Code 28: “The drivers for this device are not installed”

Code 28 is Windows saying plainly: this device has no driver. Unlike cryptic errors, the fix is direct - identify the device via its Hardware ID and install the matching driver.

Quick checks first

1. Try the automatic Windows search first

Right-click the device → Update driver → “Search automatically for drivers”. If Windows finds one - done. If it reports the best driver is already installed while Code 28 persists, move to the manual path.

2. Reboot and rescan

Restart the PC, then in Device Manager: Action → Scan for hardware changes. Occasionally a stuck installation completes on a clean boot.

If Code 28 persists, Windows simply has no driver for this device - the next step is to identify it by Hardware ID and install the matching driver, manually or automatically.

Fixing it manually

Find the driver by Hardware ID

Device Properties → Details → Hardware Ids → copy the first value.
Search it in our database - you'll see the device name and compatible drivers for each Windows version.
Create a restore point, download from the official source, install, then Action → Scan for hardware changes.

If no driver exists for your Windows version

Check the driver list for an older Windows version of the same device - drivers for the previous Windows release often install and work.
For very old devices, try installing in compatibility mode: right-click the installer → Properties → Compatibility tab.

Know the exact device model?

Paste the device's Hardware ID into the database search - it decodes into the vendor and device name, with every compatible driver release per Windows version.

Same as with Unknown Devices: the Hardware ID in Device Properties → Details is the exact identifier. Our search decodes it into the vendor and device name and lists every compatible driver version.

Try for example: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_A370 · read the Hardware ID guide

Frequently asked questions

▸Does Code 28 mean the hardware is broken?

No. Code 28 is purely a software state - the device was detected fine, it just has no driver. Hardware faults produce different errors (Code 43, or the device not appearing at all).

▸Several devices show Code 28 - do I really have to fix them one by one?

Only on the manual route. The free scan identifies every device missing a driver in one pass and shows what each one needs - you then decide which to fix first.