Gdrv2.sys "A driver cannot load on this device": how to fix it in Windows 11 and 10

Gdrv2.sys is a kernel driver that Gigabyte utilities install, and Windows stops it at startup because it detects it as a vulnerable driver. Your PC is protected, not broken. Remove the old Gigabyte tool that loads it, or replace it with the current version, and keep Memory integrity on.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What gdrv2.sys is and what "A driver cannot load on this device" means

Gdrv2.sys is a kernel mode driver that Gigabyte utilities install so they can talk to the motherboard or graphics card directly: read sensors, change clock speeds, control RGB lighting or flash the BIOS from Windows. To do that, the driver gets very wide access to memory and hardware. That access is exactly what Windows now checks.

The window comes from Program Compatibility Assistant. It says Windows Security refused to load the driver. The text is clear about why: the driver was detected as vulnerable, not as broken or missing.

Title

A driver cannot load on this device

Driver line

Driver: gdrv2.sys

Reason line

A security setting is detecting this as a vulnerable driver and blocking it from loading. You'll need to adjust your settings to load this driver

Buttons

Learn more, Cancel and a box Don't show this message again

Which setting

The Microsoft vulnerable driver blocklist, which is on by default since the Windows 11 2022 update and is always enforced while Memory integrity is on

We could not confirm in a Gigabyte or Microsoft document which exact flaw puts gdrv2.sys on the list, or which Gigabyte versions ship it. What is certain is what the window says: Windows treats this driver as vulnerable.

Why the gdrv2.sys error appears on Windows 11, from most to least common

Most often an old Gigabyte utility, installed years ago or bundled with a motherboard driver disc, still starts with Windows and tries to load gdrv2.sys. Less often you use the tool and it is simply out of date. Rarely, the tool is gone but a leftover driver entry still tries to load.

How to fix the gdrv2.sys "A driver cannot load on this device" error on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Start with Fix 1: most readers do not use the Gigabyte tool that loads the driver. Fix 2 and Fix 3 are for those who do. Fix 6 exists because Microsoft mentions it, but it lowers protection and is meant for one task only. You need an administrator account.

Fix 1. Uninstall the Gigabyte utilities you do not use

5 minutesLow riskEveryone who does not open the Gigabyte tool regularly. This is most readers with the message.

The driver only tries to load because a Gigabyte program asks for it. When the program is gone, nothing requests gdrv2.sys and the window stops. Windows does not need the driver for the motherboard to work.

1. Windows 11: open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Windows 10: open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Type Gigabyte into the search box above the list, then also try App Center, EasyTune, SIV and @BIOS.
3. Select ... next to each Gigabyte utility you do not use and choose Uninstall. Some App Center modules show as separate entries.
4. Accept the Gigabyte uninstaller's prompts.
5. Restart the PC and sign in again.

Fix 2. Install the current Gigabyte utility for your board from Gigabyte's support page

10 minutesLow riskReaders who use a Gigabyte tool for fan curves, RGB lighting, monitoring or overclocking.

Microsoft's first advice for a blocked driver is an updated driver from the maker. The utility page for your exact board lists the version Gigabyte offers today, and installing it with protection on shows at once whether its driver is accepted.

1. Uninstall the old Gigabyte tool first (Fix 1), so its driver is not left behind.
2. Find your model: press Win + R, type msinfo32 and read BaseBoard Product (motherboard) or System Model (laptop).
3. Open the Gigabyte website, go to Service/Support and search for that model.
4. Open Support > Utility, choose your Windows version and download the current utility listed there.
5. Install it and restart.
6. Check whether the message still appears at sign-in.

Newer Gigabyte boards list one combined tool instead of separate App Center modules; the query "gigabyte control center won't open" comes from it. We could not confirm from Gigabyte which of its current tools still use a gdrv driver, so the test after installing is the only reliable check.

Fix 3. Stop the Gigabyte tool from starting with Windows, or hide the notice

3 minutesNo riskReaders who want to keep an old Gigabyte tool installed for now, without the window at every sign-in.

The window appears because the tool runs at sign-in and asks for the driver. If it does not start on its own, nothing asks. The protection stays on, and only the parts of the tool that need gdrv2.sys stay unavailable.

1. Windows 11: open Settings > Apps > Startup. Windows 10: open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc and select the Startup tab.
2. Turn off every Gigabyte entry, for example App Center, EasyTune or SIV.
3. Restart and sign in.
4. If the window still appears once, tick Don't show this message again and select Cancel. That only hides the notice: the driver stays blocked.

Full steps with both Windows versions: Stop apps from opening at startup.

Fix 4. Look for an updated driver in Windows Update optional updates

5 minutesNo riskReaders who need the Gigabyte tool and found nothing newer on Gigabyte's site.

Microsoft lists Windows Update as the first place to look for an updated, compatible driver. Device makers sometimes publish drivers there before their own pages change. We could not confirm that Gigabyte offers a gdrv2 replacement this way.

1. Windows 11: open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. Windows 10: open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View optional updates.
2. Expand Driver updates and look for a Gigabyte entry.
3. Tick it, select Download & install and restart if asked.

Updating a device driver through Device Manager is shown in Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 5. Remove a leftover gdrv2 driver entry with Autoruns

10 minutesRead the warningAdvanced readers who see the window although no Gigabyte utility is installed any more.

An uninstaller can leave the driver's service entry behind, and Windows then tries to load the file at every start. Autoruns, a free Microsoft Sysinternals tool, lists every driver Windows tries to load and can delete that entry.

1. Download Autoruns from Microsoft's Sysinternals page on learn.microsoft.com and extract the ZIP file.
2. Right-click Autoruns64.exe, select Run as administrator, then Yes.
3. Open the Drivers tab and type gdrv into the filter box.
4. Check that the entry's image path ends in gdrv2.sys (or gdrv.sys) and the publisher is Gigabyte.
5. Right-click that entry, select Delete and confirm.
6. Restart the PC.

Fix 6. Only for one task: switch the protection off, then straight back on

10 minutes plus two restartsRead the warningReaders who must run an old Gigabyte tool once, for example to finish a BIOS update from Windows, and have no other way. Not a fix for the message.

Microsoft names turning Memory integrity off as the option when no updated driver exists. Because gdrv2.sys is blocked as vulnerable, the separate vulnerable driver blocklist switch may have to be off too. Both should be on again as soon as the task is done.

1. Type Core isolation into the taskbar search box and open it. Windows 11 path: Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details. Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details.
2. Set Memory integrity to Off. If the page also shows a Microsoft Vulnerable Driver Blocklist switch, set it to Off as well.
3. Restart, run the Gigabyte tool and finish the one task.
4. Uninstall the tool again (Fix 1).
5. Go back to Core isolation details, set both switches to On and restart.

The gdrv2.sys window still appears: what to check and what to send Gigabyte

The window itself is the most direct log: it names the driver Windows blocked. If it now names another file than gdrv2.sys, the same approach applies to that file and its maker. Microsoft notes that the driver name and company name in the notice are the only reliable details it has about the driver.

• Core isolation details lists incompatible drivers: select Review incompatible drivers to see each file and its published name. Remove the program that installed it.
• Another file name appears, such as RTCore64.sys or AsrDrv103.sys: those belong to other vendors' tuning tools (MSI Afterburner with RivaTuner, ASRock utilities). Treat them the same way.
• The Gigabyte tool opens but fans, RGB or sensors do nothing: that is the blocked driver. Fix 2 is the only lasting way to get it back with protection on.
• The switch is greyed out: an organisation manages the PC, or the processor does not support Memory integrity. That is not caused by gdrv2.sys.

Keep gdrv2.sys from coming back after a Gigabyte install

Microsoft updates the vulnerable driver blocklist through the monthly Windows updates. That is why the message can appear one day with no change on your side. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so a PC that stays on Windows 10 no longer gets those updates.

Frequently asked questions

What is gdrv2.sys?

It is a kernel mode driver from Gigabyte that its utilities, such as App Center, EasyTune and System Information Viewer, use to read sensors and change hardware settings from Windows. It is not a Windows file and Windows does not need it to run. The message appears because Windows Security detects it as a vulnerable driver and stops it from loading. Microsoft says such drivers are most likely not malicious, but their flaws can be misused by other programs.

Is the gdrv2.sys message dangerous? Is it a virus?

No, the message itself is Windows protecting you, and gdrv2.sys is not a virus. The risk sits in the driver: a vulnerable kernel driver can be used by malware to gain full control of Windows, a known attack called bring your own vulnerable driver. The older gdrv.sys from Gigabyte has four public flaws of that kind. As long as the driver stays blocked, your PC is safe from it. If you want to be sure, run How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender.

How do I fix gdrv2.sys on Windows 11?

Uninstall the Gigabyte utilities you do not use in Settings > Apps > Installed apps and restart (Fix 1). That ends the message for most people. If you need the tool, install the current version from your board's Gigabyte Utility page (Fix 2) and switch it off at startup if the message stays (Fix 3). Keep Memory integrity and the vulnerable driver blocklist on: they are what blocks the driver, on purpose.

Is there a gdrv2.sys update?

Gigabyte does not offer gdrv2.sys as a separate download; it comes inside its utilities. The way to get a newer driver is the current version of the utility on your board's support page (Fix 2), or a Gigabyte entry in Windows Update optional updates (Fix 4). We could not confirm which current Gigabyte tools ship a driver Windows accepts. Never download the .sys file from file sites.

What is gdrv.sys, and how is it different from gdrv2.sys?

Gdrv.sys is the older Gigabyte driver with the same job. It shipped with GIGABYTE APP Center v1.05.21 and earlier, AORUS GRAPHICS ENGINE v1.33 and earlier, XTREME GAMING ENGINE v1.25 and earlier, and OC GURU II v2.08. It has four published flaws (CVE-2018-19320 to CVE-2018-19323). Gdrv2.sys is the newer file name; Windows still flags it as vulnerable. The fixes on this page work the same for both names.

Should I just turn Memory integrity off?

No, not to silence this message. Memory integrity stops malicious code from getting into the most protected part of Windows, and it is what keeps a flawed driver like this one from being misused. Removing the Gigabyte tool takes five minutes and keeps both your PC and the protection. If you must run an old tool once, follow Fix 6 and turn the protection back on right after.

Will ticking "Don't show this message again" fix it?

It hides the window but fixes nothing. Gdrv2.sys stays blocked, so the Gigabyte features that need it, such as fan control, RGB or overclocking, still will not work. That is fine if you do not use them: your PC stays protected. If you do use them, install the current utility (Fix 2) instead. If you never use them, uninstalling the tool (Fix 1) is cleaner than hiding the notice.

What is usrdrv017964.sys?

We could not confirm who makes usrdrv017964.sys. People search it next to gdrv2.sys because Windows shows it in the same "A driver cannot load on this device" window. Microsoft notes that the driver name and company in the notice are the only reliable details. Read the company name in the window or in Core isolation details, and remove or update that maker's program in the same way as Fix 1 and Fix 2.

What about RTCore64.sys (RivaTuner) and AsrDrv103.sys?

They are the same kind of problem from other vendors. RTCore64.sys is loaded by MSI Afterburner with RivaTuner, and AsrDrv103.sys by ASRock utilities. Windows blocks them as vulnerable drivers too. The answer is also the same: update the tool to a version whose driver Windows accepts, or uninstall it, and keep Memory integrity on.

I need @BIOS to update my BIOS. What now?

Gigabyte boards also have a BIOS update tool built into the firmware, which Gigabyte calls Q-Flash and which needs no Windows driver. Check your board's manual for the exact steps and use a USB drive with the BIOS file from the board's support page. If you must use @BIOS from Windows, follow Fix 6 for that one session and turn the protection back on afterwards.