OS doesn't recognize USB flash drives (KB4056892)

PhilW · 08 Jan 2018

Just completed Win10 update KB4056892 on my Sony laptop, now running v.1709, build 16299.125. Almost everything is fine except the system no longer recognizes USB flash drives. When a flash drive (USB2 or 3) is inserted in a port the Device Manager recognizes it as "Other Devices", lists what it is (for example "TOSHIBA TransMemory USB Device") but says under Properties: "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28) There are no compatible drivers for this device." When I try to update the driver, the Update Drivers feature says "Windows could not find drivers for your device." Device Manager shows no problems under Universal Serial Bus Controllers.

I know the drivers for flash drives are somewhere in the system because I have used these ports and flash drives many times prior to KB4056892, but I don't know where they are or how to tell the OS where they are. Suggestions would be appreciated.

antspants · 08 Jan 2018

Hi Phil, welcome to Ten Forums

I'd like to know out of curiosity have you tried to remove update KB4056892 to see if the flash drives work again?

(Forgive me if you already know how to do this, I don't want to assume)

Uninstall a Windows Update

Tap on the Windows-key on your keyboard and type remove a program.
Select the result add or remove programs from the list of search results.
This opens a Windows Control Panel window which lists all installed programs on the system.
Select view installed updates on the left side of the window.

To reinstall the update

The Manual update and currently known issues with update KB4056892 can be found here on Ten Forums

Bree · 08 Jan 2018

PhilW said:

... Device Manager recognizes it as "Other Devices", lists what it is (for example "TOSHIBA TransMemory USB Device") but says under Properties: "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28) There are no compatible drivers for this device." When I try to update the driver, the Update Drivers feature says "Windows could not find drivers for your device." Device Manager shows no problems under Universal Serial Bus Controllers.

Welcome to TenForums @PhilW

You probably don't need to uninstall KB4056892 to get this to work again.

Rather than trying to update the driver (which IME never fixes this problem) just uninstall the device in Device Manager (if it isn't currently plugged in you'll need to select 'View > Show hidden devices' to see it). Then plug it in and see if it recognises it.

PhilW · 08 Jan 2018

Instead of uninstalling KB4056892 I did a system restore to the day before it was installed. The USB ports are functional again.

m12lrpv · 14 Feb 2018

A similar thing thing happened to me. The update just installed itself last night. The drives show up as drives with a letter but are "inaccessible".
Device is a probook 650 g2.
It caused bitlocker to activate (presumably because of it messing with the drives) and killed my usb mass storage.
So far reinstalling the usb drivers has made no difference. Deleting the devices made no difference.

Presently uninstalling the update and will see how that goes.

Obviously annoyed but will work it out eventually.

m12lrpv · 14 Feb 2018

Unsuccessful so far. Uninstalling KB4056892 results in KB4074588 being installed and vice versa.

System restore failed.

Not life threatening so will park the problem for now.