I have bought a new windows 8.1 Toshiba laptop when I connect my external hard drive witch was working ok before it's telling me - unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed) code 43

Can you try the steps in the TechNet article "Code 43: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems" and let us know if this helps you.

Thanks,

David

Windows Outreach Team - IT Pro

The Springboard Series on TechNet

Can you try the steps in the TechNet article "Code 43: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems" and let us know if this helps you.

Thanks,

David

Windows Outreach Team - IT Pro

The Springboard Series on TechNet

• Proposed as answer by JonRohrich Wednesday, January 07, 2015 4:07 PM

I have done what you said,but every time I right click computers name and scan for hard ware changes it still tells me it's still not working?

There are a few more things to try in this blog post. Does this drive have it's own power cord, or only a USB connection? Have you tried a different USB port or a different USB cable? Have you checked the manufacturer website for possible driver or firmware update?

Also, have you tested it on another computer since this problem developed?

Thanks,

David

Windows Outreach Team - IT Pro

yes it has it's own power cord but some times it cut's out so that might be the problem

I have tried different ports still does not work

I have looked on website for updated drivers for the hard drive I have - going with the label says it ROHS but that's all I have

I have had this for 3-4 years

my daughter has been using it on her laptop but says it keeps cutting out

Martin

did you try to go to power manager, shut off usb power saving

did you try to go to power manager, shut off usb power saving

• Marked as answer by David WoltersModerator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:14 PM

did you try to go to power manager, shut off usb power saving

• Marked as answer by David WoltersModerator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:14 PM

Hi,

To be added, please also try to connect your external drive to other computer for test, make sure this problem not caused by hardware problem.

I have tried on my daughters lap top still cuts out?

just tried that it seems to be working now

thanks guys for all your help

Martin

just tried that it seems to be working now

thanks guys for all your help

Martin

• Marked as answer by v-yozhuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:12 PM
• Unmarked as answer by David WoltersModerator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:14 PM

just tried that it seems to be working now

thanks guys for all your help

Martin

• Marked as answer by Yolanda ZhuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:12 PM
• Unmarked as answer by David WoltersModerator Tuesday, January 21, 2014 2:14 PM

Hello,

I am having a similar problem but not the same i guess.

After i updated my Lenovo G580 20150 to Win 8.1 all 3 USB ports stopped working. Now i can't use any USB device (Mouse, Flash drive, portable HDD etc, all working on my other 3 Win8 computers). Below are some screen shots for further information.

Please help to resolve this issue. 

some more screens from events

I have bought a new windows 8.1 samsung note book,  (i mean the one you seperated  the screen and keyboard ) for the past 2 weeks now i cant use the keyboard, the keyboard stop working when i receive alert - unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed) code 43. please can somebody in the house help me please? here is my email Address : serikifolahanmi@yahoo.com 

Excuse me, could you tell me where to find this power manager?

go to device manager, right click properties of usb device, powermanager, uncheck poweroff

Also right click start, goto power, in the power options change usb powersaving feature.

• Edited by colakid 11 hours 59 minutes ago

go to device manager, right click properties of usb device, powermanager, uncheck poweroff

Also right click start, goto power, in the power options change usb powersaving feature.

• Edited by colakid Saturday, March 01, 2014 11:45 PM

Many thanks, I had exactly the same problem as gemmazak, even down to the same laptop and OS, and this suggestion seems to be the solution.

These functions and menus do not exist on Windows 8.1 now, they may have before. I tried every possible menu and sub-menu in the USB sections but nothing for power. Getting tired of Windows inventing errors, device is fine, driver is fine, ports are fine, Windows is not fine. How soon to an Android OS. lol

In my case, it turns out that the USB cable was the problem.  I'm using a mini PC that has the DVD player stacked onto it and a very short jumper cable (Lenovo ThinkCentre M73).  I was using a cheap USB extension cable to relocate the DVD away from the PC.  This worked for some time but perhaps a new driver or update came along and it no longer worked.  I tried another DVD player (identical), a different extension cable, same results.  As soon as I stacked the DVD back on the PC and used the OEM jumper cable it worked again.  I verified this again by reattaching the extension cable and the problem returned.  Removed the extension and problem solved.  My guess would be that the extension cable I used was not USB 3.0 compatible.

Hope this helps someone else.