This device cannot start. (Code 10)

[Sparky 51]

Hello,

Have a Gigabyte P35C=DS3R motherboard with the drivers for the Realtek sound card. I get the message "This device cannot start. (Code 10)" when installing. Any help?

 

[h3sham]

Restart your computer if you haven't done so already.

There is always the chance that the error Code 10 you're seeing on a device was caused by some temporary problem in Device Manager or with the hardware. If so, a reboot might fix the Code 10 error.

Did you install a device or make a change in Device Manager just before the Code 10 error appeared? If so, it's very possible that the change you made caused the Code 10 error.

Undo the change if you can, restart your PC, and then check again for the Code 10 error.

Depending on the changes you made, some solutions might include:

Remove or reconfigure the newly installed device.
Roll back the driver to a version prior to your update.
Use System Restore to undo recent Device Manager related changes.
Reinstall the drivers for the device. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the drivers for the device is a likely solution to a Code 10 error.

Note: Properly reinstalling a driver, as in the instructions linked above, is not the same as simply updating a driver. A full driver reinstall involves completely removing the currently installed driver and then letting Windows install it over again from scratch.

Update the drivers for the device. It's also very possible that installing the latest drivers for the device could correct the Code 10 error. If it does, it means that the stored Windows drivers you reinstalled in Step 3 were were probably damaged.

Install the latest Windows service pack. Microsoft often releases service packs and other patches for Windows, one of which might contain a fix for the Code 10 error.

Delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters values in the registry. Two particular values in the Windows Registry could be corrupted, causing the Code 10 error.

While this isn't a very common solution to a Code 10 issue, it is for many other Device Manager error codes. Don't be afraid to try this if the previous ideas haven't worked.

Replace the hardware. A problem with the hardware device itself might be causing the Code 10 error, in which case replacing the hardware is your next logical step.

Another possibility, while not very likely, is that the device is not compatible with your version of Windows. You can always check the Windows HCL to be sure.

Note: If you're positive that a hardware problem isn't causing the Code 10 error, you could try a repair install of Windows. If that doesn't work, try a clean install of Windows. I don't recommend doing either before you replace the hardware, but you may have to give them a try if you're out of other options.