To troubleshoot device driver error codes, you’ll need to use a standard Windows Utility called the Device Manager. Follow these instructions to open the Device Manager:
1. First open the Window Start Menu (located at the bottom left of your screen), then click Run, and type “sysdm.cpl” in the Open box. Click OK
2. Now look in the System Properties dialog box and select the Hardware tab.
3. Click on Device Manager, and then double-click on the device type.
4. Double-click on the device of your choice to open it’s Properties dialog box.
5. Locate the Device Status box, and then click General. This will show you any error codes that have been generated for your device drivers.
Troubleshooting for Error 49
Error 49 appears as: “Windows cannot start new hardware devices because the system hive is too large (exceeds the Registry Size Limit). (Code 49)”The system hive is apart of the Windows registry and is associated with files that comprise configuration information related to applications, user preferences, and devices on your computer.
This error code is often generated when the system hive exceeds its maximum size. When this happens, all new devices will not work properly until the size is brought back to within it’s limits.
Usually this error occurs because there are devices still displayed on the system hive list that are no longer attached. To solve this error you’ll have to find the devices that are not in use any more and uninstall them. Follow these steps to uninstall devices that are no longer used:
1. Open the Windows Start Menu, then click Run, enter CMD into the Open bar. Click OK, and the Command Prompt window will be displayed.
2. Enter the following command into the command prompt window and then press Enter.
“set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
cd%SystemRoot%System32
exit”
3. Now go back to the Device Manager. If you entered the command into the command box correctly, then you should see the devices that are no longer being used.
Next you’ll want to remove any hardware device from the PC. If you encounter problems with a specific device, then it may need to be uninstalled and then reinstalled.
Once you’ve completed the steps above complete, you should use a registry cleaning tool to clean the registry. You’ll also want to run the Windows defrag utility. In rare cases, you may need to reinstall the OS to fix error code 49.
If you would like to keep these kind of errors from occurring again in the future, as well as many other errors, You should make sure your registry is cleaned and organized on a regular basis. However, cleaning your registry is not enough, having up to date drivers is critical. Utilizing device driver utility software to both scan and correct any outdated drivers ensures that your system will run efficiently and effectively.
