How to Fix Driver Error Code 19 on Windows 10, 8.1/8, 7
Jun. 24, 2022 / Updated by Bessie Shaw to Windows Driver Solutions
Driver error code 19 is one of several device manger error codes. There are 3 kinds of its full message:
1. Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)
2. Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)
3. Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you can first try running a Troubleshooting Wizard. If that does not work, you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)
Any device would experience this issue but it most commonly occurred on DVD/CD-ROM drives, network adapters, audio cards, and imaging devices.
How to Repair Device Manager Error Code 19?
As the error message indicates, it is mainly caused by incomplete or damaged registry parts which are related with the device driver or other information about the device in question. The methods below involve registry modification, driver/device reinstall, system restore/reinstall, hardware replacement, and so on. Let’s go through them one by one until you find the working solution.
Solution 1 - Uninstall and Reinstall the Device Driver
It is easy to complete the device uninstall from device manager.
Step 1: Search “device manager” from Start menu and press Enter to open Device Manager.
Step 2: Locate the device that is in question.
Step 3: Right click it and choose “Uninstall”.
Step 4: Restart your computer.
The driver would be installed automatically after the Windows reboots, but it failed in most cases. So we need to reinstall it manually or using software update software.
To manually reinstall the driver, you need to download the correct driver from manufacturer’s website at first. If you are not sure which driver to install, you may use driver update software to automatically find and install the correct driver for your hardware. Let’s take Driver Talent as the example to show you how to easily reinstall/update driver.
Step 1: Download Driver Talent, and install it on your computer.
Step 2: Launch Driver Talent and click “Scan” button to check the driver status.
Step 3: Locate the driver of the device in question, and click the button along with it (The button would be Repair, Update or Reinstall according to different driver status).
Step 4: Restart your computer as prompted after the reinstall is done.
Solution 2 - Uninstall iTunes
If you installed iTunes on your computer, it would be a cause of the error code 19. Though it is a piece of popular software all over the world, it might bring a mess to your registry, which could lead to code 19 error.
You can uninstall iTunes through Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Choose iTunes and click “Uninstall”.
If you have program uninstaller on your computer, you can also uninstall iTunes with uninstaller software easily.
Solution 3 - Undo Recent Changes
If you updated your Windows, installed a new device, or made changes in Device Manager just before the error code 19 occurred, it is possible that the change you made caused the code 19 error. You can try to undo the recent changes to see if the error code 19 is removed or not.
To undo the changes, you can reverse the changes you have made directly or using system restore if possible.
Check how to fix Windows issues using system restore.
Solution 4 - Delete Related Entries In the Registry
Warning: Incorrectly editing your registry entries would mess up your system, which requires you to do a clean reinstall of your operating system to get rid of. If you want to edit the registry by yourself, please be careful to follow the instructions in the below. And be sure to do it at your own risk.
Step 1: Search “regedit” from Start menu.
Step 2: Locate the Registry Editor from the search result, right click it and choose “Run as administrator”. (If you are running your system ad administrator role, please skip this step)
Step 3: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\, then you will find a list of device GUIDs.
Step 4: Choose the GUID of the device in question.
Note: If you are not sure which GUID is related with the problematic device, please refer to the table in the method 2 of the article how to fix driver error code 39 to find the corresponding GUID according to your device.
Step 5: When you find the correct GUID, look for the entries named UpperFilters and Lowerfilters. Right click to delete them. (If there is no such entry, this method is not for you)
Solution 5 - Reinstall Your System And Replace Hardware
If all the solutions above don’t work for you, you may try to reinstall your system. Though it is not welcomed to do a clean install of your system, it would troubleshoot more than 99% computer issues completely.
Solution 6 - Replace Your Hardware
If the problem persists even after reinstalling your system, there is a chance that the hardware is broken. You may buy a new device to replace it. Or send your computer to a repair store. If your computer or device is still in guarantee period, you can contact the vendor for help for free.
Please don’t hesitate to share your experience whether you fixed or not fixed the issue with the solutions in this article. If you discover other solutions, it is very welcomed to share with us in the comments below.
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