep hearing USB device connection sounds in Windows, but can't find out which device is causing it, you can use two free programs from the same developer: NirSoft USBDeview y USBLogView. The second seems more suitable for the task at hand, so let's start with him.

1. Download USBLogView from the developer's official site https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_log_view.html and unzip the file to a convenient location. On the same page there is a file to download the Russian language of the interface: you just have to unzip it in a folder with the program.
2. Run the program, don't close it, and observe the new lines that appear on it: every time a USB device is connected or disconnected, lines with information about the event and the device that generated it will be added at the bottom.
3. You can sort the entries by the column “Event time” so that new events are added at the top for easy viewing.
4. According to the description of the device, it is usually relatively easy to determine which USB device is constantly being connected and disconnected (note: the system can detect some devices as multiple devices, as an example, many phones; for this case, you can see it in the listing). that all connect and disconnect at the same time).

The second program, USBDeview, is enabled in https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html (it also exists in russian).

Displays the status of all connected and disconnected USB devices. If your unknown device connects and then disconnects, the corresponding entries will appear at the top of the list.

At the same time, in the same way as in the previous case, from the description of the device you will be able to understand what device it is and act on it. If the description doesn't give you an idea which USB device is connected and disconnected, write your program description in the comments, I will try to advise you.

Please note that we are not often talking about external USB devices, but internal devices, connected via the internal interface of a computer or laptop: as an example, the webcam of a laptop (and keyboard and touchpad), the reader cards of a PC … all of them are also usually connected to USB, even when not externally.

Why USB devices keep plugging and unplugging

Now the main reasons why USB devices constantly disconnect and disconnect with the respective sound:

• Using USB hubs (dividers) and many devices connected to them: cannot always guarantee proper operation. Try connecting your device directly to the USB connector.
• Connecting a device via USB sometimes requires more power than is not provided by the USB connector on your computer or laptop.. Sometimes, it can also be generated by problems with the power supply (in general there are other symptoms for this case, not the first time, sudden blackouts and other).
• Short circuits in the PC chassis, chassis supported by a heating radiator, hardware problems in the power circuit.
• Damage to cables and connectors both on the PC or laptop itself and on the end device.
• In some cases, the operation of third-party antivirus: as an example, when checking connected USB devices, can cause them to disconnect and reconnect.
• Device power saving settings. You can check it in Device Manager: find the device you are disconnecting and connecting, right click on it, abra “Properties” and check if the box “Allow this device to turn off to save power” is marked in “Energy Administration “, try unchecking it and apply the settings.
• Device driver malfunction: If it causes the device driver to malfunction throughout operation, the system can deactivate the device and reactivate it when the hardware configurations are updated. In this circumstance, the error is usually visible in Device Manager when the device is disabled (exclamation mark next to device name).
• Malfunction of the power management drivers installed in the PC or laptop: try to install all original motherboard related computer drivers from official web portal.
• If your USB connected phone is constantly connecting and disconnecting, at the same time for the reasons mentioned above, settings and applications (like antivirus) on the phone itself they disable access to it when the screen is off and the like can cause this.

Anyway, the problem could also be a malfunction of the device's own hardware.

Video-tutorial.

Hopefully, Some of the above will reveal both the device itself and the reasons for the behavior discussed in Windows.