Detecting USB Insertion / Removal Events in Windows using C++

Question

I am writing an extension for an existing application that needs to handle USB insertion/removal events. I know the VID/PID of the device of interest. However, I don\'t ha

Answer 1

This is another way for detecting the INSERTION & REMOVAL of USB storage devices.

This c++ code detect INSERTION and REMOVAL both of USB Storage devices.

This also detect Multiple insertion and removal of USB devices at same time.

c++ code: Tested in VISUAL STUDIO 2015

You can also check for other types of devices for removal and insertion. Just fill passed char array to other types of devices in if else of the code in function getUSBStorageDeviceList()

    #include "stdafx.h"
    #include 
    #include 
    #include 
    #include 
    #include

    using namespace std;

    #define MAX_LETTER 26
    char PREV_DRIVE_LIST[MAX_LETTER];
    char NEW_DRIVE_LIST[MAX_LETTER];

    /* To GET DRIVE LIST in char ARRAY */
    void getUSBStorageDeviceList(char drive[]) {

        int count = 0;

        char szLogicalDrives[MAX_PATH];
        size_t size = strlen(szLogicalDrives) + 1;
        wchar_t* text = new wchar_t[size];

        size_t outSize;
        mbstowcs_s(&outSize, text, size, szLogicalDrives, size - 1);

        DWORD dwResult = GetLogicalDriveStrings(MAX_PATH, text); // text = szLogicalDrives
        WCHAR* szSingleDrive = text;

        while (*szSingleDrive)
        {
            UINT nDriveType = GetDriveType(szSingleDrive);

        //  printf("\nFUNC: getRemovableDisk, Drive Name%d= %s", ++count, szSingleDrive);

            if (nDriveType == DRIVE_UNKNOWN) {
            //  cout << "\nDrive type : Unknown: The drive type cannot be determined." << endl;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_NO_ROOT_DIR) {
            //  cout << "\nDrive type : Invalid Root Directory Media: The root path is invalid." << endl;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_REMOVABLE) {
            //  cout << "\nDrive type :  Removable Media:" << endl;
                char letter = szSingleDrive[0];
                drive[letter - 65] = letter;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_FIXED) {
                //cout << "\nDrive type : Fixed Media: " << endl;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_REMOTE) {
                //cout << "\nDrive type : Remote Media: The drive is a remote (network) drive.." << endl;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_CDROM) {
                //cout << "\nDrive type : CD ROM:   The drive is a CD-ROM drive." << endl;
            }
            else if (nDriveType == DRIVE_RAMDISK) {
                //cout << "\nDrive type : RAM Disk: The drive is a RAM disk." << endl;
            }

            szSingleDrive += wcslen(szSingleDrive) + 1; // next drive 
        }
    }

    int main(void) {

        int count = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LETTER; i++) {
            PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] = '0';
            NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i] = '0';
        }
        // initial drive list which is already attached 
        getUSBStorageDeviceList(PREV_DRIVE_LIST);

        while (1) {

            getUSBStorageDeviceList(NEW_DRIVE_LIST);
            count = 1;

            /* Check for insertion and removabal*/

            for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LETTER; i++) {
                // check for new drive
                if ((NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i] >= 65 && NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i] <= 89) && (PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] == '0')) {

                    printf("\nNew Device Inserted%d : %c", count++, NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i]);
                    PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] = NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i];
                }
            }
                // fill ALl zero 
                for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LETTER; i++) {
                    NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i] = '0';
                }
                // update NEW drive list
                getUSBStorageDeviceList(NEW_DRIVE_LIST);

                for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LETTER; i++) {
                    // check for removed drive
                    if ((PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] >= 65 && PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] <= 89) && (NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i] == '0')) {
                        printf("\nDevice Removed%d : %c", count++, PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i]);
                        PREV_DRIVE_LIST[i] = NEW_DRIVE_LIST[i];
                    }
            }
                Sleep(500);
        }

        return 0;
    }

REMARK : This does not create Any windows. This is console Application.