Fix Error Code 12: This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use

Error code 12 is a crucial error in the Windows operating system’s Device Manager utility. On the system monitor, it normally occurs when the computer encounters application driver issues or system resource clashes. The complete mistake might look like this:’ Your machine does not get enough free resources it needs to use. You can deactivate one of the gadgets on your computer if you want to use this device.’

What causes Error Code 12?

It mostly shows up when two computers are accidentally mounted on your machine, and both are allocated to the same input or output ports. It also shows up when two devices mounted to use the same direct memory channel. 

The BIOS inside your operating system is generally known to be making this mistake. Due to the mixing of the two units, it can be activated now and then. Furthermore, error code 12 which also occurs on your machine when the BIOS fails to allocate appropriate resources to the computer that triggers the error. 

The problem, however, is not that important, but it can trigger channels and inconvenience and trouble to delay solving it. The problems will directly bog down your device’s output.

Details and Solutions for the Error Code 12

The following are some of the easiest and most powerful options that you can do on your own to repair the system’s error code 12. One doesn’t have to be highly trained in programming skills or in the technical line in order to solve the issue. This is because what you have to do in this article is just follow our step-by-step tutorial. Here are the solutions for the Error code 12:

  1. Via Built-In Troubleshooter
  2. Deactivate the Device
  3. Restore to the Previous State
  4. Change BIOS Settings for GPUs
  5. Update the Device Driver
  6. Fix Registry Entries
  7. Update Your BIOS
  8. Undo Recent Changes
  9. Problematic Driver Reinstallation
  10. Delete the Driver File for PCMCIA Card

Via Built-In Troubleshooter

  1. To address the error code 12, just go to the Start menu and then enter the search field in the System Manager. Go to System Properties, then. 
  2. Click ‘General’ now. 
  3. To trigger the Troubleshooting window, hit the Troubleshoot button. 
  4. You will now be taken through prompts for Q&A, and all you need to do is provide the answers appropriately. 
  5. On your phone, follow all the moves. 
  6. See if the mistake lasts.

Deactivate the Device

The machine would pay no interest to the computer by shutting off the problems created by the device inside the Device Manager window. Your OS can no longer provide machine services to the unique user when the device is switched off.

  1. Go to the manager of computers. 
  2. Go to System Properties then, 
  3. Click the Driver tab on the menu at the end. 
  4. Click Disable, which is located at the bottom of the window. 
  5. You’ll see a prompt that says ‘Disabling this system will allow it to stop running. Would you want to uninstall it? ” So pick Yes. 
  6. Head over to OK.

Restore to the Previous State

You have to follow the official Microsoft guideline for restoring your machine to its former condition. There are some recovery points on your screen that are generated automatically on most computers.

  1. Using the Start button to head to the Start Menu. 
  2. Put in Build a point to fix. 
  3. Just click Enter. 
  4. Go to Restore Framework. 
  5. Click the NEXT button 
  6. Choose the restore point depending on the dates specified.

Change BIOS Settings for GPUs

It is possible that you would run into this problem if you are using multiple GPUs. To view and adjust your BIOS settings, follow the steps below. 

  1. Switch the machine off. 
  2. Turn the computer on and press the BIOS Initialization key before it reaches the Windows system to access the BIOS settings.

Note: The BIOS Initialization Key can vary between labels and models of different computers. F1, F2, F10, Delete, Esc, as well as key combinations such as Ctrl + Alt + Esc and Ctrl + Alt + Delete are common keys for accessing the BIOS. If you are not sure how to access BIOS settings, please search Google for them with the “BIOS Setup Key for XXX” keywords.

  1. You need to adjust the “Top Of Lower Usable Dram” alternative while you’re in the BIOS utility. According to numerous machine producers, it is located under various tabs. It is normally found, though, under the Advanced tab or Memory protection. 
  2. Search the choice button until you’ve correctly found it. Please update it to “3.5 GB” if it is set to Automatic.
  3.  ‘Above 4G Encoding’ is the next option that you can modify. As with the “Top Of Lower Usable Dram” alternative, it is also placed in the BIOS utility at different locations. You need to look it up according to the manufacturer of your machine. 
  4.  When you see the Above 4G Decoding” option, if it is disabled, change it to “Enabled.” 
  5.  Exit the BIOS utility when finished, by pressing “Exit and Save” or so. It will then proceed to the method.

Update the Device Driver

For Windows 10

  1. From the Start menu, check for Windows Upgrade. 
  2. To start the Windows upgrade application, press Enter. Your Windows version will be reviewed automatically, including the driver update. 
  3. If any update is available, simply press ‘Update’ to complete it.

For Windows 8,7 and Vista

Update Driver Manually

You will find and manually import drivers from a vendor’s website and instal them on your computer. Please make sure that you are running a stable driver with your version of Windows, otherwise your hardware can have new issues. If you are not sure which driver to use, you can automatically locate and instal a compatible driver for your hardware using the Driver Upgrade app.

Driver Upgrade Using Driver Software Update
  1.  Download and update the Driver Talent programme on your device. 
  2.  Open it and press the “Scan button to search the drivers on your computer. 
  3.  To see if there is any upgrade or repair for the driver, find the computer in question. If yes, press the button for Fix or Upgrade. If not, the Driver Upgrade Approach can not assist with the error code 12. To see how it works, you should even attempt to reinstall the engine.
  4. If after upgrading the driver, you are asked to restart your machine, just do so.

Fix Registry Entries

Warning: Editing registry keys improperly can inflict permanent harm to the device. So before you make any changes to it it is strongly advisable to backup the registry. Take the steps below to backup the entire registry:

  1. Check the Start menu for ‘regedit’. 
  2. Find the Regedit editor, right-click “Run as administrator” to select it. 
  3. After the regedit editor has been opened, right-click “Computer” at the top of the window and select “Export.”
  4. Save the file to a position that is specified. It is a file called .reg.

Once you backed up the registry, follow the steps mentioned below to make changes to it.

  1. Navigate to the following direction in the regedit editor: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PnP\Pci
  2. Right-click the Pci key and select New >DWORD or DWORD based on the bit level of your device. 
  3. Rename “HackFlags” as the new value. 
  4. Right-click HackFlags, choose Modify, set Value Data to 600, and choose Hexadecimal as the Base option. To save the configuration, press OK.
  5. To see if the error code 12 still exists, restart your machine.

Update Your BIOS

Often it is seen that upgrading to the new edition of BIOS is the easy resort after you are struggling a lot with this error code 12 mistakes.

  1. Find Your Current BIOS Version: Open the Device Information app by tapping on the Windows Start button. In the search window, type System Information and press the System Overview button. Your BIOS version will be shown at the processing speed of your computer.
  2. Backup Your BIOS: Next the BIOS backup. The BIOS updater has “Save or “Backup” built-in features.
  3. Find the Right Updates: To find the right BIOS update and uninstall it, go to the manufacturer’s website. 
  4. Run the Downloaded Update for BIOS: Run the BIOS update that was downloaded and check it. 
  5. Restart the PC: Reboot the device after the upgrade is finished. Any upgrades can automatically restart your machine.

Undo Recent Changes

When a mistake happens once you have made any changes, the move is likely to result in an error. Just uninstall the enhancements. You should restore it to the previous state manually to reverse the changes if necessary. Or if you have previously created the system restore stage, you can need to use system restore.

Problematic Driver Reinstallation

You should uninstall the defective driver and reinstall it if you get Error Code 12 on your network adapter or WiFi adapter. Bear in mind that only this unique situation applies to this approach. Also to conduct the troubleshooting process, you can need to link your machine to a wired network.

  1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+S. 
  2. Select System Controller’ (no quotes), then press Enter. 
  3. Right-click the defective driver, and then pick Device to Uninstall. 
  4. Click the ‘Delete driver app for this unit’ box next to it and then click Uninstall. 
  5. Reboot the PC.

The missing driver will immediately be detected by your device and its default version will be installed. We suggest upgrading the driver to ensure that the system operates smoothly. By visiting the manufacturer’s website and searching for the correct version for your machine, you can choose to do this manually. This choice can however be dangerous and time-consuming. Installing the wrong drivers, after all, will lead to issues of machine instability.

Delete the Driver File for PCMCIA Card

The PCMCIA card is sometimes causing various problems on people’s computers and it appears to be the main culprit of the error code 12 for multiple devices in Device Manager which also stopped working in certain cases. Follow the steps below in order to do this if you have this card on your computer or laptop:

  1. Open File Explorer from the Taskbar or open some archive, and then navigate to your device at the following location: 
  2. Locate the pcmcia.sys file, right-click the file, click Properties, and then click the Protection tab. 
  3. Click the button for Advanced. The “Advanced Security Settings” window would open. Here you need to change the Owner of the key. 
  4. Next to the ‘Owner:’ label, press the Change icon. The Pick Person or Community window will open. 
  5. Use the Advanced button to pick the user account, or just type the user account in the field that says ‘Enter the object name to select’ and press Yes. As the owner, add the user account. 
  6. Optionally, in the ‘Advanced Protection Settings’ window, to adjust the owner of all subfolders and files within the folder, click the ‘Replace owner for sub-containers and objects’ checkmark. For a change of possession, click OK. 
  7. Now you need to grant your account complete access to the file or folder. Right-click the file or folder again, click Properties and then click Properties again.
  8. Now, close all Assets windows, right-click the System32 pcmcia.sys file again and pick the Rename option from the context menu that appears. Using pcmcia.old.sys to change its name. 
  9. Restart the computer and search for gadgets and code 12 to see if the problem still exists.

Is Error Code 12 Related to the Windows Cannot Install Required Files Error?

Yes, error code 12 can be related to the “Windows Cannot Install Required Files” error. To troubleshoot this issue, you can try some fixes for windows installation error. This may include checking for corrupt installation files, updating device drivers, or running a system file checker scan.

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