Windows Device Manager Code 10 — This Device Cannot Start

Overview

Device Manager error Code 10 means a device failed to start, caused by outdated drivers, hardware faults, or insufficient system resources.

Key Details

• Code 10 is a generic Device Manager error meaning the device failed to initialize
• Appears as 'This device cannot start. (Code 10)' in device Properties
• Very common with USB devices, audio devices, and network adapters
• The device driver loaded but could not initialize the hardware
• May include additional information like 'A request for the USB device descriptor failed'

Common Causes

• Outdated or corrupted device driver
• Hardware fault in the device itself
• USB port power insufficient for the device
• Driver conflict with another device using same resources
• Registry entries for the device corrupted

Steps

1. 1Right-click device in Device Manager > Update driver > Search automatically
2. 2Uninstall the device (check 'Delete driver software'), then scan for hardware changes
3. 3Try a different USB port — preferably directly on the motherboard, not a hub
4. 4Download the latest driver from the device manufacturer's website
5. 5Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{device-GUID}

Tags

More in Driver

Frequently Asked Questions