When does the Code 37 Error occur?
The code 37 error usually occurs when a device you are trying to use is not connected properly to the system or when its driver is faulty. The error is commonly experienced when you add or remove USB devices or video & sound cards to and from your PC. When these errors occur, you may receive the error message given below.
Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)
How to fix the Code 37 error
Listed below are the steps that you can use to fix this error message:
Step 1: Check the device connections: First, ensure that your device is properly connected to your system. For instance, check all the cables of your printer or check that your sound or video adapter is properly seated in its slot.
Step 2: Uninstall and Reinstall Device Driver: To do this, perform the steps listed below: (These steps are for Windows Vista and above.)
- Click Start, type Device Manager in Start Search box and press Enter to display the Device Manager window.
- Here, browse to the device that is generating the error and right-click on it.
- Click Uninstall.
- Follow the screen instructions to complete the process.
- Now display the Action menu in Device Manager, and click Scan for hardware changes.
- Follow the screen instructions to reinstall or upgrade the driver you uninstalled earlier.
Note: You might need the driver disk that came with your device to reinstall the driver. In case you need to install an upgraded driver, you must download it from the manufacturer’s website before you start the uninstall-reinstall process.
Step 3: Contact Device Manufacturer: If the error persists, contact the device manufacturer for a solution. The manufacturer will be able to give you more information about how to use the device and which driver to install for the Windows version you are using.
For instance, if you are using 64-bit version of Windows, the device manufacturer will be able to help you download a device driver that is signed for the 64-bit operating system.
Step 4: Perform Regular System Maintenance: Code 37 errors can also occur if your computer is infected by a virus or there is some problem with the driver file associations in the registry. Therefore, it is recommended that you perform the following system maintenance tasks to make sure that these issues are not the cause of the error:
- Update your antimalware software and then perform a thorough full system scan of your computer. If the driver files of the device generating the error are infected, this step will help you identify and remove the infection.
- Use a reliable registry tool to perform a thorough scan of the Windows registry. A good registry tool will be able to easily identity errors related to a device driver in the registry and fix them.
To prevent Code 37 and other errors, it is important to make sure that your Windows operating system as well as device drivers are updated regularly. Couple that with regular antimalware and registry scans and you will enjoy a healthy and error-free computer for a long time to come.