Advertisement

Device Manager Error Codes in Windows

Device Manager is a special tool in Windows that allows managing drivers and parameters for the installed hardware. It shows detailed information about each installed device.

Advertisеment

Device manager can show hidden devices. This is helpful when you are testing the installation of a new PnP device. Device Manager provides detailed information in the Properties dialog for each device. Right-click the name of the device, and then click Properties. The GeneralDriverDetails, and Events tabs contain information that can be useful when you debug errors.

You can find an error code for a device in Device Manager by opening its properties dialog.
Windows 10 Device Manager Error Code

If your device is required to start the computer, a problem with your device installation can prevent the computer from starting. In these cases, you have to use the kernel debugger to troubleshoot your device installation.

If your device is not required to start the computer, Device Manager places a yellow exclamation point next that device's name in the Device Manager dialog. Device Manager also provides an error message describing the problem.

Here are error codes that are generated by Device Manager in Windows along with solutions you can apply to resolve the appropriate issue.

Contents hide
Device Manager Error Codes in Windows

Device Manager Error Codes in Windows

Code 1: This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)

Cause
The device has no drivers installed on your computer, or the drivers are configured incorrectly.Recommended ResolutionUpdate the DriverIn the device's Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver. If updating the driver does not work, see your hardware documentation for more information.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. Windows may have the driver built-in, or may still have the driver files installed from the last time that you set up the device. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor's website.

Code 3: The driver for this device might be corrupted, or your system may be running low on memory or other resources. (Code 3)

Cause
The device driver may be corrupted, or you are running out of memory; the system is running low on system memory and may need to free up or add more memory.Recommended ResolutionsClose some open applicationsIf the computer has insufficient memory to run the device, you can close some applications to make memory available. You can also check memory and system resources, and the virtual memory settings.
  • To check memory and system resources, open Task Manager. To do this, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and then click Task Manager.
  • To check virtual memory settings, open the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings in the Performance area.

Uninstall and reinstall the driver

The device driver may have become corrupted. Uninstall the driver from Device Manager and scan for new hardware to install the driver again.

  • In the device's Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Uninstall. Follow the instructions.
  • Restart your computer.
  • Open Device Manager, click Action, and then click Scan for hardware changes. Follow the instructions.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. Windows may have the driver built-in, or may still have the driver files installed from the last time that you set up the device. However, sometimes, it will open the New Hardware Wizard which may ask for the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor's website.

Install additional RAM

You may have to install additional random access memory (RAM)

Code 9: Windows cannot identify this hardware because it does not have a valid hardware identification number. For assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer. (Code 9)

Cause

Invalid device IDs for your hardware have been detected by your PC.

Recommended Resolutions

Contact the hardware vendor. The hardware or the driver is defective.

Code 10: This device cannot start. Try upgrading the device drivers for this device. (Code 10)

Cause

Typically, the device's hardware key contains a "FailReasonString" value, and the value string is displays an error message defined by the hardware manufacturer. If the hardware key does not contain a “FailReasonString” value the message above is displayed.

Recommended resolutions

Update the driver

In the device's Properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 12: This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system. (Code 12)

Cause

This error can occur if two devices that are installed on your computer have been assigned the same I/O ports, the same interrupt, or the same Direct Memory Access channel (either by the BIOS, the operating system, or both). This error message can also appear if the BIOS did not allocate enough resources to the device.

Recommended Resolution

Windows Vista and later versions of Windows

Use Device Manager to determine the source of and to resolve the conflict. For more information about how to resolve device conflicts, see the Help information about how to use Device Manager. This error message can also appear if the BIOS did not allocate sufficient resources to a device. For example, this message will display if the BIOS does not allocate an interrupt to a USB controller because of an invalid multiprocessor specification (MPS) table.

Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000

  1. Open Device Manager.
  2. Double-click the icon that represents the device in the Device Manager window.
  3. On the device property sheet that appears, click Troubleshoot to start the hardware troubleshooter for the device.

This error message can also appear if the BIOS did notallocate sufficient resources to a device. For example, this message will be displayed if the BIOS does not allocate an interrupt to a USB controller because of an invalid multiprocessor specification (MPS) table.

Code 14: This device cannot work properly until you restart your computer. To restart your computer now, click Restart Computer. (Code 14)

Recommended Resolution

Restart your computer. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Code 16: Windows cannot identify all the resources this device uses. To specify additional resources for this device, click the Resources tab and fill in the missing settings. Check your hardware documentation to find out what settings to use. (Code 16)

Cause

The device is only partly configured and might need additional manual configuration of the resources the device requires.

Recommended Resolution

The following steps might only work if the device is a Plug and Play device. If the device is not Plug and Play, you can refer to the device documentation or contact the device manufacturer for more information.

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Double-click the device in the list, and choose the Resources tab.
  3. In the Resource Settings list, check to see if there is a question mark next to a resource. If so, select that resource, and assign it to the device.
  4. If a resource cannot be changed, click Change Settings. If Change Settings is unavailable, try to clear the Use automatic settings check box to make it available.

Code 18: Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18)

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver using the Hardware Update wizard

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. On the menu that appears, choose Update Driver to start the Hardware Update wizard.

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 19: Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)

Cause

This error can result if more than one service is defined for a device, there is a failure opening the service key, or the driver name cannot be obtained from the service key.

Recommended Resolution

Uninstall and reinstall the driver

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Revert to the most recent successful registry configuration

To roll a system back to the most recent successful configuration of the registry, you can restart the computer in Safe Mode and select the Last Known Good Configuration option, or if you've created a system restore point, you can try restoring to it.

Code 21: Windows is removing this device. (Code 21)

Cause

This error means that Windows is in the process of removing the device. However, the device has not yet been completely removed. This error code is temporary, and exists only during the attempts to query and then remove a device.

Recommended Resolutions

You can either wait for Windows to finish removing the device or restart the computer.

  1. Wait several seconds, and then press the F5 key to update the Device Manager view.
  2. If that does not resolve the problem, restart your computer. Click Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart in the Shut Down Windows dialog box to restart the computer.

Code 22: This device is disabled. (Code 22)

Cause

The device was disabled by the user in Device Manager.

Recommended Resolution

In Device Manager, click Action, and then click Enable Device. This starts the Enable Device wizard. Follow the instructions.

Code 24: This device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed. (Code 24)

Cause

The device is installed incorrectly. The problem could be a hardware failure, or a new driver might be needed. Devices stay in this state if they have been prepared for removal. After you remove the device, this error disappears.

Recommended Resolution

Remove the device, and this error should be resolved.

Code 28: The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 29: This device is disabled because the firmware of the device did not give it the required resources. (Code 29)

Recommended Resolution

Enable the device in the BIOS of the device. For information about how to make this change, see the hardware documentation or contact the manufacturer of your computer.

Code 31: This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver using the Hardware Update wizard

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. On the menu that appears, choose Update Driver to start the Hardware Update wizard.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 32: A driver (service) for this device has been disabled.. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32)

Cause

The start type for this driver is set to disabled in the registry.

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 33: Windows cannot determine which resources are required for this device. (Code 33)

Cause

The translator that determines the kinds of resources that are required by the device has failed.

Recommended Resolutions

  1. Try using the BIOS setuputility, or update the BIOS.
  2. Configure, repair, or replace hardware.

Contact the device hardware vendor for more information about updating your BIOS and how to configure or replace the device.

Code 34: Windows cannot determine the settings for this device. Consult the documentation that came with this device and use the Resource tab to set the configuration. (Code 34)

Recommended Resolution

The device requires manual configuration. See the hardware documentation or contact the hardware vendor for instructions on manually configuring the device. After you configure the device itself, you can use the Resources tab in Device Manager to configure the resource settings in Windows.

Code 35: Your computer's system firmware does not include enough information to properly configure and use this device. To use this device, contact your computer manufacturer to obtain a firmware or BIOS update. (Code 35)

Cause

The Multiprocessor System (MPS) table, which stores the resource assignments for the BIOS, is missing an entry for your device and must be updated.

Recommended Resolution

Contact the manufacturer of your computer to update the BIOS.

Code 36: This device is requesting a PCI interrupt but is configured for an ISA interrupt (or vice versa). Please use the computer's system setup program to reconfigure the interrupt for this device. (Code 36)

Cause

The interrupt request (IRQ) translation failed.

Recommended Resolution

Change the settings for IRQ reservations in the BIOS.

For more information about how to change BIOS settings, see the hardware documentation or contact the manufacturer of your computer. You can also try to use the BIOS setup tool to change the settings for IRQ reservations (if such options exist). The BIOS might have options to reserve certain IRQs for peripheral component interconnect (PCI) or ISA devices.

Code 37: Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)

Cause

The driver returned a failure when it executed the DriverEntry routine.

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 38: Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)

Cause

The driver could not be loaded because a previous instance is still loaded.

Recommended Resolution

Restart your computer. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Code 39: Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 40: Windows cannot access this hardware because its service key information in the registry is missing or recorded incorrectly. (Code 40)

Cause

Information in the registry's service subkey for the driver is invalid.

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 41: Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41)

Cause

This problem occurs if you install a driver for a non-Plug and Play device, but Windows cannot find the device.

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 42: Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because there is a duplicate device already running in the system. (Code 42)

Cause

A duplicate device was detected. This error occurs when a bus driver incorrectly creates two identically named sub-processes (known as a bus driver error), or when a device with a serial number is discovered in a new location before it is removed from the old location.

Recommended Resolution

Restart your computer. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Code 43: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)

Cause

One of the drivers controlling the device notified the operating system that the device failed in some manner.

Recommended Resolution

If you have already tried the "Try these steps first" section, check the hardware documentation or contact the manufacturer for more information about diagnosing the problem.

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 44: An application or service has shut down this hardware device. (Code 44)

Recommended Resolution

Restart your computer. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Code 45: Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. To fix this problem, reconnect this hardware device to the computer. (Code 45)

Cause

This error occurs if a device that was previously connected to the computer is no longer connected. To resolve this problem, reconnect this hardware device to the computer.

Recommended Resolution

No resolution is necessary. This error code is only used to indicate the disconnected status of the device and does not require you to resolve it. The error code resolves automatically when you connect the associated device to the computer.

Code 46: Windows cannot gain access to this hardware device because the operating system is in the processof shutting down. The hardware device should work correctly next time you start your computer. (Code 46)

Cause

The device is not available because the system is shutting down.

Recommended Resolution

No resolution is necessary. The hardware device should work correctly next time that you start the computer. This error code is only set when Driver Verifier is enabled and all applications have already been shut down.

Code 47: Windows cannot use this hardware device because it has been prepared for safe removal, but it has not been removed from the computer. To fix this problem, unplug this device from your computer and then plug it in again. (Code 47)

Cause

This error code occurs only if you used the Safe Removal application to prepare the device for removal, or pressed a physical eject button.

Recommended Resolution

Unplug the device from the computer, and then plug it back in. Restart your computer if that doesn't resolve the error. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Code 48: The software for this device has been blocked from starting because it is known to have problems with Windows. Contact the hardware vendor for a new driver. (Code 48)

Recommended Resolution

Contact the manufacturer of your hardware device to obtain the latest version or the updated driver. Then, install it on your computer.

Code 49: Windows cannot start new hardware devices because the system hive is too large (exceeds the Registry Size Limit). (Code 49)

Cause

The system hive has exceeded its maximum size and new devices cannot work until the size is reduced. The system hive is a permanent part of the registry associated with a set of files that contains information related to the configuration of the computer on which the operating system is installed. Configured items include applications, user preferences, devices, and so on. The problem might be specific devices that are no longer attached to the computer but are still listed in the system hive.

Recommended Resolution

Uninstall any hardware devices that you are no longer using.

  1. Set Device Manager to show devices that are no longer connected to the computer.
    • From Start, click Run.
    • In the Open box, type cmd. The Command Prompt window opens.
    • At the prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter: set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
    • In Device Manager, click View, and then click Show hidden devices. You will now be able to see devices that are not connected to the computer.
  2. Select a non-present device. On the Driver tab, choose Uninstall.
  3. Repeat step 3 for any non-present devices that you are no longer using. Then restart your computer.
  4. Check the device Properties dialog box in Device Manager to see whether the error is resolved.

Code 50: Windows cannot apply all of the properties for this device. Device properties may include information that describes the device's capabilities and settings (such as security settings for example). To fix this problem, you can try reinstalling this device. However,we recommend that you contact the hardware manufacturer for a new driver. (Code 50)

Recommended Resolution

Reinstall the device driver manually

  1. From Start, search for device manager and select Device Manager from the results.
  2. Right-click the device in the list.
  3. Select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
  4. After the device is uninstalled, choose Action on the menu bar.
  5. Select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.

Note You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s website.

Code 51: This device is currently waiting on another device or set of devices to start. (Code 51)

Recommended Resolution

There is currently no resolution to this problem. To help diagnose the problem, examine other failed devices in the device tree that this device might depend on. If you can determine why another related device did not start, you might be able to resolve this issue.

Code 52: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)

Cause

The driver may be unsigned or corrupted.

Recommended Resolution

Download the latest driver from the hardware manufacturer's website, or contact the manufacturer for help.

Code 53: This device has been reserved for use by the Windows kernel debugger for the duration of this boot session. (Code 53)

Recommended Resolution

Disable Windows kernel debugging to allow the device to start normally.

Code 54: This device has failed and is undergoing a reset. (Code 54)

Cause

This is an intermittent problem code assigned while an ACPI reset method is being executed. If the device never restarts due to a failure, it will be stuck in this state and the system should be rebooted.

Recommended Resolution

Restart your computer. From Start, click Shut Down, and then select Restart.

Source: Microsoft

Support us

Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:

If you like this article, please share it using the buttons below. It won't take a lot from you, but it will help us grow. Thanks for your support!

Advertisеment

Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

One thought on “Device Manager Error Codes in Windows”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

css.php
Using Telegram? Subscribe to the blog channel!
Hello. Add your message here.