The Tool Desk
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Windows is usually blocking the named driver because it is incompatible, outdated, improperly signed, or covered by a security policy such as Memory integrity. The message does not automatically mean malware. The safest solution is to identify the exact .sys file, update or remove the software or device that installed it, restart Windows, and keep Memory integrity enabled.
Why Windows blocks the driver
A driver is low-level software that allows Windows to communicate with hardware or enables features in applications. Windows Security’s Memory integrity feature, also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), uses hardware virtualization to protect sensitive Windows code and prevent unsafe kernel-mode drivers from loading.
A legitimate driver can trigger the warning if it is old, vulnerable, incorrectly signed, incompatible with HVCI, or included in Microsoft’s vulnerable-driver blocklist. Microsoft says the warning most likely indicates a vulnerable or incompatible driver, not necessarily a malicious one. See Microsoft’s explanation of the message and its Device Security guidance.
First, record the driver name
Take a screenshot or write down the exact filename shown in the warning, such as ene.sys or AMDRyzenMasterDriver.sys. Also record the displayed company name and when the warning began.
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Think about what changed immediately beforehand:
- A Windows update or Windows 10-to-11 upgrade
- A BIOS or firmware update
- A motherboard, RGB, fan-control, monitoring, or overclocking utility
- Antivirus, VPN, webcam, printer, licensing, or virtualization software
- A newly connected USB, capture, imaging, or other peripheral
Do not delete the .sys file just because its name looks unfamiliar. The filename is a clue, not proof of ownership or safety.
Identify what owns the driver
Check the file’s publisher and location
If you can locate the file, right-click it and select Properties. Review the Details and Digital Signatures tabs, including the publisher, product name, version, and file path. An unsigned file, an unusual location, or suspicious behavior warrants a reputable security scan.
Search the exact filename online only as an identification clue. Download replacement drivers only from Windows Update, your PC manufacturer, the hardware manufacturer, or the application publisher.
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Check installed applications
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and search for software from the company named in the warning. The driver may belong to a motherboard utility, RGB controller, hardware-monitoring tool, antivirus product, VPN, licensing system, or other application rather than a physical device.
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Use Device Manager when hardware is involved
Right-click Start, select Device Manager, and locate the related device. Open Properties > Driver to view the provider, date, version, and Driver Details. The Device status box may also show an error code.
Codes such as 31, 32, and 39 are separate Device Manager problems and are not automatically the same as the Memory integrity warning. Microsoft lists their individual meanings and remedies in its Device Manager error-code guide.
Fix the problem in this order
1. Install Windows and optional driver updates
On Windows 11, open:
- Start > Settings > Windows Update
- Select Advanced options.
- Select Optional updates.
- Open Driver updates, if available.
- Install the relevant update and restart.
Optional updates may not contain the required fix. For laptops and prebuilt PCs, check the manufacturer’s support page first for the exact model. For desktops, check the motherboard, graphics-card, peripheral, or application manufacturer. Microsoft’s current Windows Driver Policy documentation explains driver signing and policy requirements.
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- Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
- Right-click the affected device.
- Select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows.
This works best when the notification clearly identifies a physical device. It may not find a replacement for a driver installed by an application or utility.
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3. Install the correct vendor update
- Laptop or prebuilt PC: use the OEM support page.
- Motherboard utility: use the motherboard manufacturer.
- Graphics driver: use the GPU or system manufacturer, according to its support instructions.
- Printer, scanner, webcam, capture card, or USB device: use the hardware manufacturer.
- Antivirus, VPN, RGB, monitoring, overclocking, anti-cheat, or virtualization software: use the application publisher.
- USB licensing dongle or industrial software: use the vendor that supplied the system.
Examples such as ene.sys, AMDRyzenMasterDriver.sys, iqvw64e.sys, WibuKey64.sys, and grdusb.sys can be associated with particular utilities or hardware, but the association depends on the exact version, publisher, and installation. Verify yours before updating or removing anything.
4. Uninstall obsolete software or hardware
If the application is no longer needed, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, uninstall the associated product, and restart.
If the driver belongs to removable hardware:
- Open Device Manager.
- Right-click the device and select Uninstall device.
- Restart Windows.
- Reconnect or reinstall the device only after obtaining a compatible driver.
Some programs leave behind a service, scheduled task, or driver package. If the warning returns, the application may be reinstalling the old driver or may not have removed it completely. A vendor-provided removal tool or reinstall-then-uninstall procedure can help, but it is product-specific. Do not manually delete files from C:WindowsSystem32drivers or edit the registry unless the vendor provides an exact procedure.
Temporarily turn off Memory integrity only if necessary
Use this only when the software or hardware is essential and no compatible driver exists. It is a compatibility workaround, not a repair: it does not modernize or secure the driver.
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- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Privacy & security.
- Select Windows Security.
- Select Device security.
- Under Core isolation, select Core isolation details.
- Turn Memory integrity off.
- Restart the computer.
Turning it off removes an important protection against vulnerable kernel drivers. On a Secured-core PC, the device no longer has that Secured-core protection state. A work or school administrator may also prevent this setting from being changed. Other Windows driver policies can still block the driver, so disabling Memory integrity is not guaranteed to work.
If the feature works afterward, contact the vendor for a compatible update. Then remove or replace the old driver, turn Memory integrity back on, and restart again.
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Memory integrity is already off
The block may instead come from Windows Driver Policy, Code Integrity, the vulnerable-driver blocklist, an invalid or revoked signature, Secure Boot-related policy, or a normal Device Manager failure. Windows may also be repeatedly attempting to start a leftover driver service after an application was removed. Microsoft describes these policy layers in its driver-policy documentation.
Use Event Viewer for advanced diagnosis
- Press Win + R.
- Enter
eventvwr.mscand press Enter. - Open Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > CodeIntegrity > Operational.
- Review events recorded near the warning.
- Record the driver path, publisher, and stated reason for the block.
These events help identify the failure; an event alone does not prove that a driver is malicious.
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Try a clean boot when a third-party service is suspected
A clean boot can show whether a third-party startup service is repeatedly triggering the notification. Treat it as a diagnostic step, not a replacement for updating or removing the driver. On a managed computer, ask your administrator before changing startup or security settings.
What not to do
- Do not download replacement
.sysfiles from driver-collection websites. - Do not run
bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on. - Do not globally disable driver-signature enforcement.
- Do not disable Secure Boot solely to load an old driver.
- Do not delete a driver from a system folder before removing its owning software or service.
- Do not install several third-party driver-updater utilities.
- Do not disable every Windows security feature because one utility is outdated.
Tools such as sfc /scannow and DISM are not normally the fix for this message because the usual cause is driver compatibility or security policy, not damaged Windows files. Use system-file repair only when other symptoms also indicate Windows corruption.
Quick decision guide
| What you find | Best next step |
|---|---|
| The filename clearly belongs to an application | Update the application; uninstall it if no compatible version exists. |
| The filename belongs to hardware | Install the exact OEM or hardware-vendor driver and check relevant firmware guidance. |
| The driver is unknown or unsigned | Verify its path, publisher, installed owner, and Code Integrity events before changing it; scan the file if suspicious. |
| The warning returns after uninstalling | Look for a leftover service or software that is reinstalling the driver; use the vendor’s removal procedure. |
| The feature is essential and no update exists | Use Memory integrity off only temporarily on a fully updated, controlled system while pursuing vendor support. |
Windows 10 note
Microsoft’s dedicated warning guidance covers Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, so users who remain on Windows 10 should consider the security and support implications of continuing to use it. Menu labels can differ slightly by release; on Windows 11 the current path begins with Privacy & security.
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