Code 43 means Windows stopped a device after one of its drivers reported that the device failed. The message is generic: it can appear for a graphics card, USB device, Bluetooth adapter, camera, audio hardware, chipset component, or another device. Reconnect the hardware, update the exact compatible driver, and then uninstall and redetect the device if necessary. If Code 43 returns after a clean installation of the manufacturer’s correct driver, stop trying unrelated packages and arrange hardware-specific diagnostics.
Microsoft’s status text is “Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43).” The underlying Configuration Manager problem is CM_PROB_FAILED_POST_START: a driver reported a device failure after startup. The steps below start with reversible checks and progress to reinstalling the device and escalating to the hardware maker.
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What Code 43 means
Device Manager is reporting a driver-to-operating-system failure, not identifying a single defective part. Windows can display the same Code 43 status for very different causes, including an incompatible driver, a failed driver update, a device that is not connected correctly, firmware or power problems, or hardware that is beginning to fail.
The code does not tell you whether the problem is the device, its driver, its connection, or a related component. Treat it as a starting point for identifying the exact hardware and driver rather than as a diagnosis that a particular cable or replacement part is required.
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Record the device details first
Before changing anything, open the device’s properties so you can identify what Windows is actually reporting:
- Press Windows+X and select Device Manager.
- Expand the category containing the warning icon, such as Display adapters, Universal Serial Bus controllers, Bluetooth, Cameras, Sound, video and game controllers, or System devices.
- Right-click the device and choose Properties.
- On the General tab, copy the exact device name and status text. On the Driver tab, note the provider, driver date, version, and whether buttons such as Roll Back Driver are available.
These details matter because a driver for one model or hardware revision can be wrong for another even when the product names look similar. Keep the notes until the device works reliably.
Follow this fix order
Work through the sequence in order. The early checks are reversible; uninstalling a device comes later because Windows may need to redetect it or obtain a driver again.
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1. Reconnect the hardware
For an external device, shut down any application using it, disconnect it, wait a few seconds, and reconnect it firmly. If the device uses a removable cable, try the cable and port recommended by its manufacturer. A USB device that is connected through a hub can be tested directly on the computer, provided that doing so follows the device maker’s instructions.
After reconnecting, reopen Device Manager and choose Action > Scan for hardware changes. If the device is internal, do not open a powered computer or reseat components casually. Follow the computer or component manufacturer’s service documentation instead; some systems require a complete shutdown, battery isolation, or specialist handling.
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2. Use Device Manager to update the driver
- In Device Manager, right-click the Code 43 device and select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab and select Update Driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers. Windows will check the driver sources available to it, including Windows Update when configured.
- Restart if Windows installs a driver, then check the device status again.
Windows Update supplies drivers for most hardware, but it may not contain the newest or most specialized package. If Device Manager reports that the best driver is already installed while Code 43 remains, identify the exact model and download the latest compatible release from that device manufacturer’s official support page. Match the Windows edition and architecture shown in Settings > System > About, and avoid packages intended for a different model or operating-system version.
3. Compare with the previous driver when the error followed an update
If the device worked until a recent driver installation, open its Properties > Driver tab and check whether Roll Back Driver is enabled. Rolling back is a reversible test: it returns to the previous package rather than installing a random alternative. If the button is unavailable, use the manufacturer’s support page to compare the current release with an earlier version explicitly listed as compatible with your model.
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Do not infer that the newest number is always the correct one. A release can support a different hardware revision, operating-system build, or firmware combination. Record which version you tested so you can explain the sequence to the manufacturer if escalation becomes necessary.
4. Uninstall the device or driver
When updating does not clear Code 43, reinstall the device entry:
- In Device Manager, right-click the affected device and select Uninstall device.
- Read the confirmation dialog carefully. If Windows offers Attempt to remove the driver for this device or a similar checkbox, select it only when you have a compatible replacement available or Windows Update can supply one.
- Confirm the uninstall. The device may disappear from the category or appear as an unrecognized item.
- Restart Windows. A restart allows Windows to initialize the hardware again and may reinstall a required driver through Windows Update.
Uninstalling does not repair a physically failed device. It removes the current device registration and, when selected, its driver package so Windows can build a clean installation. If you removed the only usable driver and Windows does not restore it, install the manufacturer’s package from a previously downloaded file or another computer, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
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5. Scan for hardware changes after uninstalling
You can trigger redetection without waiting for a restart:
- Open Device Manager.
- Select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
- Wait for the device to reappear, then open its properties and inspect the status.
If the device does not return, restart Windows and check again. A missing entry can indicate that the hardware is disconnected, disabled in firmware, not receiving power, or not being detected at the bus level. Consult the exact computer or device documentation before changing firmware settings.
6. Install the manufacturer’s compatible package
When Windows Update cannot restore the device, use the official support page for the computer, motherboard, graphics card, adapter, or peripheral. Search by the exact model or service tag, not by a generic phrase such as “Code 43 driver.” Download the package that matches your Windows version and hardware revision, install it as directed, and restart if requested.
For a component supplied inside a branded computer, the computer maker’s package may be more appropriate than a generic component package because it can include system-specific firmware, power settings, or dependencies. For an add-in card or external peripheral, the component maker’s instructions may be the authoritative source. If the two sources offer different packages, document the model and ask the manufacturer which one is intended for your configuration.
Graphics adapter: the Microsoft-specific procedure
Microsoft documents a dedicated uninstall-and-rescan sequence for display adapters. Use it for a graphics adapter showing Code 43; do not assume that the same procedure is the right fix for a USB, audio, Bluetooth, camera, or system device.
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- Save your work and close graphics applications.
- Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the affected graphics device and select Uninstall device. If Windows presents an option to remove the driver package, follow the manufacturer’s guidance and ensure you have a compatible package available.
- Restart Windows, or in Device Manager select Action > Scan for hardware changes so Windows redetects the adapter.
- Install the compatible graphics driver supplied for the exact adapter and Windows version, then restart and test.
A display that returns with a basic driver but again shows Code 43 after the manufacturer package is installed points to a compatibility, firmware, power, or hardware issue rather than a need to repeat the same uninstall indefinitely. Record the driver version and the point at which the status returns.
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USB storage, hubs, and other USB devices
Disconnect the device, remove unnecessary hubs from the test path, and reconnect it directly as recommended by the device maker. Test only ports and cables that are known to provide the required power and data mode. If Code 43 follows the device to another suitable port or computer, the device, cable, or its firmware becomes more suspect. If only one computer reports the code, concentrate on that computer’s chipset, USB-controller, and operating-system drivers.
Bluetooth adapters and peripherals
Identify whether Code 43 is on the computer’s Bluetooth adapter or on a paired peripheral. Reinstalling the computer adapter’s driver will not repair a peripheral with its own firmware problem. Remove stale pairings only when the peripheral’s instructions call for it, then use the computer or adapter manufacturer’s compatible package.
Audio and camera devices
Check the exact device listed under Sound, video and game controllers or Cameras. A laptop maker can publish a customized audio or camera driver that differs from a generic chipset package. If the device fails immediately after an update, compare the current release with the prior manufacturer-approved release before removing multiple related drivers.
Chipset and system devices
A Code 43 entry under System devices can be a platform component rather than a device you plug in. Use the computer or motherboard support page and follow its order for chipset, firmware, and system-driver updates. Do not uninstall several system entries at once; changing multiple variables makes it harder to identify which package resolved or caused the failure.
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Choose the next remedy by evidence
| What you observe | Most appropriate next step | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The device was recently unplugged, moved, or connected through a different port | Reconnect it correctly, then scan for hardware changes | A connection or detection problem can produce the same generic status as a driver failure. |
| Code 43 began immediately after a driver update | Use Roll Back Driver when available, or test the prior manufacturer-approved release | This is reversible and directly tests whether the new package caused the failure. |
| Windows says the best driver is already installed | Check the exact model on the manufacturer’s support page | Device Manager’s result does not prove that the installed package is the newest or correct OEM package. |
| Uninstalling followed by a restart clears the warning | Keep the working driver version and create a restore point before future changes | A clean redetection solved the registration or package state without requiring unrelated software. |
| Code 43 returns after the correct OEM driver is cleanly installed | Use the manufacturer’s diagnostics or service process | Repeated reinstallations are unlikely to fix a persistent hardware, firmware, power, or compatibility fault. |
Signs that you should escalate
Escalate to the device or computer manufacturer when the exact compatible driver has been installed, the device has been redetected, and Code 43 still returns. Provide the model, Windows edition and build, Device Manager’s full status text, driver provider/version/date, the steps already attempted, and whether the error follows the device to another suitable system.
Hardware diagnosis is especially important when the device is not detected at all after a restart, disappears intermittently, becomes unusually hot, loses power, produces physical error indicators, or fails on more than one known-good system. Those symptoms cannot be resolved reliably by cycling through unrelated driver packages.
Common mistakes that prolong Code 43
- Choosing a driver by name alone: Similar product names can represent different revisions. Match the full model and Windows version.
- Installing several driver utilities at once: Multiple packages can overwrite one another and obscure which version is active. Use Windows Update or the exact manufacturer’s package first.
- Removing every related device: Uninstall only the entry showing the error unless the manufacturer’s instructions require a broader cleanup.
- Ignoring the timing: A failure that started after an update should be tested with rollback or the prior compatible release before a series of unrelated changes.
- Repeatedly reinstalling after recurrence: A clean reinstall that works briefly and then returns to Code 43 is evidence to investigate hardware, firmware, power, or compatibility.
- Opening a powered system casually: Internal components require the manufacturer’s service procedure. Disconnect power and follow its safety guidance before any physical inspection.
After the device works
Open Device Manager again and confirm that the warning icon is gone and the status reads that the device is working properly. Test the function that originally failed: display output, USB data transfer, Bluetooth pairing, audio capture or playback, camera access, or the relevant system feature. Keep a note of the working driver provider, date, and version. That record makes a future rollback or manufacturer support case faster and avoids repeating unproductive packages.
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Code 43 is resolved when Windows can start the device without the driver reporting a failure. The practical path is therefore specific: identify the device, reconnect it, update through Device Manager or the manufacturer, uninstall and redetect it when needed, use the graphics-specific sequence for display adapters, and escalate persistent recurrence with complete model and driver information.
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