How to Check if a USB Pen Drive Has Ever Been Connected to a PC

The computer has a detailed log of all USB devices that have ever connected to it. A USB pen drive, as a small, portable storage device, can be connected to multiple PCs over time. However, by utilizing various methods, you can determine if a specific USB pen drive has been connected to a particular PC. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to do it.

Checking System Logs with Event Viewer

Windows saves a record of USB device connections in the Event Viewer. It’s a straightforward process to check for this:

Press Win R and type to open Event Viewer. In the left pane, navigate to Windows Logs System. In the right pane, click on Filter Current Log.... Search for USB and click OK. Look for Event ID 20001 USB device connected or Event ID 20003 USB device disconnected to see the connection history.

Using Device Manager

Another method is to use Device Manager:

Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand the Disk drives section. If the USB drive is connected, you may see its name here. Right-click on it and select Properties. Check the Details tab and look for the Device Instance Path. This can provide information about the device.

Checking the Windows Registry

You can also check the Windows Registry for details about USB devices:

Press Win R and type regedit to open the Registry Editor. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetEnumUSBSTOR. Here you’ll see a list of USB devices that have been connected to your system along with their connection history.

Using Third-Party Software

Third-party tools can offer detailed information about USB device usage on a PC. Tools like USBDeview can provide a comprehensive overview of all USB devices that have been connected to the system.

Important Notes

If the USB drive has been used on multiple PCs, you will only see the connection history for the specific PC you are checking. If the logs have been cleared, or if the USB drive was used on a different OS, the history may not be available.

By following these methods, you should be able to find out if a USB pen drive has ever been connected to a specific PC.

Important Note: The computer will have a detailed log of all USB devices that have ever connected to it. However, a USB pen drive does not write logs on its own. It is the responsibility of the operating system to keep these records.