Code 43 error is a failure that prevents USB devices from working and occurs when it conflicts with Windows. It is usually related to the use of flash drives, such as an external HD or pen drive. Still, it can also affect video cards and other devices, causing them to be difficult to understand or malfunction.
The Device Manager can locate the failure as a yellow plate with a black question mark, indicative of an alert for the user. If you click on the faulty device, you will see a screen with several tabs and a message at the bottom indicating the error.
The message displayed in the “General” tab under “Device Status” is unclear and does not point to a solution. Windows says it stopped the device because it encountered problems and that’s all. Many users do not know how to proceed from this point on to correct the fault and make the machine work correctly.
Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 are subject to such occurrences. On older systems (such as 7) or very recent ones (such as 11), the probability of facing code 43 errors increases as developers do not fully support it.
What is code 43?
The Code 43 failure is followed by the message: “Windows stopped this device because it encountered problems (Code 43)”. This is just one of the 54 error codes used by Microsoft to inform the user that something is wrong.
Getting this error with devices connected via the USB port means that a driver notified the operating system, and it didn’t get a correct response. Error 43 can also occur when the device hardware fails, and this causes a general software crash.
Many people despair when they see this failure because they imagine the affected device could have broken forever. In many cases, the failure is just an incompatibility and can be resolved with some tips in Windows 10 or Windows 11 Device Manager.
How to resolve error code 43?
There are five ways to resolve error code 43 in Windows 10 or 11. At least one of the solutions is expected to work for your computer.
Check out the five methods and how to do each of them below:
5. Restart your computer
In many cases, the error is just a one-off thing that can be resolved by simply restarting Windows. That is, just completely turn off your computer, wait 2 minutes and turn it back on for the device to work properly again.
If it’s on a laptop, just restarting might not be enough because the battery will hold a charge. Do the steps below:
- Disconnect all USB devices;
- Turn off the notebook and remove the battery;
- Plug the laptop straight into the socket and let it run for about five minutes;
- Turn it off again, put the battery, and restart the notebook;
That’s it, you can now reconnect all USB devices, and they may work again. Check if they are functional, and if not, try another method below.
4. Fix the device driver
You’ve restarted, and the fault persists, so this could indicate something more serious. If your USB has a hardware problem or the driver is failing, the user can try to update the device driver.
Try installing the latest drivers for your USB drive, as this may fix error 43. Follow the tutorial below:
- Open the Start Menu and type “device manager”;
- In the list that will appear, find the problematic device by name;
- If it fails, it is likely to have the exclamation mark over it;
- Right-click on the problematic device and select “Properties”;
- Go to “Driver” and press the “Update Driver” button;
- Let Windows automatically search for the latest driver software.
The procedure will make Windows Update connect to the internet to find possible software updates. When this completes, restart your computer and test again.
Sometimes, the failure may have occurred after you updated the device driver with error code 43. If this is the case, you must roll back the driver instead of updating it. Just follow the same step mentioned, but instead of clicking on the “Update Driver” button, you should choose “Roll Back Driver”.
3. Reactivate the device
If you’ve tried method 2, you’re already used to the look of Device Manager and will have no trouble doing this third solution. This can be used when the previous step didn’t work or if you doubt whether the error occurred before or after updating the driver.
The recommendation is to uninstall and reinstall the USB device. In this case, choose the faulty device and follow the steps in method 2 but go to “Uninstall Device”. Wait for the system to complete the operation and then do a new installation with the driver downloaded from the internet, pen drive or a CD/DVD.
Once this is done, perform the following steps:
- Return to the main Device Manager screen;
- Right-click, choose “Disable Device,” and wait a few seconds;
- Right-click again, but this time check the “Enable Device” option.
The little down arrow that was over the device icon will disappear, and it will be reactivated. Test again to see if the USB device is working again.
2. Update BIOS
Is the code 43 error still not fixed? Then, it will be necessary to take a more drastic measure to solve it. Many USB problems occur due to compatibility issues between the motherboard BIOS, responsible for controlling the drivers, and the physical devices connected to the PC.
You can update your BIOS firmware and see if that fixes it. Check the current version first (either using CMD or using the motherboard utility) and go to the manufacturer’s website to check if there is a new version.
Each motherboard manufacturer has a different software update procedure, so you must follow the steps described on the website. Many have very simple utilities that allow Windows to update itself without command lines or confusing interfaces.
1. System Restore
The last recommended solution is also the most delicate. System restores should be the final attempt to fix USB error 43 in Windows because it will undo all recent changes made to the computer.
If you haven’t installed anything recently on the machine, you can restore it without fearing losing programs or tweaking settings. However, if you have made many changes to your computer, be aware that restoring will take Windows to a stage before the problem, which means losing everything done in Device Manager and other areas.
To access the option to go back to an earlier time, open the start menu and search for “System Restore.” The “System Restore” button will appear easily on the screen, giving you access to the recovery wizard.
Windows will analyze the most recent backup of the operating system and should roll back to this version immediately before the last changes are made. Follow the wizard’s guidance until you complete the process and return to the initial stage where error 43 did not occur with your USB devices.
The user can contact Microsoft technical support for help if none of the above tips works. In certain cases, the problem may be your device, so the recommendation is to take it to technical assistance or exchange it for a newer one.
