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Before changing boot files, copy the complete message exactly as shown. A visually similar code, 0xC0000228, usually belongs to a boot or BCD recovery screen and requires a different procedure. The guide below starts with the low-risk driver path and switches to Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) only when the evidence shows a genuine startup problem.
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What error 0xE0000228 means
The hexadecimal code is recorded in the Windows driver-installation flow, where SetupAPI evaluates candidate INF files for detected hardware. The full message is “There are no compatible drivers for this device.” In practical terms, Windows can see a device, but none of the driver packages currently available to it declares a compatible hardware ID and operating-system target.
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Why the distinction matters
- A driver-selection failure normally occurs while Windows is running, during Device Manager, Setup, an update, or installation of a peripheral.
- A boot failure normally shows a recovery screen, a path such as
EFIMicrosoftBootBCD, or a different code beginning with0xC000. - Driver replacement is generally reversible through Device Manager or System Restore. Editing the boot store can make a computer unbootable if it is done on the wrong disk, partition or firmware mode.
First, verify the exact code and message
Read the entire dialog, Device Manager status, installation log or recovery screen. Record capitalization and every digit. The leading letter and the position of the zero matter: 0xE0000228 and 0xC0000228 are not interchangeable.
| What you see | Likely problem class | Use this article’s path |
|---|---|---|
0xE0000228 with “There are no compatible drivers for this device” |
SetupAPI could not select a compatible device driver | Identify the hardware, obtain the correct signed driver and refresh Windows Update |
0xC0000228, a recovery screen, or a reference to EFIMicrosoftBootBCD |
Boot configuration or startup failure | Enter WinRE, try Startup Repair, and use BCD commands only when the evidence supports it |
| A different stop or bug-check code | Another Windows crash or startup condition | Do not assume either procedure applies; preserve the exact code and message first |
If the screen is transient, photograph it with a phone. If Windows is running, open Event Viewer or the installation log and copy the surrounding lines, not just the hexadecimal value.
Evidence to collect before changing anything
Good evidence prevents the most common mistake: forcing a driver intended for a similar-looking device. Gather the following while the system is in its current state.
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- Hardware identity: the device name shown in Device Manager and its most specific Hardware ID.
- Manufacturer and model: the exact PC, motherboard, adapter, printer or USB device model, including a revision or subsystem identifier when listed.
- Windows target: edition (for example, Home or Pro), version/build, 32-bit or 64-bit architecture, and whether the installation is running on ARM or x64 hardware.
- Installation evidence: the relevant entry in
C:WindowsINFsetupapi.dev.log. Search for0xe0000228, the device’s hardware ID and the timestamp of the failed attempt. - Connection details: for USB hardware, the port and cable used; for an internal device, whether it appeared after a hardware change or Windows reinstall.
Find the hardware ID in Device Manager
- Press
Win + Xand choose Device Manager. - Expand the category containing the problem device. It may appear under a generic name or with a warning icon.
- Right-click the device, select Properties, then open the Details tab.
- Set Property to Hardware Ids.
- Copy the first, most specific value. It commonly contains a vendor identifier and a device identifier. Keep the complete string, including any revision or subsystem portion.
Use that exact ID when searching the computer maker’s or device maker’s support page. Do not choose a package merely because its marketing name sounds similar.
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Manual fixes for 0xE0000228
1. Install the exact manufacturer driver
Start with the PC or device manufacturer’s support site, not a random driver repository. Select the model and the Windows edition, version and architecture that you recorded. If several packages are offered, compare the INF documentation or release notes with the hardware ID and choose the package that explicitly supports the device.
- Download the driver package to a local folder. If it is a ZIP file, extract it rather than pointing Device Manager at the compressed archive.
- Run the manufacturer’s installer if one is supplied. If the package contains INF files only, return to Device Manager, choose Update driver, then Browse my computer for drivers and select the extracted folder.
- Leave Include subfolders enabled so Windows can see the package’s INF and catalog files.
- Allow Windows to verify the digital signature. Do not disable signature enforcement or force an INF for a different model or architecture simply to make the warning disappear.
- Restart Windows even if the installer does not insist on a reboot. Then open Device Manager again and confirm that the device is listed without the original driver-selection error.
If the vendor offers separate packages for Windows 10 and Windows 11, use the one that matches your installed system unless the vendor explicitly documents cross-version support. A 32-bit package cannot satisfy a 64-bit installation, and an x64 package is not a substitute for an ARM driver.
2. Run Windows Update, including optional drivers
Windows’ own process can search Windows Update after local driver selection fails. Connect to a reliable network, save work and then:
- Open Settings with
Win + I. - In Windows 11, select Windows Update. In Windows 10, select Update & Security → Windows Update.
- Choose Check for updates and install all applicable quality and servicing updates.
- Open Advanced options → Optional updates (or the equivalent optional-update link in your Windows build) and review driver updates. Install the one that matches the device; do not install unrelated packages just because they are listed.
- Restart, then check Device Manager and the SetupAPI log again.
On a newly installed or offline system, Windows Update may not be able to obtain the package. In that case, return to the manufacturer’s driver and install it locally. If the device is a network adapter and you have no network connection, download the package on another computer and transfer it with removable media.
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3. Test a different USB port and cable
For a USB device, shut down any application using it, unplug it and try a known-good cable and a different port. Prefer a port directly on the computer rather than an unpowered hub while testing. If the device works on another port, the original connection path—not the driver package—may be the immediate cause. Repeat the hardware-ID check after reconnecting because Windows can enumerate a device differently through another controller.
4. Check the system clock and certificate trust
Windows validates signed driver packages. An incorrect date or time can make a valid certificate appear expired or not yet valid, while a stale trust store can prevent validation. These checks do not explain every occurrence of 0xE0000228, but they are quick and safe when a known-good signed package is rejected.
- Open Settings → Time & language → Date & time (Windows 11) or Settings → Time & Language → Date & time (Windows 10).
- Turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically where available, then select Sync now.
- Install pending Windows updates so the system’s trusted root certificates and servicing components are current.
- Retry the manufacturer’s driver installation. If Windows reports a signature or certificate error, preserve that exact message; it points to a trust problem rather than an absent hardware match.
5. Remove only a clearly failed package, then rescan
If a previous installation is visibly broken and the vendor’s instructions call for a clean replacement, use Device Manager carefully:
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- Open the device’s Properties → Driver tab and note the provider, date and version.
- Choose Uninstall device. Select the option to remove the driver package only when you are certain it belongs to this device and you already have the replacement package available.
- Restart Windows, open Device Manager, select Action → Scan for hardware changes, and install the exact manufacturer driver.
Do not uninstall a storage, chipset or network driver without a recovery plan: removing a critical driver can leave you without access to the disk or network needed for the next step. If the device is essential to startup, use the vendor’s documented recovery process instead of experimenting.
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Read SetupAPI.dev.log when the cause is still unclear
The file C:WindowsINFsetupapi.dev.log records driver-selection decisions. Open it in Notepad as an administrator if necessary and search from the bottom upward for the timestamp of the failure, the hardware ID and 0xe0000228.
Look for the candidate INF paths Windows examined and the reason each candidate was rejected. A package that lacks the hardware ID, targets another architecture or fails signature validation should be replaced with the correct vendor package. Preserve a copy of the relevant block before repeating the installation; the next attempt can overwrite the context you need.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When the computer will not boot: use WinRE, not driver commands
If the displayed failure is a recovery screen, mentions the BCD path, or uses 0xC0000228 rather than 0xE0000228, stop following the device-driver procedure. You need Windows Recovery Environment.
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- Obtain Windows installation media for the installed edition and architecture. A Windows 11 installation USB is recovery media; it is not a driver that fixes 0xE0000228.
- Insert the USB and boot the affected computer from it using the firmware’s boot-menu key.
- At the Windows Setup screen, choose your language and keyboard options, then select Next.
- Select Repair your computer, then Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair.
- Choose the Windows installation when prompted and let Startup Repair complete. It addresses common startup issues, including damaged system files and boot configuration data.
If Startup Repair reports that it cannot fix the computer, photograph the diagnostic details. The drive letter assigned to Windows in WinRE may not be C:, so identify the correct volume before entering any command.
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BCD commands: only for a confirmed boot-configuration failure
These commands do not install a missing USB, network, graphics or audio driver. Use them only when the recovery evidence points to BCD corruption and you have reached Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt from WinRE.
Microsoft’s documented workflow is to locate the Windows and system partitions, export a backup of the existing BCD store, remove its hidden/system/read-only attributes, rename the old store and rebuild it. The exact drive letters and EFI-versus-BIOS layout vary, so follow the Microsoft procedure for your firmware mode rather than copying a command block blindly.
The operation commonly includes the following pattern, with C: replaced by the letter WinRE assigns to the Windows volume and the system-partition path adjusted to your layout:
bootrec /ScanOS
bcdedit /export C:bcd-backup
attrib C:bootbcd -h -r -s
ren C:bootbcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcdbootrec /ScanOS inventories Windows installations that are not currently listed. The bcdedit export gives you a rollback copy. The attrib and ren commands prepare the old store for replacement, and bootrec /rebuildbcd creates a new entry after you confirm the detected installation. On UEFI systems, the BCD store is on the EFI system partition, so the path in the example may be wrong; identify and mount that partition as Microsoft documents.
If BitLocker is enabled, WinRE may request the recovery key before it can access the Windows volume. Do not format partitions or delete an EFI partition as a first response. If the commands return an error, record it and stop rather than trying random variations.
Quick Recap
Choose the safest path from the evidence
| Evidence you have | Next action | Risk and access |
|---|---|---|
SetupAPI line with 0xe0000228 and a hardware ID |
Match the ID to the manufacturer driver; then run Windows Update | Low; Windows and Device Manager are available |
| USB device behaves differently with another port or cable | Replace the connection path, then repeat driver detection | Low; no boot changes |
| Signature or certificate validation failure | Correct the clock, update Windows trust components and retry a signed package | Low; do not disable signature enforcement |
Recovery screen with 0xC0000228 or a BCD path |
Boot installation media, run Startup Repair, then consider documented BCD recovery | Higher; requires WinRE and correct partition identification |
| Only the word “stop” appears, with no complete message | Capture the full screen or log before selecting a repair path | Prevents applying boot commands to a driver problem |
What not to do
- Do not treat
0xE0000228as proof of a blue screen or as permission to rebuild BCD. - Do not force an INF from a visually similar device, another Windows architecture or another model revision.
- Do not download unsigned packages from generic driver sites when the manufacturer provides a signed package.
- Do not disable Windows driver-signature enforcement as a permanent workaround.
- Do not delete boot partitions, run
formator reset Windows before preserving the hardware ID, SetupAPI log and recovery messages. - Do not assume that a successful installation dialog proves compatibility; verify the device, provider and version in Device Manager after restarting.
Verification checklist after the repair
- Restart Windows normally.
- Open Device Manager and confirm the device is present under the expected category without the original warning.
- In Properties → Driver, record the provider, date and version and compare them with the manufacturer package you intended to install.
- Test the device’s real function: transfer data for a USB device, connect to a network for an adapter, print a test page for a printer, or play audio for an audio device.
- Reopen
C:WindowsINFsetupapi.dev.logand confirm that the latest attempt no longer ends with “There are no compatible drivers for this device.” - Keep the downloaded installer, hardware ID and relevant log excerpt until the device has survived another restart and your normal workload.
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