Missing USB Mass storage device driver for WD passport external drive

Hi John,

To make sure if the driver for the device is missing or corrupt and not loaded properly, I would suggest you to get back to us with the Device status shown in the device manager. Refer to these steps:

1. Press Windows key + X, select Device manager.
2. Locate the Device.
3. Check if there is a yellow exclamation mark or a red cross mark over it.
4. Right click on device and select properties.
5. In the General tab, check the device status.

If the device status reports that there is no driver loaded for the device, then I would suggest you to try the steps suggested in this article and check:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-8/all-drivers

Hope this helps. Keep us updated in the results for further assistance.

I downloaded the current drivers for my external drive "WD My Passport

My passport 0748 has a yellow exclamation point

Below is the property message

The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)

There are no compatible drivers for this device.

To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver.

There is no icon for mass storage

Hi,

You might try looking for a updated USB Controller driver... Look at the bottom of Device Manager in Universal Serial Bus Controllers...

You might also try a different USB Port...

I downloaded all the SES drivers, no change

Is there a way to reinstall the mass storage driver.

The external drive icon appears under other devices with a yellow exclamation point

Hi,

Look for USB and\or Chipset drivers from the machines manufacturer...

Look close because there may be more than one USB Chip in your machine...

Ok Ben,

After many attempts at various items I finally got my WD Passport 2500 usb 2.0 drive working.  I did exactly as you directed but let device manager do its thing to find a driver.  Not sure where it found it but suspect it was somewhere in the op system.  I had installed the WD Universal but after I had already upgraded from 7 to 8.1.  I had all my files backed up to the device so damn glad I do not have to go back to win 7 just to retrieve the files.  I was immediately able to access the device and all of my files.  You SO ROCK.

Just as an FYI, there were 2 items that had the exclamation marks, one was the "mass storage device controller" and trying to install drivers did nothing.  I believe it was error code 31 and said it probably did not resolve the problem.  You want to update the other item under "Other devices" = Unknown device and when I chose that one and let it go wherever it needed, Viola.  I am now going to copy everything, compressed to Onedrive and upgrade to 10.

Wish me luck!

A very happy Dell 1745 (unsupported for 10) camper.  Thank goodness I have a new Surface Pro to fall back on but I love the 17" screen on the Dell.  Everything else so far is working superbly. 

Teri