On Windows 10, every part of the computer (keyboard, mouse, motherboard, processor, memory, etc.) generates a status code in Device Manager, which indicates whether the hardware is operational or if it has problems. If there are problems with a particular hardware, that is with a part of the PC, in the device management screen of Windows 10 this will be identified with a yellow exclamation mark or also with a red "X" or a down arrow sign.
While usually this type of problem is related to defects of the same pieces or of the connection ports, it may also be that the error depends on a wrong or not updated driver or on incompatibility of that part with the rest of the computer.
To correctly identify which problem it is, every time a problem with the yellow or a serious error with the red X is highlighted in the Device Manager, it is possible to read the numerical code assigned by the system and look for it in this article to find the solution.
In this guide we therefore see the hardware and device error codes grouping them according to the solution (so as to make it easier to understand them than what is written by the official Microsoft guide which remains a bit cryptic).
READ ALSO: Find out what's wrong with your computer when it doesn't work well
From Device Manager, which is a list of all the internal and external hardware devices that make up the computer, you can search for the part that does not work (for example the printer or the USB stick or the mouse), click on it with the right button of the mouse and then go to Properties .
Going to the General tab, in the " Device status " section, the error code is written if this does not work. If all goes well, however, it will be written as status: This device is working properly
For example, if you see " error code 2 2" written, it means that the device has been disabled or has been stopped due to this error.
Errors that resolve themselves by updating the device driver
The following list includes the error codes that can be resolved by updating the driver package of the device to which they refer.
If you see one of the errors described above, reinstalling the driver may solve the problem.
To reinstall the driver of a device, go to Device Manager, right-click on the device with the error and then press Uninstall. Then restart your computer and Windows 10 should automatically detect and install the latest driver.
If the problem persists, you can try using a program to update the drivers automatically or search Google to download the driver from the manufacturer's website.
The solution to these errors is to enable the device in the BIOS or UEFI.
Refer to another guide to know how to enter the BIOS in Windows 10.
After completing the steps, for error 29, enable the device in the firmware interface. If the code is 36, change the IRQ settings to resolve the conflict (if applicable).
For errors 33 and 35, check the motherboard manufacturer's website to update the UEFI BIOS
Keep in mind that changing the BIOS and also updating it is a delicate operation that can compromise the functioning of the computer, therefore it would be better to search the internet for the precise solution and have it done by someone skilled.
READ ALSO: Identify unknown devices on Windows 10, 7 and 8 PCs
While usually this type of problem is related to defects of the same pieces or of the connection ports, it may also be that the error depends on a wrong or not updated driver or on incompatibility of that part with the rest of the computer.
To correctly identify which problem it is, every time a problem with the yellow or a serious error with the red X is highlighted in the Device Manager, it is possible to read the numerical code assigned by the system and look for it in this article to find the solution.
In this guide we therefore see the hardware and device error codes grouping them according to the solution (so as to make it easier to understand them than what is written by the official Microsoft guide which remains a bit cryptic).
READ ALSO: Find out what's wrong with your computer when it doesn't work well
Open Device Manager and find the error codes
First of all, to see what happened in the computer when something is not working, you need to open Device Manager, which in Windows 10 can be easily found by pressing the right mouse button on the Start button or by doing a search.From Device Manager, which is a list of all the internal and external hardware devices that make up the computer, you can search for the part that does not work (for example the printer or the USB stick or the mouse), click on it with the right button of the mouse and then go to Properties .
Going to the General tab, in the " Device status " section, the error code is written if this does not work. If all goes well, however, it will be written as status: This device is working properly
For example, if you see " error code 2 2" written, it means that the device has been disabled or has been stopped due to this error.
Windows 10 hardware error codes
Below we then see a list with the most common error codes, grouped according to the solution to solve them.Errors that resolve themselves by updating the device driver
The following list includes the error codes that can be resolved by updating the driver package of the device to which they refer.
- Code 1 : The device is not configured correctly.
- Code 3 : The driver for this device may be damaged.
- Code Listing 10 : The device cannot be started. Try updating the drivers for this device.
- Code Listing 18 : Reinstalling drivers for this device.
- Code Listing 24 : The device does not exist, does not work properly or does not have all the drivers installed. (This message indicates that a hardware error or a driver problem has occurred.)
- Code Listing 28 : The device drivers are not installed.
- Code Listing 31 : The device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the required drivers for this device.
- Code 32 : A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternative driver may provide this functionality. (This message indicates that the registry key to start the driver is configured as disabled.)
- Code Listing 37 : Failed to initialize the device driver for this hardware.
- Code 39 : Failed to load device driver for this hardware. The driver may be damaged or missing.
- Code 40 : Unable to access hardware because the service key information in the registry is missing or incorrectly registered.
- Code Listing 41 : Loading the device driver for the hardware completed but the hardware device cannot be found (This problem typically occurs when you install a device that is not plug and play and the system cannot find it).
- Code 43 : The device reported a problem and was interrupted (this is one of the most frequent problems, see also: Solutions to errors on USB ports and sticks not recognized or impossible to use)
- Code Listing 48 : Starting the software for the device has been blocked because it has problems with Windows. Contact your hardware vendor for a new driver.
- Code Listing 50 : Unable to apply all device properties. Device properties can include information that describes the device's capabilities and settings (such as security settings). To fix this, you can try reinstalling this device. However, it is recommended that you contact the hardware manufacturer for a new driver.
- Code 52 : Failed to verify the digital signature of the drivers required for the device. A recent hardware or software change may have installed a file that has been incorrectly signed or damaged, or that may be malicious software from an unknown source.
If you see one of the errors described above, reinstalling the driver may solve the problem.
To reinstall the driver of a device, go to Device Manager, right-click on the device with the error and then press Uninstall. Then restart your computer and Windows 10 should automatically detect and install the latest driver.
If the problem persists, you can try using a program to update the drivers automatically or search Google to download the driver from the manufacturer's website.
Error codes that resolve themselves by restarting the computer
The following errors are easy to fix by simply restarting the computer .- Code Listing 14 : For the device to work properly, you need to restart your computer.
- Code Listing 21 : Windows will remove this device
- Code 38 : The device driver for this hardware could not be loaded because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory.
- Code Listing 42 : Windows is unable to load the device driver for this hardware because a duplicate device already exists running on the system. (This message indicates that a duplicate sub-process exists that causes a bus failure.)
- Code Listing 44 : The hardware device has been interrupted by an application or service.
- Code 54 : Device error. The device will be reset. If the device never reboots due to an error, it will be stuck in this state and the system should be restarted.
Error codes that can be ignored
The following error codes relate to the fact that the device is not connected .- Code 45 : Currently, the hardware device is not connected to the computer. To resolve this problem, reconnect this hardware device to the computer.
- Code 46 : Windows cannot access this hardware device because the operating system is shutting down. The hardware device should work properly the next time you start your computer.
- Code 51 : This device is currently waiting on another device or set of devices. (Windows 10 doesn't have a resolution for this problem.)
Error codes requiring intervention on BIOS / UEFI.
These errors may require you to change some BIOS settings .- Code Listing 29 : The device is disabled because the device firmware has not provided it with the necessary resources.
- Code Listing 33 : Windows cannot determine which resources are needed for the device.
- Code 35 : The computer system firmware does not include enough information to properly configure and use this device. To use this device, contact the computer manufacturer for a firmware or BIOS update.
- Code 36 : The device requires a PCI interrupt but is configured for an ISA interrupt (or vice versa). Use the computer system setup program to reconfigure the interrupt for this device. (This message indicates that the translation of the system shutdown request (IRQ) has failed.)
The solution to these errors is to enable the device in the BIOS or UEFI.
Refer to another guide to know how to enter the BIOS in Windows 10.
After completing the steps, for error 29, enable the device in the firmware interface. If the code is 36, change the IRQ settings to resolve the conflict (if applicable).
For errors 33 and 35, check the motherboard manufacturer's website to update the UEFI BIOS
Keep in mind that changing the BIOS and also updating it is a delicate operation that can compromise the functioning of the computer, therefore it would be better to search the internet for the precise solution and have it done by someone skilled.
Error codes requiring specific instructions
The following error codes have different and specific ways of solving, which are not always easy to implement.- Code Listing 9 : Unable to identify hardware because it does not have a valid hardware identification number. For assistance, contact the hardware manufacturer.
- Code Listing 12 : Insufficient resources for the device. If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system. (try using Windows 10 problem solver)
- Code Listing 16 : Unable to identify all resources used by the device. To specify additional resources for this device, click the Resources tab and fill in the missing settings. Check your hardware documentation to find out which settings to use. (try reinstalling the driver or go to Properties and assign resources on the Resources tab).
- Code Listing 19 : The hardware device cannot start because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged (try to uninstall the driver and reinstall it from scratch).
- Code 22 : The device is deactivated (right-click on the device in the Device Manager to find the Enable device option).
- Code Listing 34 : Windows cannot determine the device settings. Consult the documentation provided with this device and use the Resources tab to set up the configuration. (try to re-download and reinstall the driver provided by the manufacturer).
- Code Listing 47 : The hardware device could not be used because it was prepared for safe removal, but was not removed from the computer. To resolve this issue, disconnect the device from the computer, then reconnect it. (clear enough).
- Code Listing 49 : Unable to start new hardware devices because the system hive is too large (exceeds the log size limit). (to resolve, try removing hidden devices)
- Code Listing 53 : This device is reserved for use of the Windows kernel debugger for the duration of this boot session (to resolve, try disabling Windows kernel debugging by running the bcdedit / debug off command in the command prompt)
READ ALSO: Identify unknown devices on Windows 10, 7 and 8 PCs
