Gigabyte OSD_Sidekick: “Please check if your USB cable is connected”

I wanted to find out what firmware my Gigabyte M32Q screen was running, and update it if necessary. The software used to do so is called OSD_Sidekick. Installation was a bit odd – it froze my PC for a few moments. But the installation did finish.

However, OSD_Sidekick.exe wouldn’t recognize my M32Q, instead displaying the error message “Please check if your USB cable is connected”. I quickly verified that my USB cable was, indeed, connected. I know it works too, because I have an iPad and an iPhone connected to my M32Q’s USB hub.

A reboot did not help.

Googling the issue, I found that some people recommended replacing the USB cable. I thought this would be odd, as I am using the USB cable included with the M32Q. On a whim, I disconnected my USB cable and reconnected it. I unplugged it from the rear of my PC, as that’s slightly easier; I am not sure if it matters.

And lo and behold, OSD_Sidekick recognized my M32Q.

My theory is that the USB driver OSD Sidekick installed needed a reconnect event to “discover” the screen.

As an aside, it turned out that my M32Q is already on the latest firmware. However, OSD_Sidekick may still come in handy – apparently you can change most, if not all, settings of the screen without the fiddly rear joystick.