A Driver Cannot Load on This Device is an error that occurs when Windows Security prevents a device driver from loading and working in the system.
The most common cause for this error to occur in the system is due to the Memory Integrity feature preventing the drivers from working or making changes in the system. The problem may also occur because of corrupt or out-of-date device drivers.
To fix the “A Driver Cannot Load on This Device” error, simply disabling the Memory Integrity feature from Settings and restarting the device can solve the issue. Updating the device drivers of your device should also restore your device back to a functional state.
If the problem is persistent, you can use the following solutions shown below to solve the device driver not loading error.
How to Fix “A Driver Cannot Load on This Device” Error
The following listed methods are proven to fix the “A Driver Cannot Load on This Device” error.
Disable the Memory Integrity Feature
Memory Integrity is a security feature which isolates the core and prevents malicious software from executing high-level code or instructions in your device. Disabling this feature can help the device drivers run normally again.
To disable the memory integrity feature:
- Press the Windows key + I to open Settings
- Go to the Privacy & Security tab and click on Windows Security
- Click on the Open Windows Security button to open Windows Security
- Alternatively, you can also expand the System Tray from the taskbar and click on the blue shield icon to open Windows Security
- Now, click on the Device Security tab
- Click on Core isolation details from Core isolation section
- In Memory Integrity, turn off the feature by clicking the blue toggle switch
- Restart your device to make the changes
Update/Rollback Affected Drivers
If changing the Memory Integrity feature did not solve the issue, then updating the device drivers may fix this problem. Updating device drivers can also make the hardware on your device run with less issues.
From Device Manager
To update the device drivers of your system from device manager:
- Press the Windows key + R to open Run
- Type
devmgmt.msc
to open Device manager - In the Device manager, go to the driver that is causing the issue
- Right click on it and select Update driver
- In the next window, select Search automatically for drivers
- Restart your device once the update completes
Note: If you have difficulty finding the driver that is causing the issue, there will be a yellow exclamation mark beside the device that is causing the conflict or when it is corrupted.
From Windows Update
You can also update the out-of-date drivers from Windows Update service. To do this:
- Open Settings
- Click on the Windows Update tab and click on Advanced options
- Scroll down and click on Optional updates
- In the Driver updates section, select the drivers you want to update and then click on the Download & install button
- Restart your device after the update completes
Now, to rollback the affected drivers from your device:
- Open Device Manager
- Right click on the affected driver and select Properties
- In the new window, click on the Driver tab and click on the Roll Back Driver button
- Select the reason for rolling back the driver and then click on Yes
- The driver will now be restored to a previous version
If the Roll Back option is greyed out or unavailable, your device does not have the older version of the driver stored in the system. To fix this, check the driver version shown in the Driver tab and download a previous version from the driver manufacturer’s website.
After downloading, roll back the driver from the device manager.
Reinstall Affected Drivers
Note: Before uninstalling the drivers from your device, make sure that you create a backup of the device drivers.
If updating and rolling back the drivers did not solve the issue, then reinstalling the affected drivers may provide a solution. To reinstall the affected driver:
- Open Device Manager
- Right-click on the affected driver and select Uninstall
- Follow the on-screen prompts to proceed with the uninstallation process
- Restart your device to make the changes
If the drivers are generic, they will be automatically reinstalled after the device boots. If the drivers are not installed automatically, you will need to visit the driver’s support page to download it and then install it on your device.
Deleting Registry Values
Sometimes the registry files can also cause interruption and render the device driver useless in the device. The Upperfilters and Lowerfilters registry values may be causing your system to post this error message.
Before deleting the registry values, firstly:
- Open Device Manager
- Right click on the affected driver and click on Properties
- Now, click on the Details tab
- In Property, click the drop down menu and select Class Guid
- Right click to Copy the Class Guid value
Now, to open the Registry Editor
- Open Run
- Type
regedit
and press the Enter key - Copy and paste the following in the address bar of the registry editor:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\
- Now, also paste the Class Guid value in the address bar and press the Enter key
- Now, Delete the Lowerfilters and Upperfilters value
- Select Yes when prompted for confirmation
- Restart your device after deleting the values
Perform a System Restore
If your system is still showing the error, performing a system restore may help solve the issue. System restore reverses the changes made to the system and reverts the system to a previous stable state.
To perform a system restore, in your device:
- Open Run
- Type cmd to open command prompt
- In command, type
rstrui.exe
to open System Restore - In the System Restore window, click Next
- if you chose Choose a different restore point, select the restore point form the list and click on Next again
- Click on Finish to start the System restore
Your device will restart during this process, save any work and close all programs before proceeding with the system restore.