Windows Cannot Load The Driver Code 31
Video embedded How to fix the Code 31 This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers chances are it s a system error code.
How To Fix Code 31 Errors
If an ISATAP or 6to4 then you can ignore the error - here is the Vista info and Windows 7 is the same.
Control Panel - Device Manager - Right Click on both - UNINSTALL - REBOOT
Nothing else to do, Windows will do the rest. And you can ignore the errors altogether if you wish and
on some computers it will always be there but cause no problems.
On a Windows Vista-based computer or on a Windows Server 2008-based computer, the Microsoft
ISATAP adapter appears with a yellow exclamation mark next to it in Device Manager, and you also
If not one of the above try manually updating the driver - references to Vista also apply to Windows 7.
This is my generic how to for proper driver updates :
This utility makes it easy to see which versions are loaded :
DriverView - Free - utility displays the list of all device drivers currently loaded on your system.
For each driver in the list, additional useful information is displayed: load address of the driver,
description, version, product name, company that created the driver, and more.
For Drivers check System Maker as fallbacks and Device Maker s which are the most current.
Control Panel - Device Manager - Display Adapter - write down the make and complete model
of your video adapter - double click - Driver s tab - write down the version info. Now click UPdate
Driver this may not do anything as MS is far behind certifying drivers - then Right Click -
Uninstall - REBOOT this will refresh the driver stack.
Repeat that for Network - Network Card NIC, Wifi, Sound, Mouse and Keyboard if 3rd party
with their own software and drivers and any other major device drivers you have.
Now go to System Maker s site Dell, HP, Toshiba as examples as rollback and then Device
Maker s site Realtek, Intel, Nvidia, ATI as examples and get their latest versions. Look for
BIOS, Chipset and software updates at System Maker s site while there.
Download - SAVE - go to where you put them - Right Click - RUN AD ADMIN - REBOOT after each
Always check in Device Manager - Drivers tab to be sure the version you are installing actually
shows up. This is because some drivers rollback before the latest is installed sound drivers
particularly do this so install a driver - reboot - check to be sure it is installed and repeat as
Repeat at Device Makers - BTW at Device Makers DO NOT RUN THEIR SCANNER - check manually
Manually look at manufacturer s sites for drivers - and Device Maker s sites.
How to Install a Device Driver in Vista Device Manager
If you update drivers manually then it is a good idea to disable Driver Installations in Windows
Updates, this leaves Windows Updates ON however it will not install drivers which will usually be
older and cause issues. If Updates suggests a new driver then HIDE it Right Click on it and then
go look for new ones manually if you wish.
How To Disable Automatic Driver Installation In Windows Vista - Drivers
Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Be the first person to mark this helpful.
Code 31 after removing network bridge Windows can not load driver software code i rebooted and have had windows cannot load device drivers Code 31.
This device cannot start Code 10 error in Device Manager in Windows; Code 12: Code 31: This device is not Uninstall and reinstall the driver; Code 38.
Oct 16, 2013 Describes an error that s returned in Device Manager for the WAN Miniport Network monitor device. Code 31 error in Device Windows cannot load.
The Code 31 error is one of several Device Manager error codes. The Code 31 error will almost always display in the following way:
This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. Code 31
Details on Device Manager error codes like Code 31 are available in the Device Status area in the device s properties: How To View a Device s Status in Device Manager.
Important: Device Manager error codes are exclusive to Device Manager. If you see the Code 31 error elsewhere in Windows, chances are it s a system error code which you should not troubleshoot as a Device Manager issue.
A Code 31 error is caused by any number of reasons that prevents Windows from loading the driver for the particular hardware device. Regardless of the root cause, troubleshooting an error Code 31 is pretty straightforward.
Note: If you see the Code 31 error on the Microsoft ISATAP adapter in Windows Vista, you can ignore the error. According to Microsoft, there is no actual issue.
Restart your computer if you haven t done so already.
There is always the remote possibility that the Code 31 error you re seeing was caused by some temporary issue with Device Manager. If so, a simple reboot might fix the Code 31.
Did you install a device or make a change in Device Manager just before the Code 31 error appeared. If so, it s very possible that the change you made caused the Code 31 error.
Undo the change if you can, restart your PC, and then check again for the Code 31 error.
Depending on the changes you made, some solutions might include:
Delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values. A common cause of Code 31 errors is the corruption of two registry values in the DVD/CD-ROM Drive Class registry key.
Note: Deleting similar values in the Windows Registry could also be the solution to a Code 31 error that appears on a device other than a DVD or CD drive. The UpperFilters/LowerFilters tutorial linked above will show you exactly what you need to do.
Update the drivers for the device. Installing the latest manufacturer supplied drivers for a device with the Code 31 error is a likely fix for this problem.
Replace the hardware. As a last resort, you might need to replace the hardware that has the Code 31 error.
It s also possible that the device is not compatible with this version of Windows. You can check the Windows HCL to be sure.
Note: If you re convinced that hardware isn t the cause of this particular Code 31 error, you could try a repair install of Windows. If that doesn t work, try a clean install of Windows. I don t recommend doing either of those before you try replacing the hardware, but you may have to give them a shot if you re out of other options.
Please let me know if you ve fixed a Code 31 error using a method that I don t have above. I d like to keep this page as updated as possible.
The Code 31 error could apply to any hardware device in Device Manager but most Code 31 errors appear on optical drives like CD and DVD drives.
Any of Microsoft s operating systems could experience a Code 31 Device Manager error including Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and more.
Still Having Code 31 Issues in Device Manager.
Let a community of computer support enthusiasts help out. Post the details of your problem in the PC Support Forum. Be sure to let us know that the exact error you re receiving is the Code 31 error in Device Manager. Also, please let us know what steps, if any, you ve already taken to try to fix the problem.
Aug 31, 2007 Code 31: This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. Published: August 31, 2007.
