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Device drivers

Use the Memory Integrity System Readiness Scan Tool in Windows 11

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If Windows 11 will not enable Memory integrity, Microsoft’s HVCIScan utility can show whether known virtualization-based security (VBS), firmware, or kernel-driver compatibility issues are involved. Download the architecture-matched executable, run it from an elevated command prompt, fix the underlying issue, and then verify the setting in Windows Security. HVCIScan is a diagnostic tool; it does not install, repair, or enable Memory integrity automatically.

What Memory integrity and HVCIScan do

Memory integrity is the Windows Security name for Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI). It runs kernel-mode code-integrity checks inside an isolated environment created by the Windows hypervisor. HVCI is part of the broader Virtualization-based security (VBS) architecture. The protection is aimed at malicious or vulnerable kernel drivers and other kernel-mode code, not at preventing every form of malware from accessing ordinary application memory.

Core isolation is the Windows Security area where the Memory integrity switch appears. HVCIScan (Microsoft’s Memory integrity system readiness scan tool) checks known VBS/HVCI compatibility conditions and scans for incompatible drivers. It does not update drivers, change BIOS settings, repair firmware, or guarantee that the switch will turn on.

When the scan is useful

  • Windows Security names incompatible drivers, but the list is empty or unclear.
  • Memory integrity is unavailable, repeatedly turns off, or cannot be enabled.
  • You suspect a firmware, virtualization, or driver problem during setup or an upgrade.
  • You need a repeatable pre-check for test or managed devices.

First inspect the built-in page: Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details. Review the Memory integrity status and select Review incompatible drivers when Windows offers that link. Labels and availability can vary by Windows edition, policy, and device state.

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Download the correct Microsoft executable

Microsoft’s Download Center lists HVCIScan version 10.0.25884.1000, published July 15, 2024 (information checked August 18, 2026). The page lists Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2022. Use the official download page: Microsoft Memory integrity system readiness scan tool.

Windows architecture File Important clarification
x64 (AMD64) hvciscan_amd64.exe For both Intel and AMD 64-bit Windows. “AMD64” is the x86-64 architecture name, not an AMD-CPU requirement.
ARM64 hvciscan_arm64.exe For Windows installed as ARM64. Do not choose it solely because a processor is marketed under an ARM brand.

Confirm the installed architecture before downloading:

Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsVersion, OsArchitecture

The Microsoft listing gives approximate file sizes of 41.9 KB for AMD64 and 21.9 KB for ARM64. Download only from Microsoft rather than from driver-updater or “PC optimizer” sites.

Run HVCIScan from an elevated prompt

  1. Create a working folder, download the matching executable, and place it there:
    mkdir C:ToolsHVCIScan
  2. Open Command Prompt with Run as administrator.
  3. Change to the folder and run the appropriate file. For x64 Windows:
    cd /d C:ToolsHVCIScan
    hvciscan_amd64.exe

    For ARM64 Windows:

    cd /d C:ToolsHVCIScan
    hvciscan_arm64.exe

Microsoft’s documented installation is simply running hvciscan_[architecture].exe from a command window. Elevation is preferable because protected driver and system-state checks can otherwise be incomplete or fail.

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Save output for support or comparison after remediation:

hvciscan_amd64.exe > hvciscan-output.txt 2>&1
notepad hvciscan-output.txt

In PowerShell, the equivalent is:

 .hvciscan_amd64.exe 2>&1 | Tee-Object .hvciscan-output.txt

Interpret the output correctly

An example published by HTMD resembles:

VbsGetIssues: 0x00000080
ACPI WSMT table required
VbsIsRecommended: 0
HVCI incompatible driver scan start…
HVCI: Driver scanning complete
HVCI: incompatible driver scan passed!

This is one device’s output, not a universal template. The lines represent separate categories:

  • VbsGetIssues reports VBS-related compatibility flags.
  • VbsIsRecommended indicates whether the tool considers VBS recommended for that result.
  • The driver-scan messages report whether known incompatible drivers were found.

“HVCI: incompatible driver scan passed!” means that scan found no incompatible driver in the category it checks. It does not prove that firmware, Secure Boot, policy, hypervisor, or every boot-time condition is correct.

“ACPI WSMT table required” points to a platform firmware/ACPI requirement, not automatically to a bad driver. Check for a BIOS/UEFI update from the computer or motherboard manufacturer and confirm the platform supplies the required support.

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Remediate an incompatible driver safely

  1. Record the exact .sys filename shown.
  2. Identify its device, application, and vendor. Check the file’s Provider, Version, Date, and Signer in Device Manager or the file properties.
  3. Look for a newer driver from the PC, motherboard, device, or software manufacturer.
  4. Update or remove the parent application/device through Windows or the vendor’s supported uninstaller.
  5. Reboot, run HVCIScan again, and recheck Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details.

Useful inventory commands include:

pnputil /enum-drivers
driverquery /v /fo table
Get-CimInstance Win32_SystemDriver |
  Sort-Object DisplayName |
  Format-Table Name, DisplayName, State, StartMode, PathName -Auto

Do not make direct deletion of a file in C:WindowsSystem32drivers your first remedy. It can leave an orphaned service or broken package and, in some cases, prevent Windows from booting. After identifying the correct third-party package, create a backup or restore point and use a supported removal command:

pnputil /enum-drivers
pnputil /delete-driver oem##.inf /uninstall

The oem##.inf name is device-specific. Never guess it or copy one from another computer.

If no incompatible driver is listed

A clean driver scan is only one result. Check the following branches:

  • UEFI/BIOS: Verify hardware virtualization and Secure Boot. Apply firmware only from the system manufacturer, record existing settings, and keep BitLocker recovery information available before changing boot or security options.
  • Virtual machine: A guest may lack nested virtualization or the firmware interfaces HVCI needs.
  • Policy: Intune profiles, Group Policy, security baselines, provisioning packages, Configuration Manager task sequences, or a custom image can disable or control VBS. A local toggle may be overwritten.
  • Boot-time or hidden failures: Low-level security, anti-cheat, storage, backup, encryption, monitoring, or virtualization software can block the hypervisor even when the scan is clean.
  • Stale display state: Windows Security may not reflect the latest driver state until after a restart or policy refresh.

Check msinfo32 and review Virtualization-based security and Virtualization-based security services running. For blocked-driver evidence, open Event Viewer and browse to Applications and Service Logs > Microsoft > Windows > CodeIntegrity > Operational; Memory-integrity compatibility events commonly use Event ID 3087. Microsoft also documents SkTool.exe in recent Windows SDK installations for advanced hypervisor and VBS diagnostics. It is separate from HVCIScan.

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Hardware and firmware expectations

Microsoft’s documented criteria for automatic enablement include Intel 8th-generation or newer processors for the stated Windows 11 version 22H2 logic, Intel 11th-generation Core and newer for the stated 21H2 logic, AMD Zen 2 or newer, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8180 or newer, at least 8 GB of RAM on x64 systems, at least 64 GB of SSD storage, compatible drivers, and virtualization enabled in firmware. These are criteria for default/automatic enablement, not a universal minimum for every manual configuration or Windows release.

Microsoft specifically describes automatic enablement for clean installs, not upgrades of existing devices. Hardware, firmware, edition, policy, and release-specific behavior can therefore differ.

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Enable and verify the feature

  1. After remediation, restart Windows.
  2. Open Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details.
  3. Turn on Memory integrity, if the control is available, and restart when prompted.
  4. Open msinfo32 and confirm the VBS status and running services.
  5. Review Code Integrity operational events for blocked drivers.
  6. Restart once more and confirm the switch remains enabled.

Microsoft documents HKLMSystemCurrentControlSetControlCIState and the HVCIEnabled value as a way to reflect HVCI state. Treat this as a state indicator; do not edit that location to force the feature on. Use Windows Security or approved Group Policy, MDM, or image-configuration controls instead.

Enterprise and performance considerations

On managed devices, local troubleshooting can be overridden by Intune, Group Policy, security baselines, provisioning, task sequences, or the corporate image. Determine the controlling policy before repeatedly changing the local switch.

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Memory integrity may block legacy or poorly designed kernel drivers, including those used by old hardware utilities, storage or optical-drive tools, backup and encryption products, hardware monitors, anti-cheat systems, and virtualization software. Compatibility should normally be solved by updating or replacing the affected product rather than permanently disabling a security control. Performance effects are workload- and hardware-dependent; do not assume either zero impact or a specific slowdown.

Use HVCIScan as a sequence: identify likely blockers, correct the driver or platform issue, enable Memory integrity through supported controls, and verify the resulting VBS/HVCI state.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HVCIScan safe to run?

Yes, when obtained from Microsoft’s Download Center. It is a command-line diagnostic and does not automatically change drivers, firmware, or Memory integrity settings.

Does HVCIScan work on Intel processors?

Yes. Intel 64-bit Windows uses the AMD64/x64 executable; AMD64 is an architecture designation, not an AMD-only requirement.

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Does the utility fix an incompatible driver?

No. It identifies compatibility conditions and leaves updating, uninstalling, or replacing the responsible software or device to you.

Why can the scan pass while Memory integrity stays off?

The scan may find no incompatible driver while virtualization, Secure Boot, firmware tables, policy, a virtual-machine limitation, or a boot-time Code Integrity failure still prevents HVCI.

Should I delete the listed .sys file?

No. Identify its owner and driver package first, then use a supported vendor uninstaller, Device Manager, or the confirmed package name with PnPUtil.

Can HVCIScan be used on Windows 11 24H2 and later?

Microsoft’s download page lists the utility for Windows 11 but does not promise a separate guarantee for every future release. Use the current Microsoft package and interpret results alongside the release’s Windows Security, firmware, and policy state.

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Can administrators run it remotely or at scale?

The executable is standalone and can be invoked by an elevated management script, but collect architecture-specific binaries, preserve each device’s output, and account for policy and permission differences.

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