The “Driver Cannot Load On This Device – HWiNFO64A.sys” message means Windows security is blocking an older HWiNFO driver after a change or update.
What The HWiNFO64A.sys Driver Error Actually Means
When Windows shows “A driver cannot load on this device” with HWiNFO64A.sys in the line below, it is reacting to a low-level driver from the HWiNFO hardware
monitoring tool that no longer passes current security checks. Modern builds of Windows 10 and Windows 11 watch kernel drivers closely and block any that
appear vulnerable or incompatible with protections such as Memory Integrity, the vulnerable driver blocklist, or hardware-enforced stack protection.
HWiNFO64A.sys is not a random file. It belongs to HWiNFO, a long-running system information and monitoring app that reads temperatures, voltages, fan speeds,
and other sensor data through a kernel driver. When that driver is old, corrupted, or left behind after uninstalling HWiNFO, Windows can treat it as a weak
link and keep it from loading. That is why you see the “Driver Cannot Load On This Device – HWiNFO64A.sys” text even if you do not remember installing the
tool itself.
The message does not mean your PC is already compromised. It means Windows is being cautious and refusing to load code in a sensitive area of the system.
The goal for you is simple: remove or replace the outdated driver, confirm that Windows security remains active, and only relax any protection if you truly
need this specific monitoring driver and accept the extra risk that comes with that choice.
Fix Driver Cannot Load On This Device – HWiNFO64A.sys In Windows 11
Before diving into deep changes, you can walk through a short sequence that clears the issue for most users. Start with the HWiNFO app itself, then move to
driver cleanup, and only touch Windows security toggles when you have exhausted safer moves.
- Confirm The Exact Message — Note whether the pop-up mentions Memory Integrity, the vulnerable driver blocklist, or hardware-enforced stack protection along with HWiNFO64A.sys.
- Update HWiNFO To The Latest Build — Install the newest version straight from the official HWiNFO site, since recent builds ship drivers that meet current security rules.
- Uninstall Old Or Duplicate HWiNFO Installs — Remove any previous copies from “Installed apps” so Windows does not keep loading a stale kernel driver at startup.
- Check Windows Security For Listed Incompatible Drivers — Open the “Core isolation” or related page and see whether HWiNFO64A.sys still appears in the incompatible or vulnerable driver list.
- Delete Leftover Driver Packages — Use Device Manager or the PNPUTIL command to remove old oemXX.inf entries that reference HWiNFO64A.sys when updates alone do not solve the block.
- Only Then Adjust Security Toggles — As a last resort, change Memory Integrity, the vulnerable driver blocklist, or stack protection settings to allow the driver, while understanding what that does to your protection level.
Follow that order each time the dialog appears. Updating or removing HWiNFO usually clears the error without long-term changes to Windows security at all.
If the message still pops up after a reboot, you can move on to driver cleanup and security-tuning steps in the next sections.
Check Whether You Still Use HWiNFO And Its Driver
Many users discover this error after a Windows upgrade on a laptop or desktop they have used for years. In some cases HWiNFO came preinstalled, or it was
used once during troubleshooting and then forgotten. If you never rely on sensor readouts during gaming, performance testing, or fan tuning, you may not
need the driver at all.
- Look For HWiNFO In Installed Apps — Open Settings, head to the list of installed programs, and search for HWiNFO or similar tools that tap hardware sensors.
- Check Taskbar And System Tray — Watch the icons near the clock after a fresh boot to see whether a monitoring app launches in the background.
- Review Startup Entries — Open Task Manager, switch to the Startup tab, and disable HWiNFO entries so the driver no longer loads during login.
- Uninstall HWiNFO If You Do Not Need It — Remove the app through Settings or the classic Programs and Features view, then restart and watch for the driver message.
- Scan The File If You Feel Unsure — If you find a copy of HWiNFO64A.sys in an odd folder, run a full scan with a trusted antivirus tool to rule out any fake driver using a similar name.
If uninstalling HWiNFO and rebooting stops the pop-up, you are done. Windows is happier, and you removed a driver you were not using. If the pop-up about
HWiNFO64A.sys still appears even after uninstalling the program, you likely have leftover driver entries that Windows keeps referencing during its security
checks.
Clean Up Old HWiNFO64A.sys Driver Entries
Leftover driver packages are a common reason the system keeps warning you about HWiNFO64A.sys even after you updated or removed the app. Windows often keeps
old oemXX.inf driver records under the hood, and Memory Integrity or the vulnerable driver blocklist will keep complaining until those records disappear or
point to a safe version.
Remove HWiNFO Through Apps Settings First
Start with the visible parts. Use the standard uninstall flow in Settings so Windows removes services, scheduled tasks, and most driver ties for you. This
alone clears the “Driver Cannot Load On This Device – HWiNFO64A.sys” warning for many systems after a reboot.
- Open Installed Apps — Press Windows+I, go to the apps list, and search for HWiNFO or any similar monitoring tools you no longer use.
- Uninstall HWiNFO Cleanly — Run the uninstaller, confirm removal of drivers when asked, and allow the process to finish.
- Restart Windows — Boot again so Windows security can refresh its list of active and blocked drivers.
Delete Leftover Driver Packages With Care
If the warning remains, you may need to remove old driver packages directly. This step is slightly more advanced than uninstalling an app, so take a moment
to read each line in the command window and avoid deleting drivers you do not recognize.
- List Incompatible Drivers In Windows Security — Open Windows Security, go to Device security, then Core isolation or the section that lists incompatible or vulnerable drivers and note the exact file name.
- Match The Driver In PNPUTIL Output — Launch Windows Terminal as administrator, run
pnputil /enum-drivers, and look for entries whose original file name or provider mentions HWiNFO64A.sys or HWiNFO. - Remove Only HWiNFO Driver Entries — Use
pnputil /delete-driver oemXX.inf /uninstall /forcefor the matching driver package, where oemXX.inf is the file tied to HWiNFO64A.sys. - Reboot And Recheck Windows Security — Restart, open Windows Security again, and confirm that HWiNFO64A.sys no longer appears in the incompatible driver list.
This cleanup step clears old references that once made sense for earlier Windows releases. After removal, Windows does not try to load the blocked driver,
and the warning about a driver that cannot load on this device stops appearing during each login.
Adjust Windows Security Settings With Care
Sometimes HWiNFO64A.sys appears in Windows dialogs tied to Memory Integrity, the Microsoft vulnerable driver blocklist, or kernel-mode hardware-enforced
stack protection. These layers sit on top of the classic antivirus engine and help guard the kernel against known weak drivers or unsafe memory patterns.
Turning them off just to clear a pop-up reduces protection across the whole system, not only for HWiNFO.
Still, a short security settings tweak can help you confirm whether the HWiNFO driver is the only blocker and can help during troubleshooting. The table
below lines up the common choices you have, what they mean for security, and when they make sense for this specific driver issue.
| Action | Security Effect | When It Makes Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Keep Memory Integrity And Blocklist On | Strongest kernel protection, HWiNFO64A.sys stays blocked if seen as unsafe. | Best for users who no longer need HWiNFO or have already updated to a driver that passes checks. |
| Temporarily Turn Memory Integrity Off | Lowers protection so you can update, uninstall, or clean driver packages, then turn it on again. | Short maintenance window when other fixes fail and you just need to finish cleanup tasks. |
| Disable Blocklist Or Stack Protection Long Term | Allows vulnerable drivers to run, which can give attackers more room if other layers fail. | Only for rare cases where a legacy monitoring driver is essential and runs on an offline or low-risk machine. |
- Try A Short Toggle Cycle — Turn Memory Integrity off, reboot, update or uninstall HWiNFO, then turn Memory Integrity back on and reboot again.
- Avoid Turning Off All Protections Permanently — Use long-term disablement only if you fully accept the extra exposure that comes with running a blocked driver.
- Prefer Updated Drivers Over Weaker Settings — Look for an HWiNFO build that no longer triggers the block so you can keep every security layer active.
When you treat these toggles as short-term tools rather than permanent fixes, you keep Windows secure while still clearing the HWiNFO64A.sys error in a
controlled way. The best outcome is simple: no warning, updated monitoring software, and Memory Integrity, the blocklist, and stack protection all left on.
Keep HWiNFO And Windows Stable In The Long Run
Once the nag message is gone, you can reduce the chance of seeing it again with a few habits. They revolve around cleaner installs, regular updates, and a
lighter touch with kernel drivers in general. Hardware monitoring tools are handy, but they do not need permanent deep hooks into Windows for every user.
- Use The Latest HWiNFO Release — Update from the official site from time to time so you are not stuck with an older driver on a newer Windows build.
- Prefer Portable Or Sensor-Only Modes — When possible, run HWiNFO in modes that skip extra kernel drivers or features you never touch.
- Install One Monitoring Tool At A Time — Avoid stacking several sensor utilities that each install their own low-level driver layer.
- Watch For Warnings After Big Windows Updates — When a new feature update lands, monitor Windows Security for new driver alerts and deal with them early.
- Keep Backups Before Deep Tweaks — Before you change security toggles or remove driver packages, create a system restore point or image so you can roll back if something feels off later.
If you ever see the same pop-up again, you already know the route through Windows Security, app cleanup, and driver removal. The steps above work not only
for HWiNFO64A.sys but also for many similar “driver cannot load on this device” warnings tied to other third-party tools that depend on low-level drivers.
Treat each one with the same mix of patience and caution, and your monitoring setup and Windows security can coexist without constant prompts.
