2 Methods to Get Devices with Missing Drivers on Windows

When using a Windows computer, encountering missing device drivers can be a frustrating experience. Missing drivers can lead to hardware malfunctions and reduced system performance. Fortunately, Windows provides several ways that can help you identify and locate devices with missing drivers. This tutorial provides 2 methods how to get devices with missing drivers on Windows.

Method 1 - CMD

Use the following command to retrieve the names and hardware IDs of devices on a Windows computer with a status other than OK:

wmic path Win32_PnPEntity where "Status<>'OK'" get Name,HardwareID

Here's an example of the output:

HardwareID                                       Name
{"PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_A780XXXX_XXXX62&REV_04", ...} Video Controller
{"PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_7A24XXXX_XXXX62&REV_11", ...} PCI Device
{"PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_A74FXXXX_XXXX62&REV_01", ...} Base System Device

The command allows users to quickly identify devices with issues, such as missing drivers or hardware errors.

Method 2 - PowerShell

In PowerShell window, use the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to get information about devices from Win32_PnPEntity class. Then filter the results to include only devices where the Status property is not equal to OK. Finally, select and display the Name and HardwareID properties of these devices.

Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPEntity | Where {$_.Status -ne "OK"} | Select Name,HardwareID