The difference between the two drivers is that of a Digital Signature. A digital signature signifies whether a driver is ‘signed’ by the manufacturer and is authentic. Here, it should be noted that third-party drivers might also work on your computer but they don’t guarantee stability and can fail in several situations. Users face this error message when third-party drivers are being installed on the computer. Even though we recommend that you always use official drivers, there might be a necessity which might be forcing you to do so. In this article, we will go through several different ways through which you can bypass this error message and easily fix the third-party drivers without interference.
What is an INF File?
An INF file is a type of text file which accompanies a driver and contains instructions for Windows on how to install the driver into the system. In previous iterations of Windows (Windows 7 and below), the INF file didn’t have digital signatures embedded into it. However, in the latest iterations, the ‘driver signature enforcement’ feature is implemented which ensures that only drivers with valid signatures are allowed to be installed. These drivers are usually installed by Microsoft. Note: Before moving on with the solutions, make sure that the device of which drivers you are trying to install is indeed legitimate and valid. If the hardware is damaged or unverifiable, make sure that you get to the bottom of its characteristics and then proceed.
How to Force Install the Driver by Bypassing the Error Message?
Despite the need for this security feature, Microsoft has implemented several backdoors which allow the users to install the drivers on your computer without the digital driver enforcement. In this article, we will discuss the ways through which you can bypass the error message and install the driver with ease.
Warning:
Before we proceed, it should be duly noted that not all third-party drivers are trustworthy and some of them might even be malicious. Before you start forcefully installing the drivers, make sure that you are sure that the driver is legitimate and doesn’t pose a risk to your computer or OS. The best scenario would be to download the drivers from the manufacturer’s site itself which we will demonstrate down below. Note: Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator on your computer and have your data backed up just in case.
Solution 1: Downloading Drivers from Manufacturer’s Website
Before we try out other workarounds where we install the same driver forcefully, it is essential that you ‘try’ to search and download a verified driver from the manufacturer’s official website. Since all the readers will be trying to install different drivers, we have outlined a generic method which you can follow.
Solution 2: Disabling Driver Enforcement through Command Prompt
There are usually two methods through which you can disable driver enforcement. One where we disable it using your command prompt and another where we disable it using the startup options. We will go with the first method first as it is more easy and efficient. Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator on your computer before proceeding.
Solution 3: Disabling Enforcement through Startup Settings
If the above method somehow doesn’t work for you, we can move on and try to disable Driver Enforcement through the Startup settings. Windows startup settings contain several different options which allow the users to into a RE state such as safe mode etc. We will be accessing that menu and then try installing the drivers. Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator.
Solution 4: Running a System File Check
If you are trying to install Microsoft verified drivers which are downloaded from the very website and are still experiencing the error message, it probably means there are some issues with your Windows files themselves. This scenario can occur when the driver enforcement module is either corrupt or is in an error configuration. Here, we can run a system file check which will scan all your installation files and look for any discrepancy from the online manifest. If there is any issue located, the problematic file will be replaced with a fresh copy.
Solution 5: Diagnosing Windows Installation
If all the above methods don’t work and you are indeed trying to install a valid driver on your computer but are not able to because of the error message, it probably means there is an issue with your Windows installation itself. Here, we will first update Windows to the latest build and see if this fixes an issue. If it doesn’t, we will try restoring from a restore point where the issue didn’t occur. If even this fails, you can go ahead and install Windows from a fresh ISO file. Windows will now start checking for any valid updates available. If it finds any, make sure that you download and install the updates and also restart your computer properly. If updating Windows to the latest build doesn’t help with anything, we will try restoring your computer. Restore points are made along the way whenever you install a new application or when a new update is installed. Here, you have to yourself guess at which point your Windows worked perfectly. Select that point from the restore points available using the method given below. You can learn more about the system restore to gain more knowledge about what it does and what are the processes involved. If even System restore doesn’t work properly, you can check our article of How to Clean Install Windows 10. Hopefully, this will solve the problem.
How to Fix USB Error Digital Signature (Code 52) ErrorFix: The Volume does not Contain a Recognized File SystemRainbow Six Siege ‘Invitational Packs’ Leaked, Contain Exceptional Quality Skins…Fix: Third Party Apps Stopped Working after Creators Update
