HtcVComV64.sys stops Memory integrity: how to fix it in Windows 11 and 10

HtcVComV64.sys is an old Qualcomm USB Modem/Serial driver, usually left behind by HTC phone software, and Windows will not turn Memory integrity on while it is installed. The driver is outdated, not malware. Remove the program or the driver package, restart and switch Memory integrity on.

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

What HtcVComV64.sys is and why it stops Memory integrity

Memory integrity, also called Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), checks every kernel driver inside an isolated, virtualized part of Windows before it may run. When you switch it on, Windows Security first scans the installed drivers. Any driver built in a way that cannot run under that check lands in a list called Incompatible drivers, and the switch stays off.

HtcVComV64.sys is one of those drivers. In the Windows Security entry it shows the company QUALCOMM Incorporated and the product name QUALCOMM Incorporated USB Modem/Serial Device Driver. The name points to an HTC virtual COM port driver: older HTC phones used it so sync and update tools could talk to the phone's modem over USB. We could not confirm in an HTC or Qualcomm document which exact program installs it.

Window

Windows Security, Core isolation details

Status line

Memory integrity can't be turned on. Try resolving any incompatibilities with your drivers.

List title

Incompatible drivers

List text

Resolving incompatibilities with these drivers will enable you to turn on Memory integrity.

Driver entry

HtcVComV64.sys, QUALCOMM Incorporated, Driver version: 2.0.6.7

Details to note

The Published name, for example oem12.inf. You need it for Fix 2

Why HtcVComV64.sys appears in the incompatible drivers list, from most to least common

Most often HTC phone software, such as an old sync or update tool, installed the driver years ago and it stayed after the phone was gone. Less often the program is already uninstalled but the driver package is still in the Windows driver store. Rarely only a driver service entry is left, and Windows Security shows the file without a Published name.

How to fix the HtcVComV64.sys Memory integrity error on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Start by opening Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details > Review incompatible drivers, expand HtcVComV64.sys and write down its Published name. Then work from Fix 1 down. You need an administrator account. After each fix, restart and try the Memory integrity switch again.

Fix 1. Uninstall the HTC phone software that installed the driver

5 minutesLow riskEveryone with any HTC, phone sync or mobile modem program still listed in Installed apps.

A program's uninstaller is the cleanest way to remove the drivers it brought, and it stops the program from putting the driver back. If the old phone is long gone, nothing on the PC needs HtcVComV64.sys.

1. Windows 11: open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Windows 10: open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
2. Type HTC into the search box above the list. Also check for old mobile broadband or USB modem software from your carrier.
3. Select ... next to each match you no longer use and choose Uninstall, then follow the prompts.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Open Core isolation details again and set Memory integrity to On.

General steps for both Windows versions: Uninstall a program or app in Windows.

Fix 2. Delete the HtcVComV64.sys driver package with pnputil

5 minutesRead the warningReaders whose Windows Security entry shows a Published name such as oem12.inf. This is the fix that works for most people.

Windows keeps third-party drivers as packages in its driver store, under a Published name like oemNN.inf. Deleting that package with pnputil removes the driver from the store and from the devices that use it, so Memory integrity no longer finds it.

1. In Core isolation details, select Review incompatible drivers, expand HtcVComV64.sys and note the Published name, for example oem12.inf.
2. Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11 or Windows PowerShell (Admin) on Windows 10, and select Yes.
3. Optional check: run dism /online /get-drivers /format:table and confirm the line for your oemNN.inf shows the HTC or Qualcomm driver.
4. Run pnputil /delete-driver oem12.inf /uninstall, with your own number in place of 12.
5. If it says a device is still installed using the INF, run pnputil /delete-driver oem12.inf /uninstall /force.
6. Restart the PC, then set Memory integrity to On and restart again.

The three commands, with oem12.inf as the example name:

dism /online /get-drivers /format:table
pnputil /delete-driver oem12.inf /uninstall
pnputil /delete-driver oem12.inf /uninstall /force

Fix 3. Uninstall the hidden modem or COM port device in Device Manager

5 minutesLow riskReaders for whom pnputil refuses to delete the package because a device still uses it, or who prefer a window to a command.

A phone that was connected years ago stays in Device Manager as a hidden device. While that entry exists, Windows keeps its driver. Removing the device together with its driver frees the package.

1. Right-click Start and choose Device Manager.
2. Open the View menu and select Show hidden devices.
3. Expand Ports (COM & LPT), Modems and Network adapters, and look for greyed HTC or Qualcomm entries.
4. Right-click the entry and choose Uninstall device.
5. Tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device (Windows 10: Delete the driver software for this device) and select Uninstall.
6. Restart, then try Memory integrity again, or run Fix 2 once more.

More on removing and reinstalling device drivers: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 4. Remove the leftover HtcVComV64 driver service with Autoruns

10 minutesRead the warningAdvanced readers whose entry shows no Published name, or for whom the driver returns after Fix 2.

When the package is gone but the driver's service entry stays, Windows Security still lists the file. Autoruns, a free Microsoft Sysinternals tool, shows 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, choose Run as administrator and select Yes.
3. Open the Drivers tab and type htcvcom into the filter box.
4. Check that the image path ends in HtcVComV64.sys and the publisher is Qualcomm or HTC.
5. Right-click the entry, choose Delete and confirm.
6. Restart, then set Memory integrity to On and restart again.

Fix 5. If you still use the old HTC phone or USB modem, look for a compatible driver first

10 minutesNo riskReaders who still connect the old phone or modem to this PC and want both the device and the protection.

Microsoft's first advice for an incompatible driver is an updated one from the maker or from Windows Update. For this driver we found no version made for Windows 10 or 11, so removing it and using the device elsewhere is usually the answer.

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 an HTC or Qualcomm entry. Install it if one is offered and restart.
3. If nothing is offered, check the device maker's support page for a driver made for Windows 11 or 10.
4. If there is none, remove the driver (Fix 2) and use the device on another PC, or replace it.

Memory integrity still will not turn on: what to check

The incompatible drivers list is the log you need: after each restart it shows exactly which files still block the switch. If HtcVComV64.sys is gone but other names appear, handle each one the same way: read its Published name and company, then remove or update the program behind it.

• Another driver is now listed: old drivers often come in groups, such as other phone, scanner or DVD burning drivers. Repeat Fix 2 for each Published name you are sure about.
• The list is empty but the switch still fails: restart twice and check for Windows updates, then look at the drivers in Autoruns (Fix 4).
• The switch is greyed out: an organisation manages the PC, or hardware virtualization is off in UEFI or BIOS. Microsoft notes Memory integrity needs virtualization turned on. That is not caused by HtcVComV64.sys.
• A device stopped working after Fix 2: you deleted the package of a device you use. Reinstall that device's current driver from its maker.

A related case: when Windows blocks a driver at sign-in with "A driver cannot load on this device", the cause is the vulnerable driver blocklist. The Gigabyte example is in our gdrv2.sys guide.

Keep HtcVComV64.sys and other old drivers from blocking Memory integrity again

Microsoft notes that once Memory integrity is on, trying to install a device with an incompatible driver can bring up the same message. That is the protection working. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so a PC that stays on Windows 10 no longer gets security updates.

Frequently asked questions

What is HtcVComV64.sys?

It is a 64-bit kernel driver that Windows Security lists as the QUALCOMM Incorporated USB Modem/Serial Device Driver. The name points to an HTC virtual COM port driver, which older HTC phones used so PC tools could talk to the phone's modem over USB. It is not a Windows file, and Windows does not need it to run. It only matters if you still connect that old phone or a matching USB modem to the PC.

Is HtcVComV64.sys malicious?

No, not on its own. It is a legitimate driver from a known hardware vendor that is simply too old to run under Memory integrity. Windows lists it as incompatible, not as a threat. If the file sits outside C:\Windows\System32\drivers or the driver store, or you never had an HTC phone or USB modem, run a full scan to be sure: How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender.

What are the incompatible drivers in Memory integrity?

They are kernel drivers that Windows Security found while checking whether Memory integrity can be turned on, and that cannot run under its code checks. Usually they are old drivers for phones, USB modems, scanners, DVD burners or tuning tools. Each entry shows the file name, the company, the version and often a Published name such as oem12.inf. Remove or update each one, and the switch can be turned on.

Can I safely delete HtcVComV64.sys?

Yes, if you no longer use an old HTC phone or a Qualcomm based USB modem on this PC. Delete the driver package rather than the bare file: use the Published name with pnputil (Fix 2), so Windows also removes the service and the store copy. Deleting only the .sys file by hand often leaves the entry behind. Create a restore point first, as Fix 2 says.

Why can't I turn Memory integrity on even after I uninstalled the HTC app?

Uninstallers often leave the driver package in the Windows driver store, and Windows Security checks the store too. Open Review incompatible drivers, note the Published name of HtcVComV64.sys and delete it with pnputil (Fix 2). If a hidden device still uses it, remove that device first (Fix 3). If no Published name is shown, delete the leftover service in Autoruns (Fix 4).

Should I just leave Memory integrity off?

No. Memory integrity makes it hard for malicious programs to use low-level drivers to take over the PC, and it also keeps the vulnerable driver blocklist on. An old phone modem driver is not worth that risk. Removing the driver takes about ten minutes. If you truly need the old device, connect it to another PC instead of turning the protection off.

Is there an updated HtcVComV64.sys driver for Windows 11?

We found none. The driver comes from the era of older HTC phones, and we could not find a version made for Windows 10 or 11 from HTC or Qualcomm. Check Windows Update optional updates (Fix 5) to be sure. Never download the .sys file from file sites: a driver from an unknown source is a far bigger risk than the old one.

What does pnputil /delete-driver do?

It removes a third-party driver package from the Windows driver store, by its Published name such as oem12.inf. With /uninstall it also removes the driver from any device that uses it, and /force deletes it even when a device is still installed with it. It is a built-in Windows command. Run it as administrator, and double-check the number first.

What is HtcVCom32?

It is the name the older guide gave for the driver's service and registry key, from the 32-bit side of the same HTC driver family. We could not confirm that this is the service name on a 64-bit PC. Do not search the registry by hand: Autoruns (Fix 4) shows the real service entry and its image path, and lets you delete it after a backup.