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.

Why this happens

Fresh Windows installation without vendor drivers.
Windows Update has no driver for this device (common for older or niche hardware).
A failed or interrupted driver installation.

Quick checks first

1Try 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.

2Reboot 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.

Drivers most often behind this problem

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?

Fix them in dependency order rather than one by one blindly: install the chipset driver for your PC model first - it often resolves several unknown devices at once - then re-scan for hardware changes and work through whatever remains by Hardware ID. A typical Code 28 cluster shrinks quickly after the chipset install.