How to fix
USB error code 38
on Windows

Hello. When I tried to load onto my USB I received this message - "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)" Can I fix it?

Windows is one of the most popular operating systems in the world. People love it for customization abilities, user-friendly interface, and built-in troubleshooters. People can also connect a variety of devices to their Windows computer via USB connection, like keyboards, mouses, hard drives, and so on. Unfortunately, sometimes users fail to open their USBs and receive an error code 38. The full message states:

Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)

The driver could not be loaded because a previous version of the driver is still in memory.

The Windows Code 38 USB error occurs when Windows is unable to load a respective device driver.[ref en-1] It can be caused due to a variety of reasons, such as software-related issues, registry[ref en-2] issues, or outdated/missing drivers. In this guide, we will show you how to use the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, and how to reinstall device drivers. 

You can also use a maintenance tool like [d1] that can fix most system errors, BSODs,[ref en-3] corrupted files, registry issues, etc. It is a very powerful software that can be helpful in keeping the system running smoothly. Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to fix USB error code 38 in Windows.

Solution 1. Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

• Right-click on Start button, select Control Panel
• Change the view by option on the top right to Large icons
• Click on Troubleshooting and click on the view all option on the left panel

• Run the Hardware and devices troubleshooter

Solution 2. Uninstall the USB Controllers

• Right-click on Start and select Device Manager
• Double-click to expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click on the Host Controller, click Uninstall and OK
• Restart the system and Windows will reinstall all USB controllers automatically

• You can also use a tool like [rev id="DriverFix"] that can look for the best drivers automatically
• If that did not fix the problem, go to the Device Manager again, Universal Serial Bus controllers
• Look for the USB Root Hub with an orange error symbol, right-click it and then click Uninstall
• Restart your computer with the USB still connected

Solution 3. Flush the Memory

• Press and hold the Shift key down while clicking on Shut Down

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• “USB Device not recognized” error on Windows