A device attached to the system is not functioning

Hi hiramj5077,

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

It sounds like you are currently having a problem that receiving "a device attached to the system is not functioning" while installing software. Sorry for the inconvenience.

To understand your problem and help you solve it better,may I ask what version of Windows are you using? You can press Windows+R on the keyboard to open the Run > Type winver in the box > OK to check the version of Windows, you can provide photos or screenshots of the page. (Please take care to protect your privacy.)

And id you connect the software related device via USB?

As for your problem, you can try the following solutions first to see if they can solve your problem:

1. Update the Windows to the latest.
2. Update the **** Driver if you connect the software related device via USB.

Update Universal Serial Bus Controllers driver in Windows to the latest (Right click on Start > Device Manager > Right-click on the driver to update)

Or go to the manufacturer's official website to update and re-download the driver.

3. Try the repair command to repair system files.

Type CMD in the search box,select the "Command Prompt" and "Run as administrator".Type the following commands in sequence and press Enter：

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

sfc /scannow

Then restart the computer.

Feel free to post back if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Sawa | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.

* If your problem is not solved, you could reply to the post again and we would continue to provide technical support for you.

* Kindly Mark and Vote this reply if it helps, as it will be beneficial to more community members reading here.

Sawa:

Thanks for your advice.

But when I enter the commands, the following message appear. I am the administrator of this computer but the option "Run as administrator" did no appear:

How can I solve this new problem?

The version of Windows I am using is Windows 10 as you can see below:

I will appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Hiram

Hi Sawa:

When I tried to download the MediaCreationTool the following message appears:

Do you have another suggestion to solve this problem?

Thanks,

Hiram

Hi,

Since your picture involves personal information, I have erased it, please pay attention to protect your personal privacy.

Depending on the current situation, you may need to cover the installation to repair the system.

Cover installation system:Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Click "Download Tool Now" to download the  MediaCreationTool to cover installation system to repair the system.

What I want to know is whether the tax software you want to use needs to be driven by an external device like a USB or just a software?

Best Regards,

Sawa | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.

* If your problem is not solved, you could reply to the post again and we would continue to provide technical support for you.

* Kindly Mark and Vote this reply if it helps, as it will be beneficial to more community members reading here.

Hi Hiram.

Is it unable to choose to run as administrator? Is any application not running as administrator optional? Please try again right click Start > Windows Powershell (Administrator) > Type the following commands in sequence and press Enter：

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

sfc /scannow

Then restart the computer.

And I have not been informed whether you are connected to any software related devices?

To continue troubleshooting, try a clean boot to eliminate third-party software interference.

Please check here for details:How to perform a clean boot in Windows (microsoft.com)

Disclaimer: A “clean boot” starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps to determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program and to isolate the cause of a problem. These steps of "clean boot" might look complicated at first glance. However, to avoid any trouble for you, please follow them in order and step-by step so that it will help you get you back on track.

Best Regards,

Sawa | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

* Beware of scammers posting fake support numbers here.

* If your problem is not solved, you could reply to the post again and we would continue to provide technical support for you.

* Kindly Mark and Vote this reply if it helps, as it will be beneficial to more community members reading here.