The Windows Device Manager uses error codes to indicate the status and problems with devices in a Windows system. This has been the case since Windows XP and is still the same in Windows 11. Code 22 is one such error code indicating that a device has been disabled.
To fix the code 22 error for the device, follow these simple steps to re-enable the device.
Open the Device Manager. Press the Windows + R keys and type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box to start the program.
In the Device Manager, navigate to the device with the Code 22 error status.
Right-click the device and in the popup menu, select Enable device.
Wait for the device to be enabled and then close the Device Manager.
Your device is now enabled again and should function as expected and intended.
In most cases, this should work without problems, since the error clearly indicates the cause of the problem. But in some cases, enabling the device might not work, or result in a different error code for the device. Always try rebooting the system first before any further steps.
If a reboot and enabling the device do not solve the code 22 error, a problem will be preventing the device from being enabled. In older systems, this could be a resource problem. Things like changing the hardware device to a different slot, resetting the CMOS, and loading default BIOS settings would be required.
But with the latest PCs, the UEFI BIOS, and automatic hardware configuration options, such steps are no longer required. Check for recent hardware changes and reverse them to solve the error for the code 22 device. For USB devices, unplug other USB devices to see if that solves the error.
A final step to ensure the device can be enabled is installing the latest drives for the device. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, drivers for the most common devices are updated automatically. For non-standard devices or older Windows version, you may need to manually update the drivers.
Since the code 22 error has been happening for graphics devices as well, it is important to check the compatibility of the driver with the hardware. Incompatible hardware or a driver for the wrong Windows version can result in device errors, including code 22.
Find the right drivers for you hardware and Windows version easily using the DriverFinder software.
Since Windows 7 is relatively new, not all hardware is compatible with Windows 7 yet. Microsoft always recommends people use the hardware compatibility check feature to find out if the computer hardware is compatible with Windows 7. Some hardware devices, however, might never become compatible since manufacturers do not create new drivers for older devices anymore.
Windows 7 Code 10 Error
As a result, you can experience a variety of device errors in Windows 7, one of which is device driver error code 10. In itself, error code 10 in Windows 7 means that the device cannot start, but there can be different causes for the error.
Microsoft’s recommendation is to first update the drivers using the Device Manager. This should help solve problems that are related to outdated, incompatible, and even corrupt drivers. But also make sure you install the latest Windows 7 updates, as software improvements in the operating system can also help fix device-related issues.
Ok, an error code 10 can happen for all kinds of devices, and one of the more common devices is the audio device. Apart from driver issues, also make sure you check the status of the Windows Audio service. If the Windows Audio service is not running, you can have the right drivers installed, but the device will not work.
For USB devices the error code 10 will result in the device not being accessible. In that case, uninstalling USB devices in the Device Manager is a common solution. You can try uninstalling the USB device that has the problem, but very often it is necessary to uninstall all USB devices, reboot, and then wait for the USB devices to be reinstalled. Make sure to unplug the external USB devices before you reboot, so you can add them one by one again.
For older hardware, the code 10 error can also be the result of hardware conflicts. In most cases, you will see that the hardware device will not appear on the hardware compatibility list, but it is useful to check the resource usage on the device in the Device Manager. On desktop computers, this kind of problem can be solved by changing the BIOS settings (IRQ assignments, memory ranges), or even unplugging conflicting hardware. Obviously, that is only feasible if you do not need that specific device.
Windows 7 Device Drivers
Because the most common cause of error code 10 in Windows 7 is incorrect device drivers, you should always try to get the right drivers for the device. Checking on a regular basis can pay off, as drivers are updated frequently. Using the Microsoft Update feature is one way to check, but there are a number of limitations with that.
The first limitation is that you will only get real Windows 7 drivers, which are signed drivers that have Microsoft approval. You will not get unsigned drivers or drivers that are not for Windows 7. So if there is a Vista driver for your device, which might work in Windows 7, you will not get it. Even Windows XP drivers sometimes work in Windows 7, possibly in compatibility mode.
The second limitation is that Windows Update will automatically install new drivers. This assumes that the update will succeed without problems, replacing or overwriting the old driver. In quite a few instances, however, it is better to first uninstall the existing driver before installing the new driver. Quite a few audio manufacturer’s recommend this practice to prevent driver update problems.
So make sure you use a variety of methods to update the driver for your device and fix error code 10 in Windows 7.
When you plug a USB device in a Windows computer, you will see a small popup in the notification area of the taskbar informing you of the USB device. If it is a known device, the driver will be installed and the device will be ready for use.
If there is no driver for the device, or the device is not recognized, you will be informed of that fact as well. In some cases the driver installation and device activation actually will show several of these popup messages in the notification area. This can be the case if the USB device has multiple functions.
Unfortunately there are also scenario’s where these popup messages in the notification area do not seem to make sense. No USB device is being plugged, only existing USB devices are present, or maybe no external USB devices are present at all.
If you are not interested in the USB notification messages in Windows, you can actually disable them. Basically you tell Windows to not report and USB errors on the USB controllers.
To disable USB notifications, simply open the Device Manager in the Control Panel and open up the branch called: Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
You will see quite a few devices in the list. But we are only interested in the Host Controller devices. Right-click the first entry and select Properties in the popup.
Next, select the Advanced tab and then select the checkbox named Don’t tell me about USB errors.
Click the OK button and repeat these steps for the other Host Controller devices.
When you are done, close the device manager and you should no longer see and USB device notifications in the Windows taskbar.
Keep in mind that if you were receiving the USB notifications because of real USB errors, they will be now be ignored. If possible try to address the errors first. Power management and bad cables (connections) can also be the cause of erratic USB notification messages.
When you use a digital media device, you need to be able to load your favorite music and video on it. For the Microsoft Zune device, you use the Zune 3.0 software. But if the device is not recognized by your computer, the Zune software will not do anything. Troubleshoot Zune device errors to fix them.
Troubleshooting and solving computer errors is never fun, especially if serious Windows errors occur. Stop error 0x000000EA is an example of a serious error, which leads to the Windows blue screen of death. This specific stop error is a video card related error, which can often be solved following these steps…
All computer hardware needs device drivers to communicate with the operating system. In Windows, quite a few device drivers are included with the installation. But for a lot of hardware, special device drivers are required. If drivers are corrupted or not installed properly, Windows will report a device error. One of the device errors that the Windows Device Manager can report is a code 28 error.
The error message will be “The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)”.
A code 28 error means that there is no driver installed for the hardware device. Most likely Windows does not have a default driver for the device, or it would be installed. This means that a special driver from the hardware manufacturer is required. The code 28 error can occur for any type of device, USB devices, audio devices, video devices, etc. In general, however, the error will occur for the more exotic hardware since Windows already supports quite a few common devices by default.
To fix code 28 errors, it is required to install the drivers for the device that is causing the code 28 error. You can use the device manager to update the drivers. Select the device in error, right-click the device, and in the pop-up menu select Update Driver Software (in newer Windows versions, the link is named Update driver). Windows will ask you for the location to install the drivers from, so make sure you download the drivers for the device from the hardware manufacturer’s website first and select the local folder where you saved the download drivers for the update.
If you can not find the drivers for the device in error or are not comfortable with using the Windows Device Manager, you can also use a driver update tool to find, download and update all device drivers for you. A driver update program will accurately identify your hardware, including the device in error, and automatically install the latest drivers for it. This will solve code 28 errors.
It is also recommended to have Windows configured for automatic updates. This will ensure that any new drivers that are supported by Microsoft will automatically install or get updated so that your computer will be compatible with as many devices and hardware as possible.
Device drivers are required to allow operating systems to communicate with computer hardware. In each new version of Windows more and more device drivers are included with the installation. But for a lot of hardware, special device drivers are required. If drivers are corrupted or not installed properly, Windows will report a device error. One of the device errors that Windows can report is a “Driver Irql Not Less Or Equal” error. This can result in a blue screen.
Causes for irql not less or equal error
The irql not less or equal error basically indicates a problem with the system resources used by a hardware device, such as I/O address ranges, DMA, and IRQs. The IRQ is an interrupt request, which is used by the hardware to claim CPU time from the system. The number of IRQs in a PC however, is limited so sometimes different devices end up sharing an IRQ.
The Driver Irql Not Less Or Equal error can happen in any version of Windows, from Windows XP to Windows 11. The irql error can happen with the NDIS.SYS file, if the error is caused by a network or modem card, but other hardware can also be the cause of the conflict. Because of the severity of this kernel-level problem, the error results in a blue screen or stop error. Driver errors would normally be obvious because the blue screen error lists a .SYS file.
Fixing the error
#1 – Using the .SYS filename, you can find out which device or hardware is responsible for the error. You can then disable the hardware in the Windows Device Manager to see if the device is really the cause of the error. If the .SYS filename is not shown on the blue screen, use Event Viewer or a memory dump to find out the responsible driver.
#2 – Running a memory test is also a good idea, as faulty memory can be the cause of many stop errors. In the Bios, disable the quick start, so the full diagnostics are run, and a memory test can be run using the software.
#3 – In most cases, the ‘irql not less or equal’ error can be solved by updating the drivers for the device causing the error. Also make sure you update your Windows and antivirus software, as some of these errors are not caused by hardware, but software problems. You can use the Windows device manager to uninstall any currently installed driver for the device and then reinstall the latest driver. When you reboot your PC after uninstalling the drivers, Windows will detect the new hardware, which allows you to install the latest drivers for the device.
If you do not have the drivers for the device in error or are not comfortable with using the Windows device manager, you can also use a driver update program to find, download, and update all device drivers for you. Driver update software will accurately identify your hardware, including the device in error, and automatically install the latest drivers for it. This can solve driver irql not less or equal errors.
#4 – If updating the drivers does not fix the issue, try loading the default BIOS/UEFI options. This will ensure that RAM timing, FSB timing, and CPU timing are not causing the error. Further, you can check the resource assignments on the devices in the Windows Device Manager to check if there is an IRQ conflict.
#5 – Microsoft further advises that you try to load the last known good configuration using the start menu (press the F8 key during boot). But you do need to make sure that the problem does not introduce itself again as a result of changes or updates. So the best way is to find the real cause of a blue screen error and fix it.
And, for people that are still running Windows 2000, there is another possible cause for the driver_irql_not_less_or_equal error. It is related to dismounting drive volumes. Check the Microsoft knowledge base article on this to fix it.
Although we wrote this article originally with older Windows versions in mind, the error can still occur in the latest Windows versions. The basis approach to solving the error is the same, even for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
All computer hardware needs device drivers to communicate with the operating system. In Windows, quite a few device drivers are included with the installation. But for a lot of hardware, special device drivers are required. If drivers are corrupted or not installed properly, Windows will report a device error. One of the device errors that the Windows Device Manager can report is a code 10 error, indicating that the device cannot start.
Apart from the main code 10 error message, additional detail under the message can be helpful in identifying the cause. Details can point to insufficient resources or device power issues, but very often you’ll just see “The requested operation was unsuccessful“.
A code 10 error means one of the following:
A hardware compatibility issue
Missing Windows software updates
Incompatible, outdated, or corrupted device drivers
Device configuration issues
To fix code 10 errors, the first steps are always to check if your hardware is compatible with your Windows version. Next, make sure your Windows version is up to date with the latest patches and service packs installed. If all this is done, the next step is to update and install your drivers. If code 10 is caused by driver issues, updating the drivers is going to solve it. You can use the Windows device manager to uninstall any currently installed driver for the device and then reinstall the latest driver.
If you do not have the drivers for the device in error, you could try using a device driver update program to find, download and update the drivers for you.
Other Causes For Code 10 Errors
If you are running Windows XP with SP1 or SP2, the error code 10 can also occur for FireWire, or IEEE 1394 devices. In that case, you need to install a hotfix from Microsoft.
If the code 10 error occurs for a DVD driver, there could be a problem with your registry. In most cases, this is the result of installing or uninstalling software for DVD creation or burning, like Nero or Roxio. The result is a corrupt registry. Sometimes simply uninstalling the CD-burning software helps, but often you also need to delete some registry entries. More specifically the UpperFilters and LowerFilters of the DVD device class. Luckily Microsoft again has a simple solution for this, which includes instructions for manually editing the registry as well as a tool to fix the problematic registry keys.
With external devices, the connection can also be a problem, so make sure you try different ports if possible (especially with USB devices), check or change cables, and remove USB hubs if used. Removing and reinstalling the drivers for all USB controllers can also help in the case of USB devices. Simply uninstall the USB controllers in the Device Manager, restart Windows and let the devices and drivers be reinstalled.
A last possible cause for code 10 errors is that the device has configuration problems. Always try the hardware with the default settings first, and then install the drivers. Configuration errors can also be found in the Device Manager, by checking the resource assignments for the device. Any conflicts between devices can cause one of the devices not to start.
For the latest Windows versions, please also see our article for code 10 errors in Windows 7. Most solutions are the same in later Windows versions.
Using external hard disks is a very convenient way to add storage capacity to your computer. The big advantage is that the external disk can easily be brought elsewhere and plugged to a different computer. Most external hard drives have a USB 2.0 connection, which can cause some problems with the Windows device detection. Find out how you can troubleshoot such problems.
Device problems in Windows generally mean device driver problems. A driver can be outdated, missing, corrupt, or simply not installed properly. In the Windows device manager, the device will report an error code. Code 39 is one example of a device error code.
