Windows is one of the most popular and stable operating systems in the world right now. However, as much work as Microsoft has put into its flagship operating system to make it as user-friendly as possible; some issues still derail the user experience.
In this article, we’re talking about the “request failed due to a fatal device hardware error” issue, its causes and what you can do to fix the problem.
What causes this error?
Mechanical issues in your storage drive mainly cause the error. If you’re not using an HDD, your SSD is also dying. Other common causes include:
- Faulty or loose connection with the storage drive.
- Too many bad sectors on the target HDD.
- Another hardware failure in the system.
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How to fix this?
Here are six fixes you can try out.
Restart your PC
The first thing you should do in such situations is to try and restart your PC. Restarting your PC can fix a bunch of seemingly random issues that occur without any explanation whatsoever.
Check your connections
If you’re using an external storage drive, check to see if it’s properly connected. Switching USB ports isn’t a bad idea, either. If you’re using a USB hub, skip it and plug the drive straight into the system.
If the error occurs with an internal drive, check if all the cables are connected and seated properly.
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Run the Check Disk utility
The error can very well be a sign of your boot drive failing to perform as it should. Try running the check disk utility to check whether or not your storage drives are, in fact, functional.
You can refer to our detailed guide here on how to run the check disk utility.
Run the Windows hardware troubleshooter
Windows comes with a few handy troubleshooters that can resolve many issues. However, for some reason, Microsoft has removed the hardware troubleshooter from the troubleshooter’s menu. So here’s an alternative way to run the hardware troubleshooter.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run prompt. Type cmd and hit enter.
Step 2: Type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press enter. This will launch the hardware troubleshooter.
Proceed along as instructed by the troubleshooter.
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Initialise using Disk Management
You can use the Windows Disk Management tool to initialise your drive manually. Just follow these steps.
Step 1: Press Windows Key + X to open the Quick Access menu. Click Disk Management.
Step 2: Right-click the drive and select Initialise.
Follow along with the initialisation wizard and restart your PC once done. This should get your drive up and running.
Run an SFC scan
Corrupt files are the number one reason your PC might behave weirdly. Here’s how you can get rid of them and potentially resolve your issue.
Step 1: Press Windows Key + S to open the Cortana/Search box and search for Powershell. Open Windows Powershell from the search results.
Step 2: Type sfc /scannow to scan your system for issues.
Step 3: If the SFC scan finds any problems, use the following command to resolve them.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart your PC, and the error should be resolved. If that doesn’t help, you can run a DISM scan to fix any other errors using this guide.
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