Fix “The Device Cannot Start. (Code 10)” Error

Aseem Kishore
·
5 min read

Help Desk Geek is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Learn more.

Server tower plugged into a monitor displaying red warning icons, signaling a computer error or alert on the desk setup.

“This device cannot start. (Code 10)” appears in Device Manager when Windows can’t load the driver for a device, usually a USB gadget, audio adapter or Wi-Fi card. A corrupted or outdated driver is the most common culprit, and most cases are fixable without touching the registry.

Before diving in, test the device on another PC if you can. If it fails there too, the hardware itself is likely dead. If it works fine elsewhere, the problem is on your machine so keep reading.

Device Manager open showing a device with a yellow triangle/exclamation mark and the error

Fix #1: Restart Your PC

A simple reboot clears driver state glitches that survive sleep and hibernate cycles. Skip this if you’ve already restarted since the error appeared.

  1. Save any open work and click Start > Power > Restart.
  2. After the machine comes back up, reconnect the device and check Device Manager again.

If the yellow triangle is gone, you’re done. If it’s still there, move to Fix #2.

Fix #2: Disable and Re-enable the Device

Toggling the device in Device Manager forces Windows to reinitialize the driver without a full reboot.

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
  2. Find the device showing the yellow triangle, right-click it, and choose Disable device.
  3. Wait 10 seconds.
  4. Right-click the same device again and choose Enable device.
Device Manager with a device right-clicked showing the context menu with

Check whether the Code 10 error is gone in the device’s Properties. If not, continue.

Fix #3: Uninstall and Reinstall the Driver

This is the fix that works for most people. Removing the driver completely lets Windows pull a clean copy on the next boot.

  1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
  2. Right-click the problem device and select Uninstall device.
  3. If you see a checkbox labeled Delete the driver software for this device (or Attempt to remove the driver for this device), check it.
  4. Click Uninstall to confirm.
  5. Restart your PC. Windows will automatically detect the device and reinstall its driver.
Device Manager

If Windows reinstalls a driver but the error comes back, the driver it’s pulling is still bad – update it manually in Fix #4.

Fix #4: Update the Driver from the Manufacturer’s Site

Windows Update sometimes installs a generic driver that doesn’t fully support your hardware. Grabbing the driver straight from the manufacturer usually fixes this.

  1. Identify the device make and model. If it’s a USB audio adapter, Wi-Fi card, or printer, check the box or the manufacturer’s label on the device.
  2. Go to the manufacturer’s support site (for example, Realtek for audio chips, Intel for network adapters, or your PC maker’s support page for bundled hardware) and download the latest driver for your Windows version.
  3. Run the installer, or if it’s a .zip file, extract it somewhere you’ll remember.
  4. Open Device Manager, right-click the problem device, and select Update driver.
  5. Choose Browse my computer for drivers and point it to the folder where you saved the download.
  6. Follow the prompts and restart when asked.
Device Manager

Fix #5: Roll Back the Driver

If Code 10 started after a Windows Update or a driver update, rolling back to the previous version often resolves it immediately.

  1. Open Device Manager, right-click the problem device, and select Properties.
  2. Click the Driver tab.
  3. Click Roll Back Driver. If the button is grayed out, there’s no previous driver to restore — skip to Fix #6.
  4. Select a reason when prompted and click Yes.
  5. Restart your PC.
Device Properties dialog open on the Driver tab with the

Fix #6: Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

Windows includes a built-in diagnostic that scans for driver and configuration problems automatically. It’s worth running before touching the registry.

  1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press Enter.
  3. Click Next and let the troubleshooter scan.
  4. Apply any fixes it suggests, then restart.
Hardware and Devices troubleshooter window open with

You can also reach additional hardware troubleshooters via Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. See our guide on how to enable troubleshooting mode in Windows 11 for more detail.

Fix #7: Uninstall All USB Controllers (USB Devices Only)

If the problem device is USB-based and none of the above has worked, the USB controller stack on your machine may be corrupted. Clearing it out forces Windows to rebuild it cleanly.

  1. Open Device Manager and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
  2. Right-click the first entry and choose Uninstall device. Repeat for every entry under that section.
  3. Restart your PC. Windows will automatically reinstall all USB controllers.
  4. Reconnect your device and check Device Manager.
Device Manager with

Fix #8: Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters in the Registry (Advanced)

Corrupt registry filter entries left behind by old software installs can block a driver from loading entirely. This fix is more involved so back up your registry before making changes.

  1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by UAC.
  2. Before changing anything, click File > Export and save a backup of the registry to your Desktop.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class.
  4. Find the subkey (GUID) that corresponds to your device class. For USB devices, look for {36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}. For other devices, check the Class value inside each subkey to match your device type.
  5. Look for values named UpperFilters or LowerFilters in the right pane.
  6. If either exists, right-click it and choose Delete.
  7. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.
Registry Editor open at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class showing UpperFilters value in the right pane with right-click context menu showing Delete

When the Fixes Don’t Work

If all eight fixes fail and the device still shows Code 10, the hardware itself is probably faulty — especially if it also fails on a second PC. Contact the device manufacturer for a warranty replacement or try a different unit. In rare cases where the error appears on a built-in component (like an integrated audio chip or Wi-Fi card), a Windows repair install via Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC (keeping your files) can resolve deep driver corruption that nothing else touches.

Conclusion

Fix #3 (uninstalling and letting Windows reinstall the driver )clears the Code 10 error for the majority of cases. If the error came back right after a Windows Update, Fix #5 (rollback) is the faster path. The registry fix in Fix #8 is a genuine gem for stubborn cases where the driver reinstalls cleanly but Code 10 keeps returning on reboot — that pattern almost always points to leftover filter entries.