Error Code 48 – What is it?
Error Code 48 is a device driver error code that users can encounter on any Windows 2000 operating system and later versions.
It occurs when the connected peripheral device cannot be run as the Windows operating system’s driver required to install the programs for peripheral devices has either been corrupted or is incompatible with the system.
It prompts the user with the following message on the screen:
The software for this device has been blocked from starting because it is known to have problems with Windows. Contact the hardware vendor for a new driver. (Code 48)
Solution
Error Causes
Like most other Windows error codes, error code 48 is triggered by the following factors.
- Corrupted system registry files
- Presence of viruses in the device
- The device driver is out-of-date
Further Information and Manual Repair
Method 1 – Run a complete scan for malware and spyware
Identifying and removing the viruses in the system registry and in the connected devices is the easiest method to fix the corrupted registry files.
Viruses such as spyware and malware infect the registry entries and eat up the files that lead to incomplete or missing data. This creates problems for installing external devices as the driver required to install them is not complete.
Method 2 – Use System Restore
You can also use system restore to eliminate the problem. Here is how you can use it:
- Log in using an Administrator account
- Click ‘Start’ button and select All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore
- Click ‘Restore my computer to an earlier time’ and click ‘Next’
- Select the last Windows to restore point from the ‘On this list, click a restore point’ list, and click ‘Next’
- Click ‘Next’ on the confirmation window to proceed
- Restart your PC after restoration is complete
By restoring the system via the last saved system checkpoint, you can obtain undamaged Windows system registry files that can help resolve the error code.
Method 3 – Manually uninstall and reinstall the device driver
Since Error Code 48 is due to a missing or an out-of-date device driver, uninstalling and then reinstalling the device driver can help solve the error.
You can do this by firstly logging in as Administrator and opening Device Manager. Select the device that is causing the problem and double click it; make sure that the peripheral is connected properly to the PC.
Upon opening, click on the ‘Driver’ tab and then select ‘Update Driver’. Make sure to refer to the system documentation that you received with your PC or computer to check for the motherboard details and driver specifics.