How to Fix Code 41 Errors in Device Manager

Code 41 issues mean the drivers loaded but the hardware might be toast

By
Tim Fisher
Photo of Tim Fisher, Lifewire GM and Writer
Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on May 20, 2022

Error code 41 is one of several Device Manager error codes. It's caused either by a hardware device that's been removed after the driver was loaded or by an issue with the device driver itself.

This error could apply to any device, but it most typically relates to DVD and CD drives, printers, keyboards, and USB devices, so you might see it when you try to use certain hardware devices.

It'll almost always display in the following way:

Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41)
Code 41 error that reads Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device

Details on Device Manager error codes like this one can be seen by checking the Device Status area in the device's properties.

Device Manager error codes are exclusive to Device Manager. If you see the code 41 error elsewhere in Windows, chances are it's a system error code, which you should not troubleshoot as a Device Manager issue.

Instructions in this article apply to all Microsoft operating systems, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

How to Fix a Code 41 Error

Try these steps in order until the error is resolved:

  1. Restart your computer. There's always the possibility that the error was caused by some temporary issue with Device Manager. If so, a simple reboot might fix the problem.

    Restart in Windows 10

  2. Make sure the device is properly connected.

    If it's inside the PC, check to make sure all the connections are firmly seated and any connectors are properly connected. If this is a newly installed device, check the manual to make sure that everything is connected in the correct fashion to the appropriate connectors on the motherboard. If the device is external (i.e., connected with a USB cable), try using a different cable.

  3. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If the device was previously working, undo any recent changes to the Device Manager by using System Restore.

    System Restore in the Windows System Properties menu

  4. Roll back your drivers. If the code 41 error began after updating a particular hardware device, reverting to an older driver version of that driver should help.

    Roll Back Driver option on the Windows hardware properties menu

  5. Update the hardware drivers. It's possible that installing the latest drivers for the device could fix the code 41 error.

    Update driver option on the Windows Device Manager menu

  6. Reinstall the device drivers.

    This is not the same as updating a driver. A full driver reinstall involves completely removing the currently installed driver and then letting Windows install it over again from scratch.

  7. Delete corrupt registry values. A common cause of code 41 errors is the corruption of two registry values. Go into the Windows Registry and delete the UpperFilters and LowerFilters registry values.

    ​UpperFilters Registry Value for DVD GUID (Windows 10)

  8. Remove all associated drivers and software, then reinstall or reconfigure the device.

  9. A problem with the device itself might be causing the code 41 error, so you might need to replace the hardware.

    It's also possible that the device is not compatible with your version of Windows. You can check the Windows Hardware Compatibility List to be sure.

  10. If you're sure that a hardware problem isn't causing this particular code 41 error, try a Windows Startup Repair.

    Startup Repair on the Windows Advance Options menu

  11. Perform a clean install of Windows as a last resort to start with a fresh copy of the operating system.

    All the information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean install.

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