ARCHIVED: In Windows Device Manager, how do I identify an unknown device?

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In Windows, to identify unknown devices in Device Manager, go to the computer manufacturer's web site and download the drivers that are listed for your computer's model; see ARCHIVED: How do I obtain and update my device drivers?

If there are multiple drivers for a certain type of device, or there is no easily identifiable information for a particular piece of hardware, try the following:

  1. Open Device Manager; see ARCHIVED: In Windows, what is the Device Manager, and how can I use it?
  2. Right-click the unknown device and choose Properties.
  3. Click the Details tab.
  4. In the Property drop-down box, select Hardware IDs.
  5. Copy the vendor and device code section of the string. For example, if the entire string is PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_432B&SUBSYS_008D106B&REV_01, copy only VEN_14E4&DEV_432B.
  6. Type or paste the copied section into a search engine. Browse the results and try to identify the device manufacturer and model number.

    Note: If you do not receive any search results, try a new search using only the vendor code (e.g., VEN_14E4). The results should display the manufacturer of the device, which will help you find the driver.

  7. Once you have identified the make and model of the unknown device, go to the manufacturer's web site and search for the driver for that particular model number.

For help, contact the Support Center.

This is document azmu in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 16:34:54.