How to Fix Device Manager Error Code 21: Are you seeing the following error message on your Windows operating system when you start your computer?
Windows is removing this device. (Code 21)
Error 21
This Device Manager error indicates that Windows is in the process of removing the device, and you need to wait until Windows completes this task. It sounds simple, but it’s not that easy since this message can persist for an hour, and after several restarts, you encounter the same issue.
Cause of Device Manager Error 21
When you uninstall a driver, update Windows, or install other third-party software, it can corrupt some DLL files. This particular DLL file might be associated with a specific driver, leading to the error code 21.
How to Fix Device Manager Error Code 21
There are several methods to resolve this error:
Method 1: Fix Using Advanced System Repair Tool
As we know, the primary reason for "Code 21" is a corrupted or outdated device driver. Therefore, you need an advanced system repair tool that can easily fix issues related to Device Manager. It also repairs missing or corrupted system files such as DLL files, EXE files, SYS files, OCX files, inf files, and more. The "Code 21" error often arises due to corrupted registry files, and the advanced system repair tool also takes care of the registry and fixes the error easily.
Windows consists of a large number of DLL files, EXE files, SYS files, various services, databases, etc. Therefore, it’s not feasible to constantly monitor all files. The excellent PC optimization tool repairs damages, fixes errors, updates Windows and drivers, and silently removes various types of errors.
The Outbyte PC Repair Tool performs all the above tasks effortlessly, providing you with a smooth and error-free Windows environment to focus solely on your work.
3 Steps to Fix This Error
Step 1. Download the Outbyte PC Repair Tool [File Size: 16.4 MB]
Step 2. Scan your Windows computer
Step 3. Click the "Repair" button to fix the error
Method 2: Fix Corrupted Driver Issues
As you know, the underlying reason for Windows removing this device (Code 21) is a corrupted device driver. Therefore, uninstalling and reinstalling the device driver may permanently resolve your issue. Simply uninstall the driver from Device Manager and install the latest compatible driver version.
1. Click on the Start menu and search for the device, then open "Device Manager" from the search results.
2. Select the problematic device > right-click on it and choose Properties.
Driver Property
3. Go to the Driver tab and click the Uninstall button to uninstall the driver.
uninstalling_driver
4. Restart your computer.
5. Open Device Manager again and go to Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Scanning Devices
Follow the on-screen instructions to fix the Device Manager error that Windows is removing this device. (Code 21).
Method 3: Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
The Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter is an effective and easy way to fix any device-related issues. Not only does Windows remove this device (Code 21), but if you’re receiving other error messages related to Device Manager, running the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter may provide a quick fix for this error.
1. Click on the Start menu and search for Troubleshoot, then click on Troubleshoot from the search item.
Troubleshoot
2. Click on the "View all" link in the right pane. This will open the complete list of troubleshooters.
Troubleshoot_viewall
3. Find Hardware and Devices in the list and click on it; the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter will start.
Hardware_Troubleshoot
4. Click Next to start the process.
Hardware_Troubleshoot_1
Method 4: Manually Update the Driver
The above error is related to the driver, so it’s best to update the driver manually.
1. Click on the Start menu and search for the device. Click on "Device Manager" from the search result. The Windows Device Manager will open.
search_device
2. Look for the driver with a yellow exclamation mark, right-click on it, and select Update Driver. You should be connected to the internet before updating the driver.
Unknown USB Device Driver Update
3. Select "Search automatically for updated driver software," and it will search the internet for the latest drivers.
Search automatically for updated driver software
4. If you already have a local driver file, select "Browse my computer for driver software" and navigate to the local copy of the drivers.
Device_manager_brows_local
Method 5: Increase System Memory
You should analyze system memory to fix this issue. If your system is running low on memory, the strongest option is to install additional RAM on your computer.
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click on More details.
Task Manager
2. Go to the Performance tab and analyze how much system memory is available for use.
System Memory
Method 6: Modify the Registry File
Modifying the registry file is not recommended, as incorrect changes to the registry can severely damage your operating system. For safety, you should back up the registry file before making any changes.
1. Open the Run command by pressing Windows + R and type regedit.exe.
2. Browse to the following entries and delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}
Delete_Key-UpperFilters-and-LowerFilters
3. Restart your computer.
Recommendation: It’s best to repair the registry file using a professional advanced repair tool, which will automatically edit the required value and remove problematic values from the registry.
Conclusion
To fix error code 21 - Windows is removing this device from Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows Vista operating systems, you need to apply some specific techniques well outlined in this article.
