You may get an error prompt with the message A driver can’t load on this device when you start your PC or attempt to manually install device drivers on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer. This post is intended to help affected PC users with the most suitable solutions to easily resolve the issue.
A driver can’t load on this device in Windows 11/10
If you have encountered the A driver can’t load on this device message when you start your PC or attempt to manually install certain device drivers on your Windows 11/10 computer, then our suggested solutions presented in no particular order below should help you resolve this issue on your system.
- Obtain and install a digitally signed driver
- Run Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
- Temporarily disable Memory Integrity
- Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
- Temporarily disable Driver Signature Enforcement
- Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry keys for the device
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
1] Obtain and install a digitally signed driver
This should be the first troubleshooting step to take as the A driver can’t load on this device error prompt that you receive on your Windows 11/10 PC is usually due to unsigned drivers. However, since the error prompt isn’t descriptive enough in that the driver that can’t be loaded isn’t identified, we first need to identify the driver.
So, to detect whether a particular driver loaded, you can check the status of the device in Device Manager. If the kernel-mode code signing policy blocks a driver from loading because the driver is not correctly signed, the device status message will indicate that Windows could not load the driver and that the driver might be corrupted or missing. In such a case, you will most likely see the code 52 which has the symbolic name CM_PROB_UNSIGNED_DRIVER for the device and the only way to resolve this issue for end-users is to obtain and install a digitally signed driver for the device from the OEM website. In any case, if you want to further diagnose the problem, you can use Event Viewer to view Code Integrity Event Log Messages.
Read: Complete list of all Device Manager Error Codes along with solutions
2] Run Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
To prevent systems from failing to boot properly, boot drivers will not be blocked, but the Program Compatibility Assistant will remove them. So, you can run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter to resolve any driver compatibility issue.
To run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter in Windows 11, do the following:
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
- Navigate to System > Troubleshoot > Other trouble-shooters.
- Under the Other section, find Program Compatibility Troubleshooter.
- Click the Run button.
- Follow on-screen instructions and apply any recommended fixes.
To run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter in Windows 10, do the following:
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
- Go to Update and Security.
- Click the Troubleshooter tab.
- Scroll down and click on Program Compatibility Troubleshooter.
- Click the Run the troubleshooter button.
- Follow on-screen instructions and apply any recommended fixes.
The Program Compatibility Troubleshooter offers two different options to resolve any compatibility issues:
- Try recommended settings – which will allow the Troubleshooter to automatically apply the Windows compatibility based on internal presets.
- Troubleshoot program – which allows you greater manual controls on the exact nature of the issue.
Assuming the driver worked perfectly fine on earlier versions of Windows and there are no updated versions of the driver yet, you may also follow the steps below to install the driver in compatibility mode:
- Right-click the driver setup file.
- Select Properties from the context menu.
- Tap or click the Compatibility tab.
- Checkmark the Run this program in compatibility mode option.
- Tap or click the drop-down box and select a previous operating system.
- Tap or click OK.
You can now try installing the driver again.
Read: This program doesn’t run on Windows 11
3] Temporarily disable Memory Integrity
Memory integrity is a Windows security feature that makes it more difficult for malicious software to take control of your computer through low-level drivers. It is also referred to as Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). The message you’re currently receiving on your Windows 11/10 device is because the Memory integrity setting in Windows Security is preventing that driver from loading on your computer.
This solution is not recommended or at best, it’s just a temporary workaround. However, if you want to be able to use the driver, as the driver name and device manufacturer name are displayed here, you can use that information to check if an updated and compatible driver is available via Windows Optional Update or from the driver manufacturer. If there is no newer driver version available, you can turn off the Memory integrity setting in Windows Security by following these steps:
- Go to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Security. Click to launch it.
- Click on the hamburger menu on the top left and then click on Device Security.
- Under Core isolation, select Core isolation details.
- Toggle off Memory integrity if it isn’t already.
To make the changes effective, you must restart your computer. Remember that even though the driver has a minor flaw preventing it from loading, it’s probably not malicious in any manner. The functionality that the driver provides can stop working if you decide to keep using your device without fixing the driver issue, which could have negative effects ranging from minor to severe.
Read: Memory Integrity greyed out or won’t turn On/Off
4] Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
In some cases, you may encounter the issue you’re currently facing even though the device driver in question is signed, ergo compatible with Windows 11/10. To check if a driver is digitally signed, you can use the File Signature Verification (SigVerif.exe) or DirectX Diagnostic (DxDiag.exe) tool. If drivers are signed, then it could be that there are incorrect hardware settings or the driver is outdated/corrupted.
This solution requires you to run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to resolve any incorrect hardware configurations or settings. You can also manually check for faulty hardware by removing any recently installed hardware – check for faulty components if the issue isn’t with new hardware. You may be required to manually update drivers on your system. However, if the latest driver is installed for the device, you can roll back the driver or download and install an earlier version of the driver.
Read: Windows cannot determine the settings for this device, Error 34
5] Temporarily disable Driver Signature Enforcement
Driver signature enforcement for Windows 11/10 PCs ensures that only drivers sent to Microsoft for signing are loaded into the Windows kernel during the boot process, thereby preventing malware and viruses from infiltrating and infecting the Windows kernel.
This solution normally applies to driver developers that can use various methods to load an unsigned driver on a 64-bit version of Windows to install an unsigned driver during development and testing. However, end-users also can temporarily disable Driver Signature Enforcement and then see if the driver can be loaded or manually installed on the computer.
Read: Fix Windows requires a digitally signed driver error
6] Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry keys for the device
You may encounter the error highlighted when some of the registry entries associated with the device are corrupted. In this case, to resolve the issue, you need to delete the UpperFilters specifically and the LowerFilters registry key for the device triggering the error. To do so, first, you need to know the correct Class GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) of the device in question by following these steps:
- Press the Windows key + R to open Run.
- In the Run dialog box, type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
- In Device Manager, expand the device category for which you want to view the Class GUID.
- Right-click on the device driver and choose Properties.
- Open the Details tab.
- Click the drop-down menu and choose Class GUID.
The Class GUID will show up under the Value section and looks like this {ca3e7ab9-b4c3-4ae6-8251-579ef933890f}. Now, with the Class GUID, you can proceed to delete the registry Filter keys for the problematic device.
Since this is a registry operation, it is recommended that you back up the registry or create a system restore point as necessary precautionary measures. Once done, you can proceed as follows:
- Press the Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
- In the Run dialog box, type regedit and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.
- Navigate or jump to the registry key path below. Substitute the DeviceDriverGUID placeholder with the value you identified earlier.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\DeviceDriverGUID
- At the location, on the right pane, right-click on the UpperFilters value and choose Delete.
- Click Yes to confirm the action.
- Next, delete the LowerFilters value if it exists for the same GUID class subkey.
- Exit Registry Editor when done.
- Restart your PC.
Read: Troubleshoot & fix Device Driver Problems in Windows
I hope this post helps you!
These posts might interest you:
- Error 38, Windows cannot load the Device Driver for this hardware
- Error 39, Windows cannot load the device driver; Corrupted or missing
- This driver has been blocked from loading error, Event ID 7000
ENE.sys cannot load on Windows 11?
If you encounter the A driver cannot load on this device message on your Windows 11/10 computer, and the faulty driver is identified as ene.sys or any other driver, the following suggestions should help you resolve the issue on your PC.
- Update MSI motherboard drivers.
- Update affected drivers.
- Roll back the driver to the previous version.
- Turn off memory integrity in Windows Security.
- Delete the driver using DriverStore Explorer.
How to fix ENE.sys on Windows 11?
Some PC users may encounter the SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION ene.sys failed Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error randomly when using their PC usually or while gaming on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer. If you’re faced with a similar issue, to resolve the issue, you can apply the following fixes:
- Run Driver Verifier.
- Check BSOD log files to determine the appropriate course to follow and the most applicable solutions.
- Resocket your CPU.
Read: How to find which Driver is causing the Blue Screen on Windows?
How do I force drivers to install on Windows 11?
To force drivers to be installed on Windows 11, you need to take the help of the Device Manager. If you already have the driver file on your computer, you can also use the regular method to get the installation done. At times, unplugging and re-plugging the hardware also install the driver automatically.
How to fix A driver cannot load on this device (ibtavflt.sys) error?
The ibtavflt.sys file is part of the Intel Bluetooth device driver on your PC. You can visit intel.com and download the driver from there. Alternatively, you can use Windows Update or Intel Support Utility to update Intel drivers.
