USB Device Not Recognized. One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and Windows does not recognize it.

Lately, Windows XP users have been increasingly seeing this error. I also encountered the same error on my Dell Inspiron 9400 when I would plug in some of my USB devices. Assuming the device is working fine (you can check by plugging it in another PC), there are a number of fixes suggested by users around the internet including reinstalling drivers and some registry hacks. The reason why I was getting this error was dust in the usb plug and socket. Here is how I proceeded to fix it:

1. Disconnect the device so it has no power. Disconnect the AC power from the laptop and remove your battery from the laptop.

2. Dab a little cotton bud or something narrower with WD-40 and clean the contacts on the inside of the plug and socket. There will be 4 rows of metal contact which get covered with a combination of dust and moisture causing rust and hence results in the contact being broken.

3.Leave the machine and the device for half an hour or so, so that the WD-40 dries off.

4. Reconnect the device and try again.

You will feel a difference when you plug in the device such that it will slide in much smoother due to the dust and rust removal from the contacts .

If that doesnt work, try removing the drivers, restarting the machine and reinstalling the drivers for that USB device. Sometimes this is also caused by a bad usb driver for some other device, in my case the bluetooth internal card, which was sucking up all the power, and hence not powering up the other USB device completely resulting in windows not being able to recognize the device.