Ereader (Nook) no longer recognized by PC

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doc Al
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    pc
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a technical issue where a Nook eReader is not recognized by a new laptop when connected via USB. Participants explore potential causes and solutions related to device drivers, USB connections, and software updates, with a focus on troubleshooting steps.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their experience with the Nook being recognized by an older PC but not by a new laptop, prompting inquiries about potential causes.
  • Another participant suggests checking the Device Manager for driver issues and whether the system is searching for a driver upon connection.
  • Some participants mention the importance of verifying the USB cable and whether Autoplay is disabled, noting that other devices connect without issue.
  • A later reply indicates that power cycling the Nook resolved the issue for one user, suggesting it may be a common solution.
  • Another participant expresses frustration over the lack of a clear solution despite multiple attempts to troubleshoot, including checking software versions and trying different PCs.
  • One participant raises the possibility of a faulty USB cable as a potential issue.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on a single solution, as multiple troubleshooting steps are suggested, and experiences vary. Some users find success with power cycling, while others continue to face issues.

Contextual Notes

There are mentions of software updates and driver installations, but no definitive conclusions are drawn regarding their necessity or effectiveness for the older Nook model.

Who May Find This Useful

Users experiencing similar connectivity issues with older eReaders or USB devices, as well as those interested in troubleshooting USB recognition problems on PCs.

Doc Al
Mentor
Messages
45,581
Reaction score
2,453
I have an old ereader (a Nook) that I've used for reading ePub books for ages. I mainly side-load books. I just plug it into a USB port and it appears as a folder, where I can add and delete things as I please. Until now. When I plug it into a port on my new laptop, it is not recognized. Any idea what might be causing this and how I can fix it?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
Maybe it's an unusual driver? What does the Device Manager show you for your USB eBook Reader device when you plug it in. If you look at the ^ icon in the lower right of the Windows toolbar and click on it when you first plug in the eReader, does it show that it's looking for a driver for it?

If so, can you explicitly install the drivers from the device's website?
 
berkeman said:
If you look at the ^ icon in the lower right of the Windows toolbar
The one labeled "Show hidden icons"? Nothing special shows up there.

It's an ancient B&N Nook -- I don't see anything on their website about drivers.
 
Yes, the little ^ symbol at the lower right of the bottom bar in Windows:
1684430462844.png


If there is a new USB device plugged in, clicking on that symbol brings up a pop-up that lets you click on a little spinning icon to see what the install is doing. I use that to watch the progress of USB device installations, in case there is a problem.

If you open the Device Manager and plug/unplug the device, do you see any changes in the devices listed?
 
Reply
  • Informative
Likes   Reactions: berkeman
berkeman said:
If there is a new USB device plugged in, clicking on that symbol brings up a pop-up that lets you click on a little spinning icon to see what the install is doing. I use that to watch the progress of USB device installations, in case there is a problem.
I saw nothing. (And I didn't know it showed that sort of thing.)
berkeman said:
If you open the Device Manager and plug/unplug the device, do you see any changes in the devices listed?
Nothing that I can see.

FYI: I have a bigger Nook, which I use for PDFs, that does show up when plugged in.
 
TonyStewart said:
Verify PC Device mgr when connecting to USB and/or Nook Wifi Settings.

https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/en-us/articles/5582744841243-NOOK-HD-Software-Updates

To verify you have the latest version of the NOOK HD software, tap the Settings icon in the Status bar at the top of your screen. Tap on All Settings and then tap on Device Information; check to see that your Software version is 2.2.1.
Since this is an ancient Nook, I doubt there's any update to its software. And on my old PC (which is out of commission for the time being), it shows up just fine just like any other USB drive.
 
Doc Al said:
Since this is an ancient Nook, I doubt there's any update to its software. And on my old PC (which is out of commission for the time being), it shows up just fine just like any other USB drive.
DID YOU Verify PC Device Mgr when connecting to USB and/or Nook Wifi Settings?
Verify cable is OK. then device must show up in device mgr.
Is Autoplay disabled?

My Dev Mgr looks like this when USB is expanded but I do not own this device.
1684442386092.png
 
TonyStewart said:
DID YOU Verify PC Device Mgr when connecting to USB and/or Nook Wifi Settings?
Verify cable is OK. then device must show up in device mgr.
Is Autoplay disabled?
I don't see anything new in Device Manager when I connect the Nook. The cable seems fine. I tried a different cable with the same results.

Other things (such as external drives) show up fine when connected to a port. Nothing shows when I connect the Nook.

Don't know about Autoplay.
 
  • #11
OK, I'm an idiot. All I had to do was power it off and on and it was fine. :rolleyes:
(I haven't had to touch the power button in about 10 years -- so it didn't even occur to me.)

Thanks for your help!
 
Reply
  • Like
  • Informative
Likes   Reactions: Tom.G and berkeman
  • #12
I'd like to explore this a little further. I am having the exact same problem. My PC just suddenly stopped recognizing my Nook. It was working fine and then suddenly nothing. I have uninstalled and reinstalled my USB drivers. Power cycled my Nook and PC. Tried it on another PC (my laptop). I have checked to make sure I the latest version of the Nook software. If you look on the web, this is a pretty common problem, but no one seems to have a good solution. Solutions to most Nook/PC problems appear to assume your PC will recognize the Nook. I'm guessing the problem is on the Nook end since it has failed on two different PC's. Does anyone have a good solution?
 
  • #13
tgcarter said:
Does anyone have a good solution?
This has happened to me several times. Each time the solution was as I described earlier: Unplug the Nook from the USB, power it off, power it back up, and then plug it into the USB.

(I'm guessing you already tried that. Oh well.)
 
  • #14
Bad USB Cable? (Yes, they do fail!)
 

Similar threads

USB Problem: Keyboard USB port started misbehaving
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
How can I reformat a USB thumb drive that is not recognized by my Windows 10 PC?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Laptop Shutting Down Unexpectedly: Dead Battery?
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
2K
Bluetooth malfunctioning in Ubuntu 20.04 laptop
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
6K
Find Free Software to Log Disk Usage & Monitor Processes
  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
Tablet PC: Buying Advice for Droid Razr HD & MS Office Users
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
PC dying? Runs 2-3 sec., stops. Sharp impact, runs.
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
Troubleshooting Wireless Connectivity Issues with ndiswrapper on Ubuntu
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
6K
My HP printer installation program cannot see the printer
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
6K
Windows 10 Update - Caused Loop (Need a Computer )
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K