# This device cannot start. (Code 10) Please help.



## themighty (Sep 11, 2008)

Yesterday I reformatted my laptop and reinstalled Windows XP, butI am now having problems installing my sound card. I installed my Realtek AC'97 driver, but am getting the error message 'This device cannot start. (Code 10)'. No matter what I try to do, I keep getting the same message. Can anybody help?


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## PC eye (Sep 11, 2008)

Aren't Realtek drivers fun?  Those can be a royal whatever at times. 

You will need to use a driver remover and go with a different update if not back to the original drivers found on the software/recovery disks. What make and model laptop is that? Review the Faq section as well as updates at their support site.


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## Okedokey (Sep 12, 2008)

You need to install you motherboard chipset drivers first.  Use PC Wizard from my sig to post your specs if you need help.


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## PC eye (Sep 12, 2008)

The last time I saw a code #10 here was when simply having reversed the cable for a floppy drive not seeing a locking tab on the connector.   "goober alert!" I simply plugged it in too fast on that occasion.

Another great freeware besides PC Wizard 2008 that doesn't need an installer but simply a right click to create a shortcut to drag to the desktop is the System Info for Windows(SIW) tool found at http://www.gtopala.com/

One of several download pages is at  http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/SIW.shtml

This will provide information on all softwares as well as hardwares you have on the system there. You simply download it to the folder of your choice and create the shortcut to run it.


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## themighty (Sep 14, 2008)

I've been trying to sort this out for a few days now with no luck. 

PC Wizard gives the following...

 General Information :	 
NorthBridge :	Intel i855PM 
SouthBridge :	82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface Bridge 

 NorthBridge Information :	 
Architecture :	HUB 
Manufacturer :	Intel (Sony Corp) 
Revision :	A3 
Bus Speed :	124.5 MHz 
FSB Frequency :	498 MHz (QDR) 
FSB max. Support :	400 MHz 
RAM max. Support :	DDR (266 MHz) 

 Memory Information :	 
Type :	DDR-SDRAM PC2600 
Frequency :	165.4 MHz 
DRAM/FSB Ratio :	5/3 
Activated Channels :	Single 
ECC Diagnostic :	YesMode  
CAS Latency (tCL) :	2.5 clocks 
RAS to CAS (tRCD) :	3 clocks 
RAS Precharge (tRP) :	3 clocks 
Cycle Time (tRAS) :	7 clocks 
Read Delay (tRD) :	4 clocks 

 Bus Information :	 
Version :	2.0 
Transfert Rate supported :	1x, 2x, 4x 
Transfert Rate :	4x 
Aperture Size :	256 MB 
Side Band supported :	Yes 
Side Band enabled :	Yes 
AGP enabled :	Yes 

 Hub Interface Information :	 
Version :	1.00 
Time Slice :	0 
Width :	8-bit 
Full Duplex :	Yes 
Frequency :	4x  (264 MHz) 
Multiplier :	1/1x 

 Device Capabilities (PCI) :	 
I/O Access :	No 
Memory Access :	Yes 
Bus Master Capable :	Yes 
Special Cycle Recognition :	No 
Memory Write & Invalidate :	No 
VGA Palette Snoop :	No 
Parity Error Response :	No 
Cycle Wait :	No 
System Error Line :	Yes 
Fast Back-to-Back :	No 
Detects Parity Errors :	No 
User Defined Format :	No 
PCI 66Mhz Bus Support :	No 
New Capability List :	Yes 
PCI Support :	Vendor-Dependant 
PCI Support :	AGP 


Any other info you need to help me? I tried installing the i855PM chipset, and then the Realteck drivers, but no luck. I must be doing something wrong.


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## PC eye (Sep 14, 2008)

Do you have a floppy drive installed by chance? If you added in a floppy drive or recently replaced a cable that would be one thing to look at. You have plugged it in reversed and are now seeing this error. That particular error is generally drive related and not anything in Windows itself.


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