In this article, we are going to cover possible causes for the generation of Driver error codes 31 to 38 in Windows XP Professional. You can view these error codes in the Device Manager by performing the following steps:
- Open Start menu, select Run, type Sysdm.cpl and then press Enter.
- In the System Properties dialog box, click the Device Manager button on the Hardware tab.
- Expand a device type, say Network adaptors and then double-click a device listed under it to view its properties.
- If an error code is generated for this device it will be displayed in the Device Status box on the General tab.
Let us now look at the various error codes and their resolution methods.
Error Code 31
This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
Cause of the Error
This error code is generated when Windows is unable to load the driver of a device.
Resolution Method
- Open Device Manager.
- Double-click on the device that generated the error code.
- On the General tab, click the Troubleshoot button to launch the Troubleshooting Wizard.
- Follow the resolution steps provided by the wizard to resolve the problem.
The wizard will ask you a few simple questions and provide a solution to your problem based on the answers you provide.
Error Code 32
A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32)
Cause of the Error
This error code is generated if the start type of the problematic driver is configured as disabled in the Windows Registry.
Resolution Method
- Open Device Manager and right-click on the problem device.
- Select Uninstall.
- Restart your PC.
- Open the Device Manager again, right-click on the device and then select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall or upgrade its driver.
Note: It is recommended that you use a reliable registry cleaner tool, such as RegServe to clean your registry and remove any left over driver information from it.
If this does not enable you to resolve the error, you may have to change the startup type of the driver in the registry.
Error Code 33
Windows cannot determine which resources are required for this device. (Code 33)
Cause of the Error
There is a problem with the translator that is needed to determine the resource types for the device generating the error code.
Resolution Method
This error usually occurs if your device is malfunctioning or there is a problem with its configuration. You may have to replace the device or hardware to resolve the error.
Error Code 34
Windows cannot determine the settings for this device. Consult the documentation that came with this device and use the Resource tab to set the configuration. (Code 34)
Cause of the Error
There is some problem with the configuration of your device and you may have to configure it manually to resolve the error.
Resolution
Check the device if it requires certain jumper settings to work with the computer. For example, you may need to change the jumper settings of any additional hard disk or CD/DVD drive to configure it as master or slave and enable it to work properly on the system
If there are some resource conflicts, open the Resources tab in properties box of the device in Device Manager and then configure the device as required.
Many vendors provide tools to configure their devices. You may need to use this tool to configure your device and resolve the error message.
Error Code 35
Your computer's system firmware does not include enough information to properly configure and use this device. To use this device, contact your computer manufacturer to obtain a firmware or BIOS update. (Code 35)
Cause of the Error
This error code is generated when an entry for your device is missing from the Multiprocessor System (MPS) table. This table is used to store resource assignments for devices in the system BIOS.
Resolution
To resolve this error, you need to update the BIOS of your PC. You can obtain the BIOS update from the website of your computer or motherboard manufacturer.
Error Code 36
This device is requesting a PCI interrupt but is configured for an ISA interrupt (or vice versa). Please use the computer's system setup program to reconfigure the interrupt for this device. (Code 36)
Cause of the Error
This error message is generated when there is a problem with Interrupt request (IRQ) translation.
Resolution Method
To resolve this error message, you may have to change the BIOS settings of your PC to modify IRQ reservations. You may need to seek the help of the hardware documentation shipped with your PC to make these changes.
Error Code 37
Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)
Cause of the Error
This error code is generated when a driver fails during DriverEntry routine.
Resolution Method
- Open the Device Manager and right-click on the problem device.
- Select Uninstall to uninstall its driver.
- Restart your PC.
- Open Device Manager again, right-click on the device and then select Scan for hardware changes to reinstall or upgrade its driver.
Note: It is recommended that you use a reliable registry cleaner tool, such as RegServe to clean your registry and remove any left over driver information from it.
Error Code 38
Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)
Cause of the Error
This error code is generated if the driver of a device is unable to load because a previous instance is still running.
Resolution Method
You may resolve this error by restarting your PC.
If you are unable to resolve the problem by using the methods listed here, launch the Troubleshooting Wizard for the device causing the problem. Use the options in the wizard to get to the exact cause of the problem and then resolve it.