What Is A Base System Device? – Examples and Solutions

If you’re wondering what a Base System Device is, and how to fix this device-related trouble, then you’re not alone. There are plenty of PC users out there who have experienced or are experiencing troubles with their Base System Devices that have been listed under the Other Devices category in the Device Manager. This article will discuss what a Base System Device is, and it will provide several specific examples. We will also talk about two possible solutions for fixing this problem.

What is a Base System Device?

Base System Device is a generic term used in Device Manager to label unrecognized hardware devices attached to your computer. This term may refer to the built-in card reader of your computer or to an unrecognized generic card reader that you’ve just attached to your PC. There are also cases where it refers to a chipset component of your computer. In some instances, you may even have more than one Base System Device listed in the Device Manager. The main reason why this problem occurs is because the device drivers are not installed.

Two Examples

Below are two examples of hardware devices that were listed as Base System Devices first:

  1. Ricoh MS Controller – There are PC users who experienced having only one problematic device, and they fixed it after installing the right drivers for Ricoh MS Controller. There are also PC users who experienced having more than one of them listed. After installing the correct drivers, they found out that the devices were Ricoh MS Controller, Ricoh SC Controller, Ricoh SD/Host Controller, and Ricoh XD Picture Card Controller.
  2. Intel DMA Engine – Unlike the most common examples, which are SD card readers, Intel DMA Engine is a chipset component. PC users solved their Intel DMA Engine trouble by reinstalling or updating their chipset drivers.

Solutions for Fixing Base System Device Problems

If you’re going to view the properties of your device, the most common error code provided is Code 28, stating that “The drivers for this device are not installed.” The recommended solution provided in Device Manager is to click the “Update Driver” button, but most of the time, it doesn’t work at all.

Aside from the Update Driver button, you can try one of the two options below:

  1. Manual Driver Download – You can use the VEN and DEV IDs of your device to download the required drivers manually online. After you identify your device correctly, it is recommended to download the drivers from the official website of your hardware device manufacturer.
  2. Automatic Driver Download – You can also use a reliable driver update tool. This tool will automate the task of identifying your problematic device, and downloading the latest available drivers for it.

As a recap, Base System Device is a term which may refer to the built-in card reader or an unrecognized generic card reader attached to your computer, and it may also refer to a chipset component. Aside from the Update Driver button in Device Manager, you can also try to download the required drivers manually or you can use a reliable driver update tool.