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Windows will randomly play the sound that identifies when hardware is removed, or when its detected. I don't have any USB hubs and am not even using the system when I sometimes hear it play the soundbytes. Is there some event log or notification or some control panel to identify what the most recent added or removed hardware device was that caused the sound??

It may come across as a little OCD, but I want to know what's causing this. Fun little side story, back when SandForce SSDs were at the height of their bugs it was common for Windows to helpfully play the device-removed sound when the SSD hosting the C drive vanished from the system. Windows would then lock up or BSoD a few minutes later, but quick users could check my computer or Disk management and verify the root drive was missing before the system abruptly crashed.

I've already snapped images of the expanded device manager panel and will see if I can identify the device that way next time I hear the sound, but surely there's a better way to find this information?

these are really just random Windows sounds hitting your system? I know it's the same sound every time, what I mean is you have no clue why they're popping up? That is really odd. I would think you'd have some idea...something you were doing immediately before the little tune plays...

sorry I can't help solve your issue - just wondering out loud how weird this is...Me I turn off all the OS sounds; one of the first things I do.

Let us know what it was when you figure it out - I know I'm not the only one interested.

IIRC, those device attach/unattach events get logged via the Service Control Manager as Event ID 7036. IME things like this are often the result of power management -- something (like a USB hub or LAN card) goes into a lower power state and looks "disconnected" to Windows. You can often fix the problem either in the BIOS for the device or via devmgmt.msc (eg for USB hubs, go into the Power Management tab in the properties for the hub and uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off this device" option). Don't overlook motherboard devices that might be connected via USB rather than PCI(e) -- you have USB hubs inside your system even if you don't have an external one, and low bandwidth devices may be hanging off that (motherboard bluetooth and WiFi are commonly implemented that way, for example).

http://dfstream.blogspot.com/2014/01/th ... evice.html

Not sure the status of the log in Windows 7 right off, but in Windows 8 the log will need to be enabled through the Event Log.

Event Viewer > Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > DriverFrameworks-UserMode > Operational

Enable log will be on the right hand side under Actions

UberGerbil wrote:

IIRC, those device attach/unattach events get logged via the Service Control Manager as Event ID 7036. IME things like this are often the result of power management -- something (like a USB hub or LAN card) goes into a lower power state and looks "disconnected" to Windows. You can often fix the problem either in the BIOS for the device or via devmgmt.msc (eg for USB hubs, go into the Power Management tab in the properties for the hub and uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off this device" option). Don't overlook motherboard devices that might be connected via USB rather than PCI(e) -- you have USB hubs inside your system even if you don't have an external one, and low bandwidth devices may be hanging off that (motherboard bluetooth and WiFi are commonly implemented that way, for example).

I looked through the Service Control Manager, the recent 7036 logs are almost completely regarding web services like proxy auto discovery, time syncing, and other windows services starting up or stopping? Couldn't find any that were hardware-related, although there's many pages of entries to wade through so I didn't check every single one. Will check it the next time I hear Windows adding or removing something. The issue is if I don't even know which device is being powered on or off in the first place, then I have no way to modify how windows handles it's power management properties. There's hardly any USB devices connected anyway, those that are are turned off physically such as the printer, drive dock, etc. And I'd notice if my mouse quit working Most of the rest are just empty cables I leave attached to the back of the desktop for quick device connects. Thanks for the reply!

Ryu Connor wrote:

http://dfstream.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-windows-7-event-log-and-usb-device.html

Not sure the status of the log in Windows 7 right off, but in Windows 8 the log will need to be enabled through the Event Log.

Event Viewer > Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > DriverFrameworks-UserMode > Operational

Enable log will be on the right hand side under Actions

That link is pretty cool, I'm definitely bookmarking that for the next time I need to dig through event logs for anything specific.

Found it, at least on my machine it was already enabled! This is great, it has notes regarding power management activities for all attached hardware. There's no entries for the date in question which is odd... the next time I hear anything I'll check this device log. Thanks for the pointers!

I should mention I don't typically leave USB flash drives plugged into my desktop due to how hot some of them get when not even used, nor do I have external drives. I've also disabled the Windows spin-down timer on internal drives to save on wear and tear, so those can't be it either. I'll post back after it happens again if I find anything.

Or if you don't mind writing a little code, check out http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa363205(v=vs.85).aspx

Hello.

I had precisely this same issue with random USB connect/disconnect sounds.

In my case, it was one particular Siig combination USB 2.0 + USB 3.0 hub that I used to drive a couple of non-critical peripherals. I found it through process of elimination combined with a little bit of luck and an educated guess or two.

Due to time constraints, I did not try to debug the device; I just decided I'd leave that hub disconnected unless I need one of the peripherals.

Guess I should update this thread for anyone else that stumbles by.

None of the event log areas mentioned logged the device in question but I was able to figure it out through the device manager screenshots I'd made.Turns out it was a "Generic PnP monitor", or in otherwords it was my HDTV. The surge-protected power strip wasn't making a good connection so all it'd take was a bump to unpower the TV, which would in turn drop it from my system. That combined with the occasionally loose HDMI connection at the back of my desktop (which gets rolled around a bit) probably were the main culprits.