This Device Cannot Start. Realtek | Solutions

Although the Error code 10: This device cannot start, it can happen with any device hardware, but most cases occur in audio devices and devices USB. That's why this tutorial focuses on high definition audio.

Can't hear sound from speaker or headphones? Or when you go to Realtek High Definition audio on the device administrator, it shows you that this device cannot boot into Windows 10?

This code 10 error is the result of driver issues, such as the driver being missing or corrupted. In other words, fixing the High Definition Audio Driver Cannot Start issue may depend on fixing the driver compatibility issue.

So, if Windows 10 is unable to start audio using this device, it is a good idea to check out these solutions.

Error code 10: This device cannot start. Solutions

If you are having trouble with your audio devices and see an error message saying “this device cannot start”, feel free to try the following methods to try and fix it.

Method 1: Open Windows Audio Services

The error of Code 10: This device cannot start It is created by failed communication between the device manager and the hardware device or due to outdated or corrupted device drivers. Also, if you have disabled Windows audio services, it will not start Realtek High Definition Audio.

As Windows audio is a Windows-based program and if it is disabled, the audio device will not work properly. So, when we are shown the High Definition Audio Device or “This device cannot start”, you better try to open Windows Audio Services and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder. So, you need to make sure that your audio service is turned on and it does not cause the HD Audio Error 10 No Sound.

To do this, just follow the steps below:

• Press Windows + R to open the run box and then enter services.msc in the frame.
• Click on Accept to continue.
• In the window Services, search Windows Audio and then right-click to launch it if it isn't already open.
• Here, if you have started the Windows Audio Service, you also need to change the startup type for Windows 10.
• Right click on Windows Audio to open your Properties.
• En Windows Audio Properties, In the tab General, find the startup type and then change it to Automatic.

• Then press Apply and Accept to save the changes. After that, check if there is sound on your audio device.

But if the “this device cannot start” error persists, you can move forward to find the final solution.

Method 2: Uninstall the High Definition Audio Driver

If you still get error code 10: This device cannot start, the next logical step is to uninstall and reinstall the audio system driver. To do so, follow the steps below:

• Enter to Device administrator.
• Expand Sound, video and game controller.
• Locate the audio driver for the device Realtek that you are having problems with and right click to uninstall it.

• Restart your computer for it to take effect.
• Finally, Windows 10 will help you reinstall drivers Realtek HD audio without having to do anything once you plug it back in after the reboot.

But maybe sometimes, this way to download audio driver with Windows 10 can't make the HD audio driver start working, so you'd better update this Realtek HD audio driver in a comprehensive way.

You may be interested in: How to Install an Audio Device in Windows 10

Method 3: Update audio drivers

There is a quicker way to update the Realtek HD Audio driver to the latest version to fix the code 10 error: This device cannot start. To be more specific, you can use Driver Booster to update the audio driver automatically.

As a professional and safe driver download and update tool, you can find drivers of all kinds, Realtek HD Audio Driver is very easy. Therefore, you can also download Driver Booster on your PC. It is worth noting that Driver Booster can fix Device Manager code errors, without exception of error code 10 - This device cannot start of Realtek High Definition Audio Device.

• Download, install and run Driver Booster in Windows 10
• After installing and running it, press Scan to start searching for outdated, missing and corrupt drivers.
• You can see your Realtek HD Audio Driver listed in the update list in Driver Booster.
• Then, Discover sound, video and game controllers to update the HD Audio driver for Windows 10.

With the updated High Definition Audio driver such as Realtek Audio Driver and Sound Device, if you notice in Device Manager that the error code 10: This device cannot start stays next to your HD Audio Device, then continue to fix this error.

• On the left side of Driver Booster, look for Tools and then choose Fix device error.
• So as you can see, Driver Booster is detecting and trying to fix error code 10.
• At the time when Driver Booster Update HD Audio Driver and manage to fix this error code 10: This device cannot start, you can use your microphone or speaker again to see if there is sound on the audio devices.

Method 4: Modify the registry entry

In terms of this error code 10: This device cannot start in High Definition Audio Device, you can also try changing registry entries. But before that, you need to backup your data on Windows 10.

• Press Windows + R to bring up the Run box and then type regedit in the box. Finally, press Accept to continue.
• In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
• Then, under this key, in the right pane, find and click Right-click the UpperFilters subkey to delete it.

• Search Lowerfilters and right click to delete it also.
• Confirm deleting these two subkeys by pressing Yes.
• Restart Windows 10 for it to take effect.

When the PC starts again, there will be no “this device cannot start” error code.

Method 5: Disable PCI blocking

Although PCI Lock on your PC can prevent you from remapping input and output, it sometimes causes errors including the Realtek 10: This device cannot start code in Windows 10. If that's the case, you'd better try turning it off to see if that works for this unbootable device.

• Search msconfig in the search box and then press Enter to access system settings.
• En System settings, under the home tab, press Advanced.
• Then search PCI Lock and then uncheck it to disable it.

After that, check in Device Manager if the error code 10: This device can't start persists and whether or not you can hear sound from the microphone or speaker.

Final words

Usually the Error code 10: This device cannot start related to Realtek High Definition Audio devices is due to problems with the driver that must be correctly installed on the PC. If the above methods have not helped you resolve this error, do not hesitate to contact a technician or the service of the manufacturer of the problematic device.