You connect a USB device through a USB-C hub.

Maybe it is a:

• USB flash drive;
• external SSD;
• keyboard;
• mouse;
• printer;
• webcam;
• audio device.

Windows detects something, but the device does not work correctly.

You open:

Device Manager → Device Properties → Events

and find a message such as:

Device not migrated

or:

Device settings were not migrated from previous OS installation

Sometimes it also mentions a:

partial or ambiguous match.

It is tempting to assume the USB-C hub caused a hardware failure.

But that message is about Windows device configuration and driver migration, not necessarily a broken USB port.

The first question should be:

Is “Device not migrated” the current failure—or just an older event in the device's history?

That distinction determines what you should do next.

Open the Migration Case File

Before changing anything, collect four pieces of evidence.

Open:

Device Manager → affected device → Properties

Then check:

General

Driver

Details

Events

Record:

Do not diagnose the device from one old Events entry alone.

Windows records multiple device-installation events over time.

Case Verdict 1 — “Device Not Migrated” Is Old, but the Device Works Now

Suppose the Events list looks like:

Device not migrated

then later:

Device configured

then:

Device started

and the General tab says:

This device is working properly.

In that situation, the old migration entry may not represent the device's current state.

The practical test matters more:

Does the device work now?

If:

• the SSD mounts;
• the mouse works;
• the printer prints;
• the webcam appears;
• the flash drive transfers files;

do not start uninstalling USB controllers just because an older event contains “not migrated.”

An old Device Not Migrated event is not automatically a current Device Manager error.

Check the latest event and present device status first.

Case Verdict 2 — The Device Is Still Broken Even When Connected Directly

Now remove the USB-C hub from the test.

Compare:

Path A

Laptop → USB Device Direct

Path B

Laptop → USB-C Hub → USB Device

If the device fails in both paths, the hub is unlikely to be the primary cause.

Focus on:

Windows driver state

device driver package

device firmware

Windows Update

or:

the USB device itself.

This is where a clean driver reinstall becomes appropriate.

Rebuild the Device Instance Once, Cleanly

For the affected device—not every USB controller—use:

Device Manager → Right-click device → Uninstall device

Then:

1. Disconnect the USB device.
2. Restart Windows.
3. Wait until the desktop fully loads.
4. Connect the device directly.
5. Let Windows enumerate it again.
6. Check the Events tab.

Microsoft's official Windows driver update and reinstall guidance recommends Windows Update as the normal source for driver updates and also documents uninstalling a device through Device Manager and restarting Windows so the driver can be reinstalled.

Do not begin by uninstalling:

every USB Root Hub

every xHCI controller

and:

every USB device

at the same time.

That can make the diagnosis harder and may temporarily disable USB input devices.

If the Problem Started After Windows Update

A migration error often becomes noticeable after:

Windows feature update

driver update

chipset update

or:

hardware configuration change.

If the device worked immediately before an update, check:

Device Manager → Device → Properties → Driver

Look for:

Roll Back Driver

if it is available.

Microsoft notes that rolling back a device driver can be useful when the issue began after a recent update.

Also check the laptop manufacturer's official support page for:

• chipset driver;
• USB controller driver;
• Thunderbolt driver;
• USB4 software;
• BIOS/UEFI updates.

Avoid random third-party “driver updater” utilities.

For USB and chipset problems, the laptop manufacturer's package is usually more useful than an unknown generic driver installer.

Case Verdict 3 — Direct Works, but the Same Device Fails Through the Hub

This result changes the investigation.

Suppose:

Direct

USB device → Laptop

Works normally.

Through Hub

USB device → USB-C Hub → Laptop

Shows problems or appears with a Device Not Migrated event.

Now the device itself has already demonstrated that it can work with Windows.

The next question becomes:

What changes when the device is enumerated behind the USB-C hub?

Windows Plug and Play identifies USB devices using hardware identifiers and device-instance information. Moving a device behind another USB hub changes its position in the PnP connection tree, even though the actual accessory may be the same. Microsoft documents that Plug and Play assigns a unique device instance ID to each device node and uses device identification strings when matching hardware to driver packages.

You do not need to edit these IDs manually.

You only need to compare them.

Compare the Device Identity

In Device Manager:

Device → Properties → Details

Check:

Hardware Ids

Example:

USB\VID_1234&PID_5678

Then check:

Device Instance Path

Compare the direct connection with the hub connection.

If the Hardware ID remains the same, Windows is still seeing the same device type.

If the behavior changes only behind the hub, investigate:

• hub USB data path;
• host USB-C port;
• hub connection;
• power stability;
• hub enumeration;
• parent USB controller.

Also use:

Device Manager → View → Devices by connection

to see where the device appears in the USB topology.

“Device Not Migrated” Is Not the Same as Code 43

This distinction is important for SEO and diagnosis.

Device Not Migrated

Usually found in:

Properties → Events

It relates to device configuration/migration history.

Code 43

Usually appears as an active Device Manager status:

Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)

These should not be treated as the same error.

If you see:

Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)

or:

Code 43

use the dedicated Device Descriptor Request Failed and Code 43 troubleshooting guide.

That error occurs earlier in USB recognition and requires a different troubleshooting path.

Device Not Migrated = device configuration history.

Device Descriptor Request Failed = USB enumeration failure.

Check Whether Windows Actually Installed the Correct Driver

Open:

Properties → Driver

Record:

• Driver Provider
• Driver Date
• Driver Version
• Driver Details

For many ordinary USB devices such as:

keyboard

mouse

USB storage

Windows may use built-in class drivers.

Other devices—such as:

printers

USB audio interfaces

special webcams

or:

vendor-specific hardware

may require a manufacturer's driver package.

If Windows installed a generic driver but the device requires vendor software, download the current driver only from:

Windows Update

or:

the hardware manufacturer's official site.

When the Events Tab Is Not Enough, Read SetupAPI.dev.log

For difficult cases, Windows keeps a much deeper record of device and driver installation.

Open:

C:\Windows\INF\setupapi.dev.log

Microsoft's official SetupAPI device installation log documentation explains that the Plug and Play manager and SetupAPI write device and driver installation operations to SetupAPI.dev.log.

Search the log for:

VID_xxxx

PID_xxxx

or the device's instance ID.

The log can reveal:

• which driver package Windows considered;
• whether installation was attempted;
• whether a driver match was found;
• where installation failed.

This is especially useful when:

Device Manager gives only a vague migration event

but:

the device still does not work.

Do Not Blame Driver Migration If the Entire Hub Is Missing

There is another boundary.

If:

Hub itself does not appear

and:

none of its USB devices work

the problem is broader than one migrated accessory.

Check:

• host USB-C connection;
• cable;
• laptop port;
• hub power;
• USB controller;
• system firmware.

Use the separate USB-C hub not recognized troubleshooting guide for that scenario.

This article assumes Windows can at least see the affected device or its device-installation history.

Use a Simple Hub Path to Isolate Driver Behavior

Replacing hardware does not directly repair a Windows migration record.

But a simpler hub can be useful as a test reference when you are trying to answer:

Does this device fail behind every hub, or only behind one topology?

For USB-C peripherals, a USB-C hub with four USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps data ports gives a straightforward USB-C data layout.

The LENTION CE31s provides four 10Gbps USB-C data ports plus a separate PD input supporting up to 100W pass-through. Its USB-C downstream ports are designated for data rather than display output.

That makes it useful when comparing:

USB-C Device Direct

versus:

USB-C Device Through Hub

without mixing in HDMI, Ethernet, card readers, and other interfaces.

For USB-A accessories, a four-port USB 3.0 hub with a separate PD charging input provides another clean test layout.

The LENTION CB-C31 offers four 5Gbps USB-A data ports and up to 60W PD pass-through, with external PD power also available to support attached peripherals.

Neither product should be described as:

“fixing Device Not Migrated.”

Their role is simply to provide a clearly defined USB path for comparison.

Read the Case File Like This

This is much more useful than treating every “Device Not Migrated” entry as the same failure.

Quick Answers

What does “Device Not Migrated” mean in Windows?

It indicates that Windows recorded a problem carrying forward or matching part of the device configuration during device or system configuration.

Does Device Not Migrated mean the hardware is broken?

No. Check the latest Events entry and current Device Manager status. A device can have an older migration event and still be working normally now.

Why does the device work directly but not through my USB-C hub?

The hub adds another USB topology layer. Test the hub's data path, USB port, power, and device enumeration rather than assuming the device driver itself is defective.

Should I reinstall the driver?

If the device is currently malfunctioning, uninstalling the specific device and allowing Windows to reinstall it is a reasonable step. Microsoft also recommends Windows Update and official manufacturer drivers.

Is Device Not Migrated the same as Code 43?

No. Device Not Migrated is typically an installation/migration event. Code 43 is an active Device Manager error status.

Where can I find detailed device installation logs?

Windows stores device installation records in:

C:\Windows\INF\setupapi.dev.log

Microsoft documents this file as the SetupAPI device installation log.

Final Takeaway

When Windows shows Device Not Migrated after connecting a USB device through a USB-C hub, do not immediately reinstall every USB driver.

Open the migration case file:

Current Status

→ Latest Event

→ Direct vs. Hub

→ Hardware ID

→ Driver

→ SetupAPI Log

The most important rule is:

A Device Not Migrated event is evidence from Windows' device-installation history—not automatically proof of a current hardware failure.

If the device works now, an older migration event may not require action.

If the device fails directly and through the hub, rebuild or update its driver.

If it works directly but fails only behind the USB-C hub, shift the investigation toward:

USB topology

hub data path

power

and:

device enumeration.

That turns a vague Windows migration message into a much more precise driver or connection diagnosis.