My NZXT Device is not Recognized in CAM

Unfortunately there are times where the CAM software may stop recognizing your CAM-powered hardware.  This can happen for a number of reasons including but not limited to changes in your system software, a hardware interruption, or a power state issue.  Thankfully with a few simple steps, we can get the hardware recognized properly.

Is my NZXT product NZXT CAM compatible?

Depending on the NZXT product you have, the device may or may not include NZXT CAM functionality.  To find this out, please see our compatibility guide:

Is my NZXT Device Compatible with NZXT CAM?

Is Your NZXT Device Recognized by Windows?

The best place to start is to check if the hardware is being detected by Windows itself.  To do this, open the Start menu and search for “Control Panel” in the search bar and launch the application.

In the Control Panel, select “View devices and printers” or if you are in Icon view, “Devices and Printers”.

In the Devices and Printers menu, all NZXT devices connected to the PC should be listed.
 

• Mice, Keyboards, Capture Devices, and Audio Devices will be listed under the top “Devices” section.
• RGB and Fan Controllers (including those integrated with NZXT motherboards), USB connected Kraken coolers (X and Z series, M22), and other devices will be listed under the “Unspecified” section.

RGB and Fan Controllers, including those integrated with NZXT motherboards, will be listed as “NZXT USB Device” or "NZXT RGB Controller" for newer controllers, while Kraken coolers will show up with the names such as “Asetek USB Device”, “NZXT Kraken Device”, “NZXT KrakenZ Device”, or “NZXT KrakenX Device”.

If there are any devices listed as Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed), this could indicate a power state issue with the device itself.  If you see any devices listed this way, see the following section for power cycling your device.

If the device is not detected at all, jump ahead to Checking NZXT Device Connections.

Power Cycling Your NZXT Device

USB Device Descriptor Request Failed

In order to Power Cycle your CAM powered device, you only need to do the following steps:
 

1. In the Device Manager or Devices and Printers menu, right-click the device and choose “Uninstall Device” (Device Manager) or “Remove Device “(Devices and Printers)”
2. Shutdown the PC safely from within Windows, then unplug the computer from wall power.
3. Hold the Power button on the PC for 30 seconds to drain any residual power.  It is recommended to also allow the PC to sit for 5-10 minutes with the power cable disconnected to ensure any residual power is drained.
4. Plug the power cable back into the PC and start the computer.
5. Check the Device Manager or Devices and Printers Menu, as well as the NZXT CAM software to see if the device is detected again.

Checking NZXT Device Connections

A common reason a device may not be detected in Windows or the CAM software is due to an issue with the physical connection from the device to the motherboard.  To check this, shutdown your PC and check the Internal USB 2.0 cable for the device.

If you are using a USB Hub, Adapter, Splitter, or similar device:  It is recommended to connect the device directly to the motherboard while troubleshooting, as intermediary devices can cause detection issues.  For this reason, please remove any attached hubs, splitters, or adapters between the device and the motherboard, including splitters included with the device such as the USB Y-Splitter included with the Kraken RGB series coolers.

Most motherboards will include either one or two Internal USB 2.0 headers which can be identified through the user's manual.  If your motherboard does not have an Internal USB 2.0 header, it will not be directly compatible with NZXT CAM powered devices.  It is recommended that if your motherboard has more than one header to try switching the header used by the device to confirm if the cable or device may be at fault.

If your NZXT device does not detect while connected directly to the motherboard's Internal USB 2.0 header(s), this could mean that there is an issue with either the USB cable or the device.  If your NZXT device has a detachable USB cable (see list below), try connecting the device to an open external USB port on your motherboard's rear I/O or through an external PC such as a laptop.

• NZXT Devices using Micro USB:  Kraken X3 series, Kraken Z3 series, Hue+ Controller, Hue 2, Hue 2 Ambient, Grid V2, and Grid V3.
• NZXT Devices using Mini USB:  Kraken X2 series, Kraken M22

Newer Krakens, such as the Kraken/Kraken Elite 240, 280, and 360 do not include a removable USB cable.

If your device does not detect using an alternative cable, or if the cable is not removable, this may indicate that the device itself is defective and needs to be replaced.

Kraken X Chipset Drivers

In some cases you may run into a situation where the Kraken is being detected as an “Unknown Device” in the Windows device manager or the device driver does not load properly.  If you encounter this issue, you may need to manually install the chipset driver.

Extract the provided chipset driver file, then right-click the AseUSB.inf file and select “Install”.  Once the driver is installed, restart your PC and confirm if the device is being detected.

My NZXT device is still not detected, what do I do?

If after following the steps above your NZXT device is still not detected, then the device itself may be at fault and needs to be replaced.  For further assistance, including warranty claims and setting up an RMA for the device please reach out to our Customer Support team.