What Does “The device has either stopped responding or is disconnected” Imply?

Isn’t it frustrating to try to copy your files from one device to another and get stopped by the “Cannot copy item, The device has either stopped responding or has been disconnected” prompt? This error is quite common among Windows users who use USB storage devices to move their data from one device to another.

The issue usually appears when the external device is disturbed or disconnected while the copying process is running. However, the error is not limited to these situations. Sometimes, when your PC is not performing properly or is not optimized, these errors may appear. The issue may also arise due to faulty hardware, faulty drivers, etc.

If the devices you connect to your PC keep showing such errors, then make sure you read this blog till the end. In this post, we will discuss the error and how you can fix it. Let’s begin!

“The device has either stopped responding or is disconnected” What does it Mean?

The error occurs when trying to copy items from your PC to your storage device. The device can be anything from a USB flash drive to your Android or iOS smartphone.

The USB controller often malfunctions while sending files to your connected device, causing the issue. The error can pop up due to the following reasons – 

• Poor connectivity between the devices.
• Incorrect configuration of connected device
• Hardware Errors & Malfunctioning
• Driver Errors & USB Controller not working properly
• External Factors Affecting Device Connectivity

This means that the error implies that there is a problem that is stopping your PC from sending files or copying files to the device that you have connected to it.

All these reasons clearly state that the device has either stopped responding or is disconnected and keeps popping up errors can result from many situations. Fortunately, we have tried to cover methods to fix the issue for all the causes. Check them out in the next section!

Fortunately, we have tried to cover methods to fix the issue for all the causes. Check them out in the next section!

Methods to Fix “The device has either stopped responding or is disconnected” Error [WORKING]

Method #1 – Check for Physical Connectivity Issues

First, you should check the connection between your device and the PC. Sometimes, loose connections or inconsistencies in connecting the devices cause the error. The physical connectivity issues include – 

1. Loosely connected USB cables/drives.
2. Not Using Authentic Cables to Connect Your Smartphone
3. Using Cables that Are Not in the Best Shape, i.e., cables with cuts and loose ends.

In addition to these, you can also check whether the USB port you are connecting to is loose. If it is, try choosing a different port. If the error lies in the connectivity, this should resolve the issue for you. 

Method #2 – Ensure Your Smartphone is Connected in the Desired Mode

While using a smartphone to copy files, you must set it to a certain mode. For some devices, the mode is called USB Mass Storage mode, while for others, the option is called an MTP device. 

As soon as you connect your smartphone to the PC, you have all the details related to the modes you have on your phone. Make sure you choose the correct one to enable proper data transfer on your phone. 

If the issue persists, you enable USB debugging options on your Android smartphone. To do so – 

Step 1 – Go to the settings of your Android Smartphone.
Step 2 – In settings, scroll down and go to the About Phone section.
Step 3 – In the About Phone section, you will find Developer Options.
Step 4 – If you do not find it, simply navigate to software information in the same menu and tap the build number given on your phone  5 times to make these options appear.Step 5 – Check the USB debugging option in the Developer options and turn it on.

Reconnect your smartphone to the PC and try copying the files. If the error were related to the mode of your connected device, this would work for you!

Method #3 – Run Troubleshooter on Windows

Another way you can resolve the device that has either stopped responding or is disconnected error is by using the inbuilt troubleshooter on Windows. 

Sometimes, the error lies in the connected device but is not detected instantly. Running the troubleshooter is the best thing you can do for such issues!

Here’s how you do it – 

Step 1 – Press Windows + r key on your keyboard to open the Run search box.
Step 2 – In the Run Search, use the command msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and hit enter. Step 3 – This will bring up your hardware and devices troubleshooter on Windows 11/10 PC. Step 4 –  Click on Next to initiate the process of troubleshooting. Step 5 – The process will automatically find the errors on your PC and give you an appropriate solution. 

Once the troubleshooter is done, try retrying the file transfer, and it should work. However, if it still does not, move on to the next fix!

Method #4 – Check the USB Drivers For Updates

The problem here is that two devices are in use; one is your PC, which means the issue might lie with the drivers of your USB controller and the connected USB storage device, which leaves room for the issue to be with the device drivers.

Since there is no embedded automatic way to update both device drivers simultaneously, a user will have to manually look for driver updates using the device manager. 

Here are the steps to perform –

Step 1 – Open the Run Search box.
Step 2 – Use command devmgmt.msc
Step 3 – In the device manager, find USB Controllers.
Step 4 – Right Click to find Update Drivers.
Step 5 – Now, similarly, look for the connected device and right-click on it to update its drivers. 

The entire process of updating a driver in itself is a lengthy one. And in this situation, you are required to perform the same process twice!

Worried about all the time you might have to spend on it? Well, worry no more, as there is an alternate and automatic way to update your drivers, Advanced Driver Updater.

It is a tool specifically designed to make the driver update process simple and automated. All you have to do is – 

• Install the application using the link below.

• Run the application and click on Start Scan Now to initiate the process.
  
• Let the scan run so that it finds all the outdated drivers on your PC.
• Once the list is ready, click Update All to finish the process.
  
• The tool will automatically update all the drivers listed and ask for a final restart.

Allow the software to restart so that all the updates come into effect. Once you are done, the error the device has either stopped responding or disconnected should no longer exist.

Method #5 – Reinstall USB Controller

If you keep getting stuck even after updating the drivers, chances are that your USB controller is at fault. Usually, these controllers are installed by default, hence uninstalling them is never an option. However, you can temporarily uninstall them by using the following steps –

Step 1 – Press Win+R and use the command devmgmt.msc to open Device Manager via the Run search utility.
Step 2 – In Device Manager, simply find the USB controller under Universal Serial Bus Controller.

Step 3 – Select the port controller that is causing the issue and right-click on it to find the uninstall option.
Step 4 – Follow the uninstall instructions and let the process finish.
Step 5 – Keep in mind that the controller is uninstalled but will be reinstalled as soon as your PC restarts. Hence, simply give your PC a restart to reinstall the controller.

Connect your device again and you should be able to copy files without getting the error message again.

Read Also: 10 Things You Wish You Knew Before Updating Device Driver

Cannot Copy Item Error on Windows FIXED!

These 5 methods can easily help you fix the error ‘Cannot copy an item, the device has either stopped responding or is disconnected.’ Any beginner can easily carry out these fixes, which should resolve the error for you. 

If you have further questions, please drop them in the comments section below. That brings us to the end of this post. Thanks for reading, Good luck!

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