When Memory Integrity can’t be turned on in Windows 11, Windows Security may identify an incompatible driver, require hardware virtualization, or show a setting controlled by your organization. The message on the Core isolation page determines which problem you need to solve.
Memory Integrity, also called HVCI, uses virtualization-based security to protect kernel-level code-integrity checks. Turning the switch on through a Registry change does not make an incompatible driver safe or compatible.
When Windows names an incompatible driver
Open Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details, then select Review incompatible drivers if it appears.
Record the driver filename, provider, version, and published INF name when shown. Those details help connect the warning to a device or application. A filename ending in .sys is not enough evidence to delete a file.
Microsoft’s Device security guidance recommends checking for an updated driver, or removing the associated device or application when a compatible driver is unavailable.
Update the product that installed it
Install relevant Windows updates, then check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates for an appropriate driver. If none is offered, use the device or software manufacturer’s official support page.
Match the update to your exact model and Windows version. Old phone utilities, printers, USB adapters, virtual-drive software, and hardware-monitoring tools can leave drivers behind even when their main application is rarely used.
Restart after installing the replacement, reopen Core isolation details, and check whether the listed driver has changed or disappeared. A newer version number alone does not guarantee Memory Integrity compatibility.
Remove an obsolete product instead of its driver file
If you no longer use the associated software, uninstall it under Settings > Apps > Installed apps. For an old device, identify it in Device Manager; View > Show hidden devices may reveal disconnected hardware.
Removing the wrong driver can affect storage, networking, input devices, or other essential functions. Keep the correct replacement installer available before removing a package you may need. Do not delete files directly from C:\Windows\System32\drivers: that can leave an incomplete installation.
When a leftover driver package remains
An identified obsolete package may remain in the Driver Store after its application is removed. Open an administrator terminal and list third-party packages:
pnputil /enum-driversCompare the provider, original INF name, version, and Published Name with the driver you are investigating. On Windows 11 versions that support it, pnputil /enum-drivers /files also lists package files and can help match a reported .sys filename.
Only after positively identifying an unwanted package should you remove it:
pnputil /delete-driver oem42.inf /uninstalloem42.inf is an example. Replace it with the actual published name. Microsoft’s PnPUtil reference explains that /uninstall also removes the package from devices using it. Do not add /force to bypass an in-use warning; investigate why the package is needed.
When no driver is listed
Check hardware virtualization in Task Manager > Performance > CPU. Memory Integrity requires it to be enabled in BIOS or UEFI.
If Task Manager reports Virtualization: Disabled, consult your computer or motherboard manual. The setting may be named Intel Virtualization Technology, VT-x, AMD SVM, or AMD-V. The How to Open BIOS in Windows 11 guide explains how to reach firmware settings. Change only the relevant virtualization setting.
If virtualization is enabled, install pending Windows updates and restart. Consider recently added software that installs low-level drivers, such as security products, VPN clients, anti-cheat tools, or hardware utilities. Update the relevant product rather than uninstalling applications at random.
On a work or school computer, a greyed-out switch or organization-management message should go to the administrator. Local policy changes may conflict with the configuration your organization requires.
When the switch turns off again after restarting
Return to Core isolation details and read the current warning. A driver may have been reinstalled by its companion application, or the original incompatibility may still be unresolved. Check the reported version against the update you installed.
If Windows Security or other Windows components also malfunction, open an administrator terminal and run these commands one at a time:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannowLet DISM finish before running SFC, then restart. These tools repair Windows components, not third-party driver compatibility. If SFC cannot complete, use Windows Resource Protection Error to investigate its specific message.
When essential hardware has no compatible driver
Ask the manufacturer whether a Memory Integrity-compatible release exists for your model. If not, you may need to choose between using that legacy hardware and enabling the protection. Disabling the vulnerable-driver blocklist or forcing HVCI through the Registry does not resolve the underlying compatibility problem.
After a successful repair, restart and confirm that Memory Integrity remains On. Test the device or application whose driver you changed as well. Keeping the protection enabled and the required hardware working is the result you want, rather than a switch that appears enabled only until the next reboot.
