Check your laptop’s drivers in Device Manager
Open Device Manager
Right-click the Start button (the Windows logo), then choose Device Manager.
The simulation shows Windows in English, like most laptops.
Open Device Manager
Right-click the Start button (the Windows logo), then choose Device Manager.
Start (right-click)›Device ManagerLook for a yellow exclamation mark
Click the arrow in front of each group. A device with a yellow mark has a problem. A down arrow means the device is turned off.
No marks anywhere? Then all your drivers are fine.Double-click the device to read its status
Look at the Device status box. The code there tells you what is wrong, so you can pick the right driver guide.
Did it work?
Save it, or post it to your story.
Technical details (for the curious)
What is a driver?
A driver is a small program that teaches Windows how to talk to one piece of hardware: graphics, WiFi, sound, touchpad, printer. Without the right driver the device is there but can’t be used, or it runs on a basic driver that is slow and limited.
What the marks mean
Yellow triangle (!): the device has a problem. Down arrow: the device is disabled. Other devices / Unknown device: Windows doesn’t know what it is, so no driver is installed.
The most common error codes
Code 10: the device can’t start (broken or wrong driver). Code 22: disabled. Code 28: no driver installed. Code 31/39: the driver failed to load. Code 43: Windows stopped the device because it reported a problem; this can be the driver or failing hardware.
The “basic driver” sign
Under Display adapters, the name Microsoft Basic Display Adapter means the real graphics driver is missing. Signs: you can’t change the resolution or brightness, and video stutters.
Automatic check on this laptop
Safe. It only reads, it doesn't change anything.
- Click Start, type PowerShell, press Enter.
- Press Copy, then right-click inside the PowerShell window.
- Press Enter.
# iamtheit: driver check / cek driver / 驱动检测
# Read-only. It changes nothing.
Write-Host "1. Laptop model" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object Manufacturer, Model
Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | Select-Object SerialNumber
Write-Host "2. Devices with a problem" -ForegroundColor Cyan
$bad = Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPEntity | Where-Object { $_.ConfigManagerErrorCode -ne 0 }
if ($bad) { $bad | Select-Object Name, @{n='ErrorCode';e={$_.ConfigManagerErrorCode}}, PNPClass | Format-Table -AutoSize }
else { Write-Host "None. All devices are working." -ForegroundColor Green }
Write-Host "3. Main drivers (screen, network, sound, Bluetooth)" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPSignedDriver |
Where-Object { $_.DeviceClass -in 'DISPLAY', 'NET', 'MEDIA', 'BLUETOOTH' -and $_.DriverProviderName -ne 'Microsoft' } |
Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion, @{n='Date';e={$_.DriverDate.ToString('yyyy-MM-dd')}}, DriverProviderName |
Sort-Object DeviceName -Unique | Format-Table -AutoSize28 = no driver, 22 = turned off, 10 or 43 = the driver or the device failed.While you’re here
Worth reading
Quiz time
Still not fixed?
In the next update you can tell us what happened, and our AI helper will suggest another way. Until then, restart the device and go through the steps once more.