The Targus PA088E is a legacy USB-to-Serial (RS232) adapter. Because this hardware was designed for older operating systems (Windows XP/7), there is no official, native driver supported by Targus for Windows 10 or Windows 11.
However, the device is functional on Windows 10 64-bit using a generic chipset driver. The PA088E typically utilizes an Prolific PL-2303 chipset internally.
Short answer: No. Targus never released an official, certified driver for Windows 10 64-bit for the PA088E. The last official drivers from Targus for this model were for Windows 7 and Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit). Support for this docking station was officially discontinued around 2013–2014.
Long answer: The device can sometimes function using generic DisplayLink drivers, but with significant caveats. targus+pa088e+driver+windows+10+64+bit+link
You might plug the PA088E into your modern Windows 10 64-bit laptop and see “USB Composite Device” with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. When you click “Update Driver,” Windows tells you it found nothing.
Why? Because the PA088E was released in the Windows Vista/7 era. The Windows 10 update catalog does not include legacy DisplayLink drivers by default. Furthermore, Microsoft has strict driver signing requirements for 64-bit operating systems. Old, unsigned drivers will be rejected automatically.
This is why finding a valid targus pa088e driver windows 10 64 bit link requires care. Many websites offer malware disguised as drivers. The Targus PA088E is a legacy USB-to-Serial (RS232) adapter
First, let’s clarify what this device actually does. The Targus PA088E is a USB 2.0 Graphics Adapter. It converts a standard USB 2.0 port into either a DVI or VGA output. This allows you to add a second or third external monitor to a laptop that only has one video output.
Key specifications:
Because the graphics data is compressed and sent over USB—rather than directly via your GPU—Windows needs a translation layer. That translation layer is the DisplayLink driver. Short answer: No
Important note: Targus does not actually manufacture the chip inside this dock. DisplayLink does. Therefore, there is no “Targus PA088E driver” specifically. You need the generic DisplayLink driver that supports the DL-165 chipset.
Open Control Panel > Programs and Features. If you see any “DisplayLink” entries, uninstall them. Reboot your computer.
Given that the PA088E was designed for Windows 7-era hardware and lacks official Windows 10 64-bit support, most users find the dock unusable for video output. A modern USB 3.0 or USB-C docking station (even a budget model) will be:
After reboot, check the following:
| Component | How to verify |
|-----------|----------------|
| Video out (VGA) | Right-click desktop → Display Settings → Detect (you may need to click "Multiple displays" → Extend) |
| Ethernet (LAN) | Control Panel → Network Connections – Look for "DisplayLink Ethernet Adapter" |
| Audio | Sound settings → Output device – "DisplayLink Audio" |
| Driver version | Device Manager → Display adapters → DisplayLink DL-1x5 → Driver tab → Version should be 7.6.56276.0 |