[Solved] Windows Encountered a Problem Installing the Driver Software for Your Device
Jun. 14, 2022 / Updated by Bessie Shaw to Windows Driver Solutions
In order to keep your computer running smoothly, up-to-date device drivers are essential. Windows will automatically check for updates and upgrade your device drivers to the latest version by default. Of course, you can also choose to update them manually by yourself.
But sometimes we may encounter issues in the process of updating drivers. One of these is the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” error which is often accompanied by an additional error message such as “Access is denied” or “This device cannot start. (Code 10)”.
If you receive the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” error message as shown above while installing or updating drivers, hold your horses. The methods described in this post will help you with this issue. Just give them a try.
Method 1. Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
To deal with the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” issue, the easiest method is to run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. It will identify hardware issues and resolve them automatically. Why not give it a shot? Steps are as follows.
Step 1. Type “Troubleshoot” in the search box and select Troubleshoot from the search results.
Step 2. Scroll down to locate Hardware and Devices in the list and click on it.
Step 3. Click on the Run the troubleshooter button under it. Then the troubleshooter starts to work. You may need to restart your computer in the process. Just follow the instruction.
If it doesn’t work, read on to try other methods below.
Solution 2. Specify the Search Path in Device Manager
According to some users who have encountered the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” issue, this method is proven to be effective. Take these steps:
Step 1. Launch Device Manager.
Step 2. Right-click on the device with which you’re facing the issue and select Update driver from the pop-up menu.
Step 3. Select “Browse my computer for driver software”.
Step 4. Navigate to the C:\Windows\WinSxS location on your computer under the “Search for driver software in this location” option, and then click on Next.
Windows will search for the driver installation package in this folder and install it automatically. And this will help you bypass the issue.
Solution 3. Completely Remove and Re-install the Problematic Device Driver
The appearance of the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” error message usually means that there is something wrong with the driver installation package. To address this issue, you can also try to uninstall the problematic device driver completely, and then re-download it from the manufacturer’s website to re-install. These posts are for your reference:
Before doing this, you can disable driver signature enforcement first. But you need to make sure the driver you are going to install is secure.
You may also like to check out:
Fixed: The Device Cannot Start (Code 10) - Graphics/Video Card
How to Fix "The Drivers for This Device Are Not Installed (Code 28)"
How to Fix the Problem of "The System Cannot find the File Specified"
Fix: Display Driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver Stopped Responding
How to Troubleshoot “This Device Cannot Start. (Code 10)” – USB Device Error Code 10
If the “Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device” error message still exists after you try all the methods above, leave comments below to let us know. For more solutions to other driver-related issues, please visit the Driver Errors section on this site.
|
ExplorerMax |
|
Driver Talent for Network Card | |
| Smart and advanced file explorer tool for Windows platforms | Download & Install Network Drivers without Internet Connection | |||
| 30-day Free Trial | Free Download |
