Can someone help me with Drivers for USB?

Todd Schwenk 5 Reputation points
2026-06-20T16:16:00.8266667+00:00

Hi, I have a brand new Surface and no matter what I do I can not update drivers for my USB nor download any CH340 or FTDI files and I can not connect to anything. I am just getting errors or Preload install failed or windows can find files etc. What the heck and I doing wrong on this? I now have hours trying these things with zero results? Anything would be helpfull?

Surface | Surface Pro | USB-C
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  1. Thomas4-N 17,980 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-06-22T09:26:42.0566667+00:00

    Hello Todd Schwenk,

    Thanks for reaching out. For me to understand the situation completely and help you best, could you share a bit more details?

    • Have you run Surface app > Check for updates (and let Windows Update finish), then checked Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates > Driver updates? What happens there — does it list updates, error out, or sit at 0%?
    • Where exactly does the "Preload install failed" message appear — in Windows Update, the Surface app, or a separate installer you're running?
    • Is Windows Update otherwise working normally (does it find and install regular updates)?

    If possible, please post screenshots of the key screens so I can see the actual state:

    • Settings > Windows Update (the main page)
    • Optional updates > Driver updates (what's listed there)
    • Device Manager — specifically any device showing a warning under Universal Serial Bus controllers or Other devices

    I’ll wait for your reply with the requested details so we can continue. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-20T16:16:38.2166667+00:00

    Follow these steps to get USB drivers working on the new Surface and to install CH340/FTDI where needed.

    1. Make sure Surface drivers and firmware are fully updated
      The easiest way is via the Surface app:
      1. Open the Surface app (install it from Microsoft Store if it isn’t there yet).
      2. In the app, expand Help & support and check the update status.
      3. Select Check for updates to open Windows Update and install all available updates.
      4. After that, open View optional updates and under Driver updates ensure all items that start with Surface are installed.
      This ensures the USB-C controller and related firmware on the Surface are current.
    2. Check basic USB-C port behavior
      Before focusing on CH340/FTDI, confirm the USB-C port itself is healthy:
      1. If using a USB-C hub, disconnect it and plug a simple USB-C device (for example, a USB flash drive via a basic adapter) directly into the Surface.
      2. Unplug and plug the device back in.
      3. Use the cable that came with the device; some USB-C cables don’t support data.
    3. Install CH340/FTDI drivers from the vendor (if Windows Update fails)
      For CH340 and FTDI, the drivers often come as a ZIP or EXE from the chip vendor or board manufacturer. If the EXE/installer fails with “preload install failed” or “Windows can’t find files,” use the manual driver-add method:
      1. On another PC (if needed), download the correct driver package from the hardware vendor.
      2. If it is a ZIP, unzip it so that the .inf driver file is visible.
      3. Copy the unzipped driver folder to a USB flash drive. Ensure the .inf file is at the root of the drive (not inside nested subfolders) if planning to use pnputil against *.inf.
      4. On the Surface, plug in the USB flash drive.
      5. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run: 
              pnputil /add-driver <USBDriveLetter>:\*.inf
      pnputil /scan-devices
        Replace <USBDriveLetter> with the actual drive letter (for example, D:). This manually stages and installs the driver.
    4. If Windows is not installing USB device–specific drivers automatically
      Some USB devices rely on a device-specific driver instead of the standard class driver. If Windows keeps failing to install the right one:
      • Method 2 (Device Manager manual update)
        1. Open Device Manager.
        2. Locate the problematic USB device (often under Ports (COM & LPT), Universal Serial Bus controllers, or Other devices).
        3. Right-click it and choose Update driver.
        4. Select Browse my computer for drivers and point it to the folder that contains the CH340 or FTDI .inf file.
      • Method 3 (install driver before connecting device)
        If the device is not yet connected, first run the vendor’s driver installer or manually add the driver as above. Then plug in the USB device so Windows can bind it to that driver.
      • Method 4 (reinstall with device-specific driver)
        1. Install the device-specific driver (as above).
        2. In Device Manager, right-click the problematic USB device and select Uninstall.
        3. Restart the Surface; Windows will attempt to reinstall the device using the device-specific driver.
    5. If USB devices still don’t work after all updates
      If:
      • Surface firmware and drivers are fully updated, and
      • Basic USB-C devices (like a simple USB drive) still fail or don’t appear,
      then the issue may be with the USB-C adapter/hub or the device itself. Test with a different adapter or a different USB device to isolate whether the problem follows the Surface or the accessory.

    References:

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