Install Unsigned Drivers from Advanced Boot Menu The easiest way to install unsigned drivers is to use the Windows 10 Advanced Boot menu. To do that, press “Win + X,” navigate to “Shutdown” and then “Shift + Left Click” on the “Restart” option. The above action will restart your system and will take you to the Advanced Boot menu. Thanks I had never heard of this before. It says all my Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 build 10049 drivers are digitally signed. But I only download drivers from Windows Update. Those third-party driver updaters always screw me. I have sometimes lost audio or video or both.
Drivers wouldn't update, since Windows doesn't let it, with it not being digitally signed. I somehow got it to show the Startup Settings. It wasn't showing when I used the monitor I was reffering to. Had to plug in the TV. Then the options showed (including the one to disable the Digital Signature checker). May 18, 2020 This option allows you to completely disable driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 allowing you to install unsigned drivers until you enable driver signature enforcement. If you enable driver signature enforcement while you still have unsigned drivers installed, those drivers will stop functioning. Updated for Windows Phone 8. No longer do you need paper and a scanner, because Digital Signature lets you sign your name on your Windows Phone.
Summary :
Sometimes, you might encounter the USB driver error code 52: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. Luckily, you can fix it by yourself. In this article, MiniTool Partition Wizard puts together some solutions to this issue and hope you can benefit from them.
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Windows Digital Signatures
Based on Microsoft public key infrastructure technology, the Windows digital signatures are implemented to verify the identity of the software publisher or the driver vendor. The digital signature can protect your Windows from potential threats and infections of some malicious programs.
According to the explanation from Microsoft, Windows uses a valid digital signature to verify some information, including:
The file, or the collection of files (such as a driver package), is signed.
The signer is trusted.
The certification authority that authenticated the signer is trusted.
The collection of files was not altered after it was published.
In order to be installed and run on the latest Windows operating system, the drivers and programs must be digitally signed. However, there are still some legitimate programs or drivers that are not signed, and you may encounter certain problems while installing them.
About Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature Code 52
Sometimes, your USB ports might fail to recognize any hardware connected to your device, and you will see the error code 52 in the properties of the USB driver. The USB driver code 52 is a typical error related to the digital signature. It commonly occurs after updating or upgrading Windows and comes up with the following error message:
Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)
Besides, you might receive some other different error messages related to Windows digital signature, such as “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file. (0xc0000428)”, “Digital Signature not found”, and so on.
If you receive the digital signature error unluckily, take it easy. Some feasible solutions reported by the users are listed in the following contents, and you can work your way down the list until you fix the issue effectively.
7 Solutions to Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature
Modify windows registry
Update or uninstall the problematic driver
Use System File Checker utility
Scan for file system errors
Disable integrity checks
Disable driver signature enforcement
Perform system restore
Fix 1: Modify Windows Registry
In most cases, this issue is caused by 2 registry entries named UpperFilters and LowerFilters, and some users have fixed the problem simply by deleting them. So, if you receive the “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device” error message, try deleting these registries at first. The steps are listed below.
Note: This is a risky solution as any improper operations for registries might bring unrecoverable damage for your system. Therefore, you had better back up your Windows registry in advance, so that you can restore the registry to the original status if this solution doesn’t work.
Step 1: Press Windows + R to invoke Run window. Type regedit and click OK to open Registry Editor.
Step 2: Navigate to the following path: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass{36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}.
Step 3: Keep the {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000} key selected, and find the UpperFilters and LowerFilters entries in the right pane. Right-click them and choose Delete.
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Step 4: Click OK to confirm the operation. Restart your computer and check if the error code 52 disppears.
Fix 2: Update or Uninstall the Problematic Driver
If this is just related to a specific device driver, perhaps the problem lies on the driver itself. In this case, it should be helpful to update or uninstall the problematic driver. You can follow the instructions below:
Step 1: Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager to open it.
Step 2: Double-click Universal Serial Bus controllers to expand the category.
Step 3: Locate the problematic USB driver. Commonly, the device driver which runs into the error code 52 will be displayed with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manger, and it may be named as Unknown USB Device.
Step 4: Right-click the problematic driver and choose Update driver.
Step 5: Choose the Search automatically for updated driver software option to proceed. If there are any updates detected, install them according to the onscreen instructions and then reboot your computer.
Note: If there are more than one problematic driver, perform the operation for the left drivers to make sure all of them are of the latest version.
Alternatively, you can also choose to uninstall the driver, which has effectively removed the USB error code 52 for some users. Just right-click the driver, choose Uninstall device, and click Uninstall to confirm the operation. Then, restart your system, and the default driver will be reinstalled automatically.
Fix 3: Use System File Checker Utility
How To Digitally Sign Drivers
The corrupted or missing system files could also trigger the “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file/driver” error message. To resolve the problem, you can use the built-in System File Checker utility referring to the tutorial below.
Step 1: Open Run window.
Step 2: Input cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 3: Type the command sfc /scannow in the console and press Enter to execute it.
Then, this tool will start scanning your system files and automatically replace the problematic files with a fresh cached copy. All you need to do is to wait patiently until the process is 100% completed. After that, restart your device and check if the USB error code 52 is resolved.
Fix 4: Scan for File System Errors
It’s said that this issue might have something to do with the file system error. So, you can try scanning your drives for file system errors and fixing them.
To do that, you can use the CHKDSK tool. Just launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges, input the command chkdsk e: /f, and press Enter. Restart your computer after the process is completed.
Tip: You need to replace e: with the drive letter of the partition you want to scan for. If you execute the command chkdsk /f without a drive letter, this tool will automatically check and fix the current drive (the system drive in almost all cases), which will require a reboot.
Besides, you can also use a professional program to check and fix file system errors for your hard drive. Here, MiniTool Partition Wizard is recommended for you. It can help you recover lost data, back up Windows, and of course, deal with the file system issues within a few clicks. Just click the following button to download it to have a try.
Step 1: Download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free on your computer. Launch it to get the main interface.
Step 2: Select the drive you want to scan for and choose Check File System feature from the left action panel. You can also activate this feature by selecting Check File System from the context menu after right-clicking the drive.
Step 3: In the pop-up window, choose Check & fix detected errors option and click Start button.
Fix 5: Disable Integrity Checks
As mentioned before, the “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device” error message appears when your Windows is trying to verify the digital signature and integrity of the device. In theory, disabling this option may resolve the problem and enable you to install the driver of the device again.
To disable integrity checks, you need to:
Step 1: Run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2: Input the following command lines and press Enter key after each to execute them:
Step 3: Go to check if the USB error code 52 is fixed or not. If this doesn’t work, open the command console again and execute the following command lines this time:
bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions
bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF
Fix 6: Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
If the above methods fail to resolve the issue for you, perhaps you can disable driver signature enforcement. In this way, you will be able to install drivers for the problematic devices bypassing Windows checking for the signatures.
Here’s a simple guide.
Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Step 2: Go to Update & Security > Recovery and click Restart now button under Advanced startup section in the right pane.
Step 3: When you enter Windows Recovery Environment, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings and then click Restart button.
Step 4: When you get the following interface, press 7 or F7 to choose the Disable driver signature enforcement option.
Then, your Windows will boot up automatically. You need to open Device Manager and try updating the problematic drivers referring to the steps mentioned above. Now, the USB error code 52 should be resolved.
For more information about driver signature enforcement and how to disable it, you can read this article: How to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement? Try These Methods.
Fix 7: Perform System Restore
Finally, you can perform system restore to bring your Windows back to a previous status, which may help you get rid of the “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device” issue.
Step 1: Open Run dialog, input sysdm.cpl and click OK to access System Properties.
Step 2: Switch to the System Protection tab and click System Restore.
Step 3: Click Next to skip the welcome page. Then, choose a restore point and click Next button.
Tip: You can click Scan for affected programs to check the applications or services to be removed during the process.
Step 4: Click Finish button to confirm the operation, and a restart will be required to apply the changes.
Hopefully, the Windows digital signature issue will be removed successfully.
Bottom Line
Have you resolved the “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file/driver” issue with the solutions introduced in this article? All we know about how to fix the issue is in this post. If you have better solutions, please leave a message in the comment zone below. We are desired to improve this article with your valuable suggestions.
If you want to explore more features of MiniTool Partition Wizard, you can check the user manual. For any questions, you can contact us via [email protected]. How to install cyberscan for macbook air.
Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature FAQ
Can I install a driver without a digital signature?
To install a driver and make it work properly on your computer, the driver should be officially signed. But sometimes, you may want to install a drier without a digital signature. Yes, you can force an unsigned driver to install, but it may take some time. For the detailed information, you can check this guide.
If you encounter the invalid digital signature installation error, you can try the following solutions:
Make sure the downloaded executable is unblocked.
Install the certificates manually through the properties of the executable file.
Consult your group policy admin to temporarily disable restriction for the authentication of certificates.
What is the difference between signed and unsigned drivers?
The signed driver with a correct digital signature indicates that it is not damaged, corrupted, manipulated, or changed, and it is safe to use. It can be installed and work properly on Windows. The unsigned driver will be considered as a potentially malicious item by the system and it cannot be installed properly.
A signed driver might also turn to unsigned if its signature becomes invalid due to any tampering or changing.
Do you want to disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10 permanently? If “Yes” then you are at the right place.
We have received many requests from our readers asking – What is driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 and what are the best ways to disable driver signature enforcement Windows 10 permanently. And that’s the main reason for us to bringing out this guide.
The purpose of disabling driver signature enforcement on Windows 10 might be different from each other for many Windows users. Some users want to disable this feature temporarily for just solving a specific windows error, while some users want to disable it permanently to bypass the prevention.
Image credit: Digitaltrends.com
Well, before knowing how to disable driver signature verification on Windows 10 permanently or temporarily, let’s find out first what is driver signature enforcement and what does disable driver signature enforcement do? Here we go.
Read also: How to Disable Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry in Windows 10
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What is Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10?
We all install various drivers on our Windows computer. Some of the drivers work properly while some don’t. Do you know why? Because in order to provide maximum security, Windows requires a digitally signed driver and all the drivers installed on our Windows computer should be digitally signed with a Microsoft digital signature.
Basically, Driver Signature Enforcement is a security feature in Windows operating systems which has been specifically designed to prevent unsigned device drivers from being loaded and executed.
Microsoft verifies all the drivers which are manufactured by companies and if any driver is not officially signed by the Microsoft, Windows 10 computer won’t install that driver on your computer.
With electronic security mark, you will get information about the publisher of the driver and you can also find out if someone has changed the information or details about the drivers which you are about to install on your computer.
Why Do You Need to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10?
Now that you know – what is driver signature enforcement? You might be wondering why you have to disable driver signature enforcement Windows 10 feature.
As we all know, Windows 10 requires a digitally signed driver and there are plenty of useful and free device drivers which don’t come with digital signature authentication. And installing any unsigned device driver will always result in a blue screen of death during the startup process or unusual Windows errors like “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device” and “The driver is not digitally signed” while running the program supporting that driver.
So, if you want to install any unsigned device driver on your Windows 10 computer then you will have to disable driver signature enforcement feature as without disabling Windows 10 digital signature you won’t be able to install the drivers.
How to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement on Windows 10 Permanently
Undoubtedly, Windows 10 driver signature enforcement is an amazing security feature if you are really concerned about your safety. But there are some situations in our daily computer use when you need to install drivers that aren’t digitally signed by the Microsoft, and that’s why today we’re going to show you some best methods of disabling driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 computer.
Although, there are plenty of methods available on the internet which helps you to disable driver signature verification in Windows 10 but if you are looking for the easiest and most helpful way then below explained solutions are the best for you. Let’s check out how to disable driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 permanently and temporarily:
Method 1: Disable Driver Signature Enforcement from Startup Settings
Before disabling driver signature enforcement feature from Startup Settings, keep one thing in mind that this method only temporarily disables driver signature enforcement. So, if you want to disable driver signature verification permanently then follow the second method.
Let’s check out now how to disable driver signature enforcement Windows 10 feature from Startup Settings:
Step (1): First of all, go to Start menu and click on Power button and then select Restart option.
Step (2): Now your computer will restart into the menu. You have to select “Troubleshoot” option.
How To Digitally Sign A Driver Windows 10 Amd
Step (3): In the Troubleshoot section, you have to click on “Advanced options”.
Step (4): In the Advanced options section, select “Startup Settings” option.
Step (5): Now on the Startup settings section, click on the Restart button to restart your PC.
Step (6): After restarting PC in Startup Settings, type “7” or press the “F7” key on your keyboard to select “Disable driver signature enforcement” option.
Just after selecting the Disable driver signature enforcement option in Startup settings screen, your Windows 10 PC will reboot and driver signature verification feature will be disabled successfully.
Now, you can proceed to install unsigned drivers on your Windows 10 computer. In case, if you face “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)” error during the driver installation procedure then just ignore the warning message displayed in the Device Status text box and select “Install this driver software anyway” option to complete the installation.
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Method 2: Disable Driver Signature Enforcement Windows 10 Permanently
If you have followed the above-mentioned method to disable Driver Signature Enforcement Windows 10 feature, it means you have disabled the driver signature verification feature temporarily as the driver signature enforcement will be restored after reboot.
In order to disable Driver Signature Enforcement on Windows 10 Permanently, follow these steps explained below:
Step (1): First of all, open command prompt as administrator by pressing Windows + X keys and selecting Command Prompt (Admin) from the list of options displayed.
Step (2): Once the command prompt with administrative privileges is opened on your computer, enter the following command line and press Enter button:
Step (3): Just after executing the above command, you will be able to see “The operation completed successfully” message.
Step (4): Now, restart your Windows 10 computer. That’s it!
Or alternatively, you can also enter the following command lines in the elevated command prompt of your Windows 10 computer:
Execute the above mentioned commands one by one and once done, close command prompt. Finally, restart your computer so that changes can take effect.
Thus, you can see how simple is to disable driver signature enforcement on Windows 10 permanently. Now, you can install unsigned device drivers without any issue.
Conclusion
So, these two are some of the best methods to disable driver signature enforcement Windows 10 feature permanently and temporarily. Now that you have followed the above two methods, you can try installing any unsigned driver on your Windows 10 computer. Without any Windows error, you will be able to install the drivers even if they are not officially signed by the Microsoft or not having the Microsoft digital signature.
Disabling driver signature verification feature is the most helpful solution to solve “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device.” error in Windows 10 PC.
We hope that now you are able to easily disable driver signature enforcement in Windows 10 and install unsigned drivers on your computer. Feel free to let us know using the comments section below if you are not able to install Windows 10 unsigned drivers or having any issues regarding driver signature enforcement.
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