A troubleshooting guide for Code 22 errors in Device Manager
The Code 22 error is one of several Device Manager error codes. It’s generated when a hardware device is disabled in Device Manager.
In most cases, it means that the device was manually disabled but you may also see it if Windows is forced to disable the device due to a lack of system resources.
This error could apply to any hardware device managed by Device Manager, regardless of the Windows operating system, be it Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, etc.
Code 22 Errors
The error will almost always display in the following way:
This device is disabled. (Code 22)
Details on Device Manager error codes like this one are available in the Device Status area in the device’s properties.
How to Fix a Code 22 Error
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Enable the device. Since the most common reason you’ll see a Code 22 error in Device Manager is that the device has been manually disabled, try manually enabling it.
Most of the time this will fix the issue, but don’t worry if it doesn’t. All that means is that the error you’re seeing was caused by something a bit less common.
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Restart your computer if you haven’t already. There’s always the chance that the error you’re seeing was caused by a temporary problem with the hardware. If so, a restart of your computer might be all you need to fix it.
Restarting is a common practice for fixing all sorts of computer problems (see why), so it’s no surprise that it can fix whatever is causing the Code 22 error.
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Did you install a device or make a change in Device Manager just before the error appeared? If so, it’s highly likely that the change you made is what caused the error. Undo the change if you can, restart your PC, and then check again for the Code 22 error.
Depending on the changes you made, some solutions might include:
- Removing or reconfiguring the newly installed device
- Rolling back the driver to a version prior to your update
- Using System Restore to undo recent Device Manager related changes
- Reinstall the drivers for the device. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the drivers for the device is one possible solution.
If a USB device is generating the Code 22 error, uninstall every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers hardware category in Device Manager as part of the driver reinstall. This includes any USB Mass Storage Device, USB Host Controller, and USB Root Hub.
Correctly reinstalling a driver, per the instructions linked above, is not the same as simply updating a driver. A full driver reinstall involves completely removing the currently installed driver and then letting Windows install it over again from scratch.
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Update the drivers for the device. It’s also possible that installing the latest drivers for the device could correct the Code 22 error. If updating the drivers does remove it, this means that the stored Windows drivers you reinstalled in the previous step were either damaged or were the wrong drivers.
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Clear CMOS. If Windows had to disable the device, generating the Code 22 error due to a lack of system resources, clearing CMOS might fix the problem.
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Update BIOS. Another possibility is that a newer BIOS version could better pass system resource handling to Windows, correcting the error.
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Move the device to a different expansion slot on the motherboard, assuming, of course, that the piece of hardware with the error is an expansion card of some kind.
If the Code 22 error is due to a lack of system resources available for the card, moving it to a different slot on the motherboard could clear up the problem. This isn’t as common a situation with newer hardware and Windows versions but it is possible and is an easy troubleshooting step to try.
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Replace the hardware. A problem with the device itself might be the root cause of this error, in which case replacing the hardware is the next logical step. While not likely, another possibility is that the device is incompatible with your version of Windows. You can always check the Windows HCL to be sure.
If you’re positive that the hardware is working properly and is properly configured then you might consider a repair install of Windows. If that doesn’t work, try a clean install of Windows. We don’t recommend doing either before you replace the hardware, but you may have to give them a try if you’re out of other options.
Need More Help?
If you can’t, or don’t want to fix this problem yourself, see How Do I Get My Computer Fixed? for a full list of your support options, plus help with everything along the way like figuring out repair costs, getting your files off, choosing a repair service, and a whole lot more.
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