7 Fixes | This Device Cannot Start Code 10!

Learn how to fix this device cannot start code 10 via seven fixes in this guide. Besides, you can get top-rated data recovery software for Windows to recover files.

Penny

By Penny / Updated on April 3, 2024

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This device cannot start code 10!

Case 1.

   
   
   
       

Hi! As of recently my TM WH throttle is not properly detected anymore in Windows. It shows up in Device Manger but with an error. And the error message is “This device cannot start (code 10). I’ve tried the reset of the device, but failed. Can you help me?

-A user from dcs. world

Case 2.

   
   
   
       

Hello! About three days ago, I was doing something normal browsing on my computer running Windows 10, version 1909. Suddenly, my computer went to a black screen and froze. I had to manually press the restart button. After that incident, my USB drives are not loading. Luckily, my mouse is working. To start my USB, I need to manually disable and enable them. But there is an error: This device cannot start (code 10). How to fix it?

- A user from tenforums

Code 10 is one of the error codes in Device Manger. According to Microsoft Support, the full error message is “This device cannot start. Try upgrading the device drivers for this device. (Code 10).”

Cause about code 10 message in Device Manager

In general, the hardware key of the device contains a “FailReasonString” value, which displays an error message defined by the hardware manufacturer.

Without the “FailReasonString” value, you’ll receive the error message like the above users.

How do I fix device cannot start code 10?

Code 10 this device cannot start? How to fix it? Read and get seven feasible fixes below.

Fix 1. Restart your computer

The simplest method is often the most effective. So you can try to restart your computer to fix this issue. If it cannot work for you, you can try other solutions one by one.

Fix 2. Run the Hardware and Device troubleshooter

Running the hardware and device troubleshooter is an efficient way for users to identify and fix errors on your hardware. Let’s show how it works.

Step 1. Press “Win + I” to open Windows Settings, then click Update & Security > Troubleshoot.

Step 2. Click “Hardware and Devices” and “Run the troubleshooter” to locate errors.

run-hardware-and-devices-troubleshooter

Fix 3. Update/uninstall device driver in Device Manager

If this device cannot start code 10 because of your storage driver, you can update device driver the latest. Please ensure you’ve downloaded the latest driver from manufacturer’s website before following solution.

Step 1. Enter “Device Manager” in the search bar and open it.

device-manager

Step 2. Go to Disk Drives and right-click on your selected drive. Then select the “Update Drivers” option.

external-hard-drive-update-driver

Step 3. Select the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Please wait patiently.

external-hard-drive-search-automatic-for-driver

Fix 4. Roll Back Driver to undo the recent changes

If your Windows PC still shows this error, maybe you can try to undo the recent changes made in Disk Manager to fix this problem.

Step 1. Enter “Device Manager” in the search bar and open it.

device-manager

Step 2. Locate the device that you want to roll back driver.

Step 3. Right-click on your targeted drive and click the “Properties” button.

Step 4. Under the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver > OK.  

roll-back-driver

After that, your problematic device will go back to the previously installed version.

Fix 5. Perform a Windows Updates

Microsoft releases Windows updates on a regular basis to fix minor issues in the system and to incorporate the most recent security paths. If you’re still facing the device cannot start code 10, check whether you’ve installed available Windows updates or not.

Step 1. Press “Win + I” to open Windows Settings and go to Update & Security.

Step 2. Under the Windows Update tab on the left, click the “Check for updates” button.

check-for-updates

Step 3. Your PC will begin installing the latest Windows OS. Please wait patiently.

Fix 6. Delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters values in the registry

Don’t be discouraged if the above methods are ineffective. You still have time to make things right by deleting the upper and lower filters to fix your corrupted registry entries.

Please be careful to refer to the following steps because any mistakes in the registry can damage your Windows operating system.

Step 1. Press Win + R” to run the dialog box and type “regedit” in the window.

regedit-ok

Step 2. Go to this path:

HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class.

Step 3. Under the Class key, you’ll notice many keys below it that are long strings of characters. These GUIs (Globally Unique Identifiers) all correspond to different types of hardware in the Device Manager.

computer-hkey-local-machine-system-current-control-set-control-class

Step 4. Locate your problematic Class GUID from the list. Right-click on Upperfilters and Lowerfilters and select the “Delete” option.

delete-lower-filters

Step 5. Restart your computer to see if this device can work.

Fix 7. Disable and re-enable the USB controller

If you’re in a similar situation like the second user, disabling and re-enabling your USB controller is an efficient way for you to fix the issue of this device cannot start code 10.

Step 1. Connect your USB to the computer. Enter “Device Manager” in the search bar and open it. Then click the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” button.

universal-serial-bus-controllers

Step 2. Right-click on your USB controllers, then click Uninstall device > Uninstall.

reinstall-usb-controllers__600x439

Further reading: How to recover deleted/lost files due to code 10 error?

This device cannot start code 10? With the guidance of the above content, it’s relatively easy for you to fix it.

But have you ever suffered data due to code 10 error? After fixing it, are you attempting to recover lost files? If it happens to be your case, maybe you can ask for help from this professional data recovery software, MyRecover.

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Judge the recovered files according to their original paths, filenames, and formats.   
During Quick Scan and Deep Scan, enter filenames in the search bar to access your desired files or wait to find all the deleted and other lost files on your computers
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Download MyRecover on your Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Windows Server computers to get your lost files back!

Download Software Windows 11/10/8/7/Server
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Step 1. After running this tool, hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. You can search or wait to view all the deleted and other missing files.

scanning-drive

Step 3. Go to the Deleted Files/Other Missing Files folder, then click “Recover x files” to recover your chosen files. After recovery, you need to save these retrieved files in a new location.

select-deleted-folder-from-desktop-click-recover

The bottom line

This passage has elaborated how to fix the issue of this device cannot start code 10 and how to recover lost files with ease. Please refer to the corresponding part to find answers.

Nevertheless, during this device cannot start code 10 process, what can do you to access your desired working materials and related data? Not to mention preventing data loss.

You can restore files from backups made by Windows features or free backup software for Windows to get your needed documents. Otherwise, data recovery tools seem as the top choice for you.

Penny
Penny · Editor
Penny works as an editor at AOMEI Technology, while she's a tester and editor for AOMEI Data Recovery Tools. She enjoys helping users with data recovery issues on Windows and iPhones using simple and practical solutions. Outside of work, she has a strong affection for pets, particularly giant pandas.