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Freedom251 › Blog › HWID ban

How to Troubleshoot a Valorant Hardware Ban After Upgrading or Replacing PC Parts

By Freedom251 Team · · 4 min read

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If you upgraded your PC and Valorant now shows VAN 152, Riot identifies that code with an active hardware ID (HWID) ban—not a problem that replacing a motherboard or reinstalling the game will fix. If the screen instead says VAN: RESTRICTION, read the full message, including any number: Riot uses those errors for Windows or security-configuration requirements. The exact code determines the right next step.

First, identify the exact Valorant error

Compare the wording on screen with Riot’s definitions before changing hardware, firmware, or Windows settings. Riot distinguishes an active HWID ban from a Vanguard restriction that needs a system setting or update.

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What appears What Riot says it means Appropriate next step
VAN 152 The login attempt is on a computer with an active HWID ban. Riot’s HWID-ban explanation. Do not test another account on the computer. If you believe the penalty should be reviewed, ask Player Support to re-evaluate it.
VAN: RESTRICTION, without a number Vanguard requires a Windows update or security-setting change before the game can launch. Riot’s general restriction guide. Follow the full message and its matching instructions; send logs to support if the correction does not clear the error.
VAN: RESTRICTION: 1 Secure Boot verification failed. Riot’s guide to restriction 1. Check Secure Boot and UEFI; if the error persists, follow Riot’s BIOS guidance.
VAN: RESTRICTION: 3 Vanguard cannot verify the game from its install drive. Riot’s guide to restriction 3. Install the game on the same internal drive as Windows.
VAN: RESTRICTION: 5 Memory Integrity, also called HVCI/VBS, could not be verified. Riot’s guide to restriction 5. Use Riot’s Windows, virtualization, and BIOS/UEFI checks.

If Valorant shows VAN 152 after a PC upgrade

Riot describes an HWID ban as a serious penalty involving a computer’s physical components. Riot says these penalties commonly follow repeated severe in-game behavior, verifiable threats, or detected third-party tools. The timing of a hardware upgrade does not establish that the upgrade caused the ban.

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Replacing a motherboard or another component is not Riot’s remedy. Riot states: “Reinstalling a game or deleting the responsible account won’t remove an HWID ban.” That applies to reinstalling Valorant as well; changing parts, reinstalling Windows, or creating another account should not be treated as ways to clear the penalty.

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  1. Stop trying accounts on that computer. Riot warns that another account used on a hardware-banned computer can also be restricted there and may receive a temporary ban.
  2. Submit a Player Support request for re-evaluation if you believe the penalty should be reviewed. Explain the situation clearly and provide relevant details requested by support.
  3. Wait for Riot’s review. Riot may lift or extend the ban after reviewing the case; a successful appeal is not guaranteed.

If the message says VAN: RESTRICTION

VAN: RESTRICTION is not the same diagnosis as VAN 152. Riot says this restriction means Vanguard needs a Windows update or security-setting change before launch. Read the entire error, including its number, and use the corresponding Riot instructions rather than changing unrelated BIOS settings.

Riot’s general guide, checked on October 4, 2026, lists Windows build 19045 or newer for one case and build 26100 or newer for another case that is supported only on Windows 11. These are version-specific requirements, not universal advice to install a particular Windows edition; check Riot’s live guide for the requirement matching your error.

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VAN: RESTRICTION: 1 — Secure Boot and UEFI

Riot says verification can fail when Secure Boot is disabled, when the system is not using UEFI, or when the motherboard BIOS needs updating. Check Secure Boot first. If the restriction remains, follow Riot’s BIOS update instructions and use the motherboard manufacturer’s guidance for model-specific steps. Do not treat a Secure Boot correction as a way to remove an HWID ban.

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VAN: RESTRICTION: 3 — game drive

Riot requires the game to be installed on the same internal drive as Windows for this restriction. This check can be relevant after moving storage or reinstalling the game; it is a drive-verification requirement, not a hardware-ban remedy.

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VAN: RESTRICTION: 5 — Memory Integrity, HVCI, or VBS

Riot identifies this code with a failure to verify Memory Integrity, also known as Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) or Virtualization-based Security (VBS). Follow Riot’s instructions for Windows, virtualization, and BIOS/UEFI checks. Use official device or motherboard manufacturer directions for settings specific to your model.

Other restriction messages

Depending on the system configuration, Vanguard may require features including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity/HVCI/VBS, or IOMMU. Check VGTray and the error-specific Riot article to identify what is required for your system instead of toggling unrelated firmware settings.

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When to contact Riot Support

  • For VAN 152, request a penalty re-evaluation if you believe the HWID ban should be reviewed. Riot does not promise that the penalty will be lifted.
  • For VAN: RESTRICTION, follow the applicable error-specific guide. If the required correction does not clear it, submit a support ticket with logs as Riot directs.

Riot’s error definitions and Windows requirements can change. The official articles linked above are the current place to confirm the exact instructions for your code.

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HWID banPC troubleshootingRiot VanguardVALORANTVAN 152

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