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I cannot install the drivers for new devices on my pc

Eva Ward 20 Reputation points
2026-04-06T02:52:32.3133333+00:00

I get errors when trying to install the driver for an older canon printer as well as two new usb microphones I recently purchased.

I went to make sure windows is up to date and it shows lots of driver updates which have failed.

I found information that says it is due to a corrupted devices registry hive and to run sfc /scannow. I did and it said it fixed some files, but could not fix others. I've also run the dism commands for checkhealth and restore health - those succeed. I rebooted and tried sfc /scannow and it still fails:

C:\Windows\System32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.

Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at

windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline

repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag.

Also, FYI, my computer also doesnt recognized USB sticks when windows is running (but it does if I go into the bios settings - i used a usb stick to update my bios successfully). Im guessing this is related.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers
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Answer accepted by question author
  1. Ramesh Srinivasan 77,225 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-06T03:58:13.3266667+00:00

    Hi Eva,

    The SFC results are written to the CBS logs. Please upload C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log in your next reply.

    To check if your DRIVERS registry hive is good, open Command Prompt (admin) and run the following command:

    reg load HKLM\DRIVERS C:\Windows\System32\Config\DRIVERS

    Post the output here.

    2 people found this answer helpful.

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  1. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-06T02:52:48.46+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The symptoms match a corrupted or broken device/USB driver stack in Windows, which prevents new device drivers from installing and causes USB devices (including storage and microphones) to fail.

    Because SFC and DISM have already been run and some corruption remains, focus on repairing the USB/device driver layer and Windows Update/driver delivery rather than repeating those tools.

    Follow these steps in order:

    1. Run Windows Update to refresh drivers
      • Open Settings → Windows Update.
      • Select Check for updates.
      • Install all offered updates, including optional driver updates.
      • Restart the PC and test USB sticks and one of the microphones.
      • If driver updates continue to fail, proceed to the next steps.
    2. Repair Windows Update components and install drivers in a clean environment Corruption in Windows Update or third‑party software can block driver updates. a. Reset Windows Update components
      • Use the automated “Fix it” for resetting Windows Update components as described:
        • Run the Fix it in Default mode first.
        • If the problem persists, run it again in Aggressive mode.
      b. Perform a clean boot and retry updates
      • Press Start, type msconfig, press Enter.
      • On the General tab, select Selective startup.
      • Clear Load startup items.
      • Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
      • Select OK and restart the PC.
      • After restart, go back to Settings → Windows Update and try Check for updates again and install all driver updates.
      • Test USB sticks and one of the microphones.
    3. Update critical device drivers directly from manufacturers Even if Windows Update fails some drivers, core device drivers can be refreshed manually:
      • Visit the PC or motherboard manufacturer’s support site and download/install the latest:
        • Chipset/USB controller drivers
        • Audio drivers
        • Storage/RAID drivers (if applicable)
      • For the Canon printer and USB microphones, download the latest Windows 11 drivers directly from each manufacturer’s website and run their installers after the chipset/USB drivers are updated.
    4. Use Windows Recovery Environment if USB is broken in normal Windows If USB keyboards/mice or other USB devices are not working in Windows but do work in firmware/BIOS, the USB driver stack in Windows may be severely damaged. In similar USB‑driver corruption scenarios, the supported recovery approach is:
      • Boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE):
        • Restart the PC and interrupt normal boot (power off during the spinning dots) three times so that Windows automatically enters the recovery screen.
      • In WinRE, USB input usually works even if it fails in normal Windows.
      • From there, use Troubleshoot → Advanced options to:
        • Run Startup Repair.
        • If a recent update triggered the issue, uninstall the problematic update from Uninstall Updates.
      If a specific cumulative update broke USB devices, the documented resolution is to:
      • Install the corrective update (when input and network are available) via Settings → Update & security → Windows Update → Check for updates.
      • Or, if no input/network is available, boot into WinRE using installation media and remove the problematic update with dism.exe from Command Prompt, then re‑run Windows Update to reinstall current updates.
    5. If corruption persists and drivers still cannot be installed If after the above steps USB devices still fail and driver installation continues to error out, the remaining options are:
      • In‑place repair/upgrade of Windows 11 using current installation media (keeps apps and data) once USB or network access to media is available.
      • As a last resort, a full reset or clean install of Windows 11 if the system remains unable to repair the device registry hive and driver store.

    These steps target:

    • Repairing Windows Update and driver delivery.
    • Refreshing USB/chipset drivers.
    • Using WinRE to work around broken USB in the full OS.

    References:

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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