Note:<\/strong> Editing the Windows Registry requires some care because incorrect changes can affect system stability. However, as long as you follow the steps carefully and create a backup of your registry as instructed, this process is safe and often resolves the issue effectively.<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\nHere are the steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Identify the class GUID<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key <\/strong>and X <\/strong>at the same time to open Device Manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Locate the device <\/strong>showing the Code 19<\/strong> error, then double-click on it.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_15-44-29.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Go to the Details<\/strong> tab, then in the Property<\/strong> dropdown, select Class GUID<\/strong>, right-click on the GUID value and choose Copy<\/strong>(e.g.,
{4d36e96b-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}<\/code> for keyboards).
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_15-45-22.png\")
<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nStep 2: Back up the registry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key <\/strong>and R<\/strong>, type
Regedit<\/code><\/strong>, and press Enter<\/strong>.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/regedit.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Click Yes<\/strong> if prompted by User Account Control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- In Registry Editor, click File > Export<\/strong>.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/EXPORTREGISTRY.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Set Export Range<\/strong> to All<\/strong>, name your backup file, and save it somewhere safe (e.g. Desktop).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- In Registry Editor<\/strong>, copy and paste the following path into the address bar, replacing {your class GUID}<\/strong> with the value you copied from Step 1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Class{your class GUID}<\/strong>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_16-29-38.png\")
Then press Enter <\/strong>to navigate to that registry key.<\/li>\n\n\n\n- With the correct registry key selected, look in the right-hand pane<\/strong>. If you find UpperFilters<\/strong> or LowerFilters<\/strong> values, right-click each one and select Delete<\/strong>. If only one is present, delete that one. Confirm the action when prompted.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_16-40-22.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Close Registry Editor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Once finished, reboot your PC. Then, go to Device Manager to see if the Code 19 error is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fix 4: Reinstall DVD\/CD Drive and IDE Controllers (for DVD\/CD Code 19 Errors)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If your DVD\/CD drive is showing a Code 19 error<\/strong> in Device Manager, the problem may be caused by corrupted drivers or registry conflicts. One of the most effective solutions is to uninstall the drive and its related storage controllers so that Windows can automatically reinstall them on reboot.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis method is safe for most users, especially on modern systems. However, if you’re using an older computer with an IDE system drive, be cautious when uninstalling entries under IDE ATA\/ATAPI controllers, as removing the wrong one could affect system startup. If you’re not sure, try uninstalling just the DVD\/CD drive first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the steps: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- In Device Manager, double-click on DVD\/CD-ROM drives<\/strong> to expand the category. Right-click on the DVD\/CD-ROM, and click uninstall<\/strong>, and then restart your PC.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/img_5bd04b1178ea3.jpg\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- In the same vein, expand the category\u00a0IDE ATA\/ATAPI controllers<\/strong>, then uninstall all devices under this category.<\/span>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/img_5bd052e09f884.jpg\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Restart your computer and check to see if the problem is fixed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Fix 5: Run a System Restore (for recent changes)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Important<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Backup your files<\/strong> before running a System Restore, just to be safe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- System Restore doesn\u2019t affect personal files<\/strong>, but it may uninstall programs and drivers installed after the chosen restore point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If the Code 19<\/strong> error started after a recent change to your system, such as installing new drivers, updates, or software, performing a System Restore<\/strong> could be an effective way to resolve the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSystem Restore rolls back your system to a previous state when everything was working properly, undoing any changes that might have caused the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is how to do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key<\/strong> and type Create a restore point<\/strong>. Then, when it pops up as a matching result, click on it.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/createarestorepoint.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Under the System Protection<\/strong> tab, click System Restore<\/strong>.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/systemrestore.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Click Next<\/strong> to see a list of available restore points.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_18-43-06.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Choose one that was created before you started experiencing the Code 19 error and click Next <\/strong>to proceed. If you’re unsure, select the Show more restore points<\/strong> checkbox to see all available options.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_18-43-35.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Click Finish<\/strong>.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/finishsystemrestore.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Your computer will restart, and the system restore process will begin. This can take a few minutes to an hour, depending on your system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Once the restore process is complete and your computer restarts, check if the Code 19 error has been solved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Hopefully, one of the solutions above will help you fix the Code 19<\/strong> error and get your DVD\/CD-ROM device working again. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below!<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you\u2019re seeing the Code 19 error that says, \u201cWindows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged.\u201d it means your hardware (like a DVD drive, keyboard, USB device, or external display) can\u2019t start properly due to corrupted or missing registry settings. Frustrating, right? Don\u2019t worry, though. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":199022,"menu_order":14,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"template\/kbsingle-half.php","format":"standard","knowledgebase_category":[17],"knowledgebase_tags":[],"class_list":["post-2123","knowledgebase","type-knowledgebase","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","knowledgebase_category-common-error"],"yoast_head":"\n
Windows cannot start this hardware device Code 19 [Solved!!] - Driver Easy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19). " Most often, this problem caused is due to driver issues or registry issues. 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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Scan7.0.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/7.0-usb-driver.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/controlpanel.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.drivereasy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2025-06-24_17-38-14.png\")
<\/li>\n\n\n\n