How to fix 'The device is not ready' error in Windows?
Jul 29, 2025 am 04:27 AMWhen accessing an external device, the prompt "device is not ready", which is usually caused by hardware connection, driver exceptions, or system setup issues. 1. First check whether the device connection is tight, try to replace the USB interface, data cable or power adapter, and ensure sufficient power supply; 2. Update or reinstall the device driver, update the driver of the disk drive or universal serial bus controller through the device manager, uninstall and reinstall if necessary; 3. Check the disk letter allocation in disk management. If there is no disk letter, you can add it manually. If it is not allocated, the disk may need to be initialized (note that the data will be cleared); 4. Run the Windows hardware troubleshooting tool to automatically detect and fix the problem. If the above method is ineffective, it may be that the equipment is damaged. It is recommended to test and confirm on other computers.
This error message usually occurs when you try to access an external device (such as a USB drive, a mobile hard drive, or an optical drive), and the system prompts "The device is not ready", resulting in the inability to operate normally. The problem may be with the hardware connection, driver status, or system settings. Below are some common causes and solutions that can be investigated step by step.

1. Check whether the device connection is normal
This is the most common source of problems. Many times it is just caused by poor contact or insufficient power supply.
- Make sure the device is plugged in tightly, especially devices like USB drives and card readers that are prone to loosening.
- Try changing to a USB port, especially if you use a front panel or dock, it is recommended to use a USB port directly out of the motherboard.
- If it is a mobile hard drive or an external optical drive, try changing a data cable or a power adapter.
- For multi-port USB hubs, try to connect them directly to the USB port of the computer body to avoid insufficient power supply.
Sometimes rebooting the computer and re-plugging the device can also solve the problem.

2. Update or reinstall the device driver
Driver exceptions are also one of the common reasons for this error.
- Press
Win X
and select Device Manager. - Find your device category, such as "Disk Drive" or "Universal Serial Bus Controller".
- Right-click the relevant device and select "Update Driver".
- If the update is invalid, you can try "Uninstall the device", then unplug the device and plug it back in, so that the system can automatically reinstall the driver.
If you are not sure which device corresponds to which entry, you can also right-click to update all items under the entire "Universal Serial Bus Controller" one by one.

3. Check disk management and drive letter allocation
Sometimes, although the system has identified the device, the drive letters are not assigned correctly or there is a conflict.
- Press
Win R
and enterdiskmgmt.msc
to enter to open disk management. - Check whether your device appears in the list and whether there are drive letters displayed.
- If there is no drive letter, right-click the partition, select "Change drive letter and path", and add a new drive letter.
- If it appears as "Unallocated" or "Uninitialized", it may be a device corruption or a format problem.
Note: Initializing the disk will clear the data. Please make sure there are no important files in the device before operation, or try other recovery methods.
4. Run the hardware troubleshooting tool
The troubleshooting tool that comes with Windows can sometimes quickly locate and fix some basic problems.
- Open Settings → System → Troubleshooting.
- Click "Other Troubleshooting" or "Find and Fix Other Issues".
- Find the options related to "Hardware and Devices" and click "Run".
The system will automatically scan and try to fix detected problems, suitable for users who are not familiar with manual operations.
Basically these commonly used methods. In most cases, start with the simplest unplugging and unplugging equipment, and check it step by step, and basically all can be solved. If it doesn't work, it may be that the device itself is damaged, so you can take it to another computer to test it.
The above is the detailed content of How to fix 'The device is not ready' error in Windows?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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