How to Fix the “Device Not Migrated” Error in Windows 10

If a device hasn't migrated itself, here's how to fix it in Windows 10 and get it running like new.

Sometimes, one of your external devices might stop working abruptly without a warning. If you’ve tried reconnecting the device, using a different USB port, or even connecting the device to another computer without luck, there’s a chance the device hasn’t migrated.

On a Windows computer, devices “migrate” to the latest installed update. If during the update, the driver’s migration process was stopped or interrupted you’ll get the "device not migrated" error. As such, here's how to fix it.

How to Check if Your Device Wasn’t Migrated

Unlike most Windows errors, it doesn’t pop up on your screen, and you’ll have to look for it in Device Manager.

Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager. Then, right-click the device driver that is malfunctioning and select Properties. Open the Events tab and check if there’s the “Device not migrated” error.

Most of the time, you’ll encounter the error after a system update.

However, you’ll run into the same problem if your system’s peripheral driver is now supported by Windows, the device driver are corrupt, or if you have installed two operating systems.

If you've detected the error on your computer, here's how you can fix it.

1. Restart Your PC

When dealing with a problem on your computer, you should start the troubleshooting process with a system restart. The "device not migrated" error might be a temporary glitch that will go away after the reboot.

2. Update Windows

Microsoft constantly releases new updates to keep Windows running smoothly. If you’ve encountered the "device not migrated" error, updating your operating system could solve the problem.

To update to the latest Windows version, right-click the Start button and head to Settings. In the Settings window, select Update & Security and click the Check for updates button.

3. Update or Reset Cycle the Device Driver

If the device hasn’t migrated after an update, you can try manually updating the driver. When doing so, be sure you download and install the correct version from the producer’s website. If you want to make this task easier, you can use a free driver updater.

Another driver trick to solve the "device not migrated" error is to disable and re-enable the device. Open Device Manager, right-click the problematic driver, and select Disable device. Wait a few minutes, right-click the disabled device, and click Enable.

If Windows still displays the device not migrated error in the Events tab, you can back up and restore Windows 10 device drivers.

4. Run an SFC Scan

One of your devices might not migrate because of a corrupt system file. In this case, you should use the System File Checker.

In the Start menu search bar, search for command prompt and select Run as administrator. Then, type sfc/ scannow and press Enter.

The SFC will automatically find and replace any corrupt files on your system. How long the verification takes depends on your system resources. Once the process is complete, restart your computer and check if the error is now gone.

5. Reset the BIOS

If nothing works, you can go nuclear and reset the BIOS back to its factory settings. Even if you know how to access the BIOS, you can't figure out how to reset it once you get there.

The instructions on how to reset the BIOS vary, depending on the motherboard producer. For accurate information, visit the producer's website or check the instruction manual. If the resetting process goes wrong because of inaccurate information, your computer will be damaged. So be sure to get the instructions from trustworthy sources.

Get Rid of the “Device not Migrated” Error

The tips above should help you fix the "Device not migrated" error. To avoid running into the same problem again, you should keep your system updated.

If you don’t want to constantly check for available updates, you can customize how Windows will install future updates.