One of the best features of Windows is that it automatically downloads and installs the correct driver files for each device hardware connected to the computer. Plug and Play (PnP) devices, such as monitors, hard drives, keyboards, etc., do not require driver installation and can be used immediately.
However, as is often the case, Windows cannot always manage the automatic configuration of connected devices, so Sometimes manual intervention is necessaryMany of us connect a second monitor to increase the amount of screen space available, have more Windows applications in the foreground, increase multitasking efficiency, and get a better gaming experience.
Once you connect the second monitor's HDMI/VGA cable to your CPU, Windows will automatically start it. If it doesn't, a typical PnP monitor error is displayed. The error message indicates that the hardware monitor driver cannot be loaded.
The newly connected monitor is marked with a yellow exclamation mark on the Device administrator, which indicates that Windows does not recognize the device. This problem most often occurs in users who have recently upgraded from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10.
Other causes of common PnP monitor problems are corrupted or incompatible PnP drivers, Outdated graphics drivers, missing system files, or faulty connections (cables).
You can also read: How to Change Monitor Refresh Rate
What is PnP Common Monitor in Windows 10?
PnP is short for Plug and Play. It is used to connect external devices (monitors, devices) to a network. USB) to a Windows computer. Thus, when you connect a monitor (Dell, ASUS, other brands) or USB devices (keyboard, mouse) to the computer, the system automatically detects the device and installs the appropriate drivers for it to work properly.
A generic PnP display driver for Windows 10 It means that one of the generic display drivers is installed on Windows 10 and may work without problems, although it may not work as perfectly as the manufacturer's display driver.
For example, this type of PnP monitor driver does not allow you to set the optimal screen resolution and refresh rate. Typically, your monitor is located under Display Settings > Advanced Settings > Monitor > Properties.
But unfortunately, if a monitor driver is missing or the installation fails on Windows 10, your monitor will appear as a normal PnP monitor and you will see a normal PnP/non-PnP monitor with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager.
If you realize that There may be a problem with the generic PnP monitor driver, it's time to fix it in Windows 10 Device Manager.
What does a typical PNP monitor look like?
When you open Device Manager on your laptop, you will see a generic list of PNP monitors and no yellow exclamation mark. This is normal, as most laptop monitors have a yellow exclamation mark. portable They appear as normal PNP monitors. Everything, such as the display and monitor settings, works fine.
However, a common PNP/non-PnP monitor problem usually occurs in the following situations:
- After upgrading from Windows 7, 8 to Windows 10, the desktop monitor or all-in-one computer monitor is replaced with a generic PNP monitor or a generic non-PNP monitor, sometimes with a yellow error.
- When the monitor is connected to the computer using an HDIMI cable or a VGA cable, the computer does not recognize the monitor and it does not appear in the Device Manager. When the video card driver is removed, a generic PnP monitor appears.
- When you add a second monitor to your computer, one appears as a real monitor and the other appears as a generic PnP monitor in Device Manager.
- Someone reported that after adding new hardware like SSD and upgrade to Windows 10, the monitor is unstable and the computer shows changes in the real monitor and the shared PnP monitor.
If you remember that there may be a problem with the common PnP monitor driver, it's time to fix it in Windows 10 Device Manager.
How to fix generic PnP monitor issue in Windows 10
The problem is mainly caused by issues with the video card driver or PnP driver. Both problems can be solved by uninstalling the current drivers. (which are permanently corrupted or incompatible) and replacing them with updated ones.
This can be done through the built-in Device Manager or by downloading a third-party driver updater application such as Driver BoosterOther possible solutions to the problem are repairing corrupted system files and updating to the latest version of Windows.
Method 1: Reconnect the cables
First of all, as trivial as it may seem, Try reconnecting the monitor power and HDMI/VGA cable. Before reconnecting, blow air through the connectors to remove any debris that may be blocking the connection. If you have another set of cables handy, use those and see if the same problem occurs.
- Close all active application windows, click the power icon in the Start menu, and Select Exit.
- With the computer completely turned off, turn off the power switch and carefully unplug the power cord from the monitor.
- After 10 minutes, disconnect the video cable that connects the monitor to the system unit.
- Leave both cables disconnected for 10-15 minutes and reconnect them to their respective ports.
- Restart your computer and Check if the problem with the common PnP monitor persists.
Method 2: Remove common PnP drivers
As mentioned above, users do not need to install drivers for PnP devices such as monitors because they are configured automatically. When Windows is unable to recognize/configure a connected device, install some generic drivers to fix the problem.
Sometimes, these generic drivers are outdated or incompatible with the hardware, leading to a common PnP issue. In such cases, users should uninstall the current drivers and allow Windows to find new drivers.
- Press Windows and R to open the window commands Run, type devmgmt.msc and press OK to open Device Manager. You can also search directly in the Cortana search bar.
- In the Device Manager window, Double click on Monitor or click the right arrow to expand it.
- Right click on the common PnP monitor and select Uninstall device.
- A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation. Click Uninstall to confirm.
- After uninstalling the drivers, Expand the Actions menu and select Check for hardware changes.
- Restart your computer and Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers.
Method 2: Update common PnP drivers
If the drivers installed by the operating system do not solve the problem, the user must update them manually. Also You can download the latest drivers from the website from the manufacturer and install them like any other application file (.exe).
- Follow steps 1 and 2 of the previous method, that is, open Device Manager and expand the Monitor category.
- Right click on the common PnP monitor and select Update Driver.
- In the next window Select Check Automatically ControllersWindows searches the Internet for new and updated drivers for your computer and installs them automatically.
- If Windows does not find the updated driver files, Click Browse my computer for drivers.
- In the next window, click Let me pick from a list of available drivers for my computer.
- Check the box next to Show hardware compatible. Select the Universal PnP display driver and click Next to install it.
- Wait for the installation to complete and close all active windows.
Method 3: Update your video card drivers
In addition to updating PnP drivers, many users have solved the problem by updating their video card drivers. The procedure is similar to updating PnP drivers.
- Open Device Manager again and expand the Display Adapter category.
- Right click on the video card on your computer and Select Update Driver.
- Select Automatically check for drivers again and allow Windows to search for updated drivers.
When the updated drivers are installed, restart your computer.
Method 4: Perform a scan with System File Checker.
In rare cases, a new Windows update can corrupt some system files and cause some issues. A virus attack or a malicious application can also corrupt system files and drivers.
Start by checking for viruses, remove any malware unknown and then use the System File Checker tool to restore corrupted or missing system files.
- Search Symbol of the system in the search bar Of start, right-click the search result and select Run as administrator.
- In the pop-up window, type sfc/scannow and press Enter to execute the command.
- The scan will take more than a few minutes to reach 100%. No close the command line window until the scan is complete. Restart your computer after the scan is complete.
Method 5: Refresh the window
If the problem is due to a bug in the current version of Windows on your computer, return to a previous version or update to the latest version.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings, then click Updates & Security.
- In the tab Windows Update, Click Check for updates. If new operating system updates are available, download and install them as soon as possible.
Conclusion
We have compiled a list of solutions for Fix a common Windows 10 PnP monitor problemNow it's your turn to fix and update Windows with driver issues.
Hopefully you can resolve your Windows 10 pnp driver issue with the troubleshooting solutions in this article. After fixing the problem, run the tool recommended above on your computer to get it fixed quickly and without errors.
You can also read: Fix: Upside Down Screen Problem in Windows 10
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.