How to Check the Hardware ID for a Windows Device

All hardware equipment inside and connected to personal computers uses an identifier to uniquely identify itself. This allows operating systems to recognize the device and install the necessary software for it. In Windows, this generally means that a device driver for the hardware is installed. The hardware ID for a device can be checked to locate a driver for it.

The hardware identifier is a combination of the bus type, the hardware manufacturer (or vendor), and the device identifier. In some cases, additional sub-system identifiers and revision information is included to distinguish between variations of a device.

So when you are looking for a device driver for a piece of hardware, it is useful to know the hardware id of the device. This can tell you which manufacturer made the device and help you find a device driver. Read on to find out how to check the hardware ID for a device in Microsoft Windows. The steps are valid for Windows XP all the way up to Windows 11.

Check the Hardware ID using the Windows Device Manager

The hardware id for a device in Windows can be found in the Windows Device Manager. To check the hardware id for a device, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Device Manager from the Control Panel. You can also type “devmgmt.msc” at the Run option in the Start menu (or menu Search option for Windows 7 and newer).
  2. In the Device Manager, right-click the device, and select Properties in the popup menu.
    Windows Device Manager device details
  3. Next, select the Details tab.
  4. Now select the entry called Hardware Ids in the Property dropdown list.
    Check the Hardware ID

As you can see in the screenshot, there can be multiple hardware ids for a device. The top one is the most specific identifier, and going down, the identifiers are more generic. The reason this is done is to allow a device driver to be selected based on a match to any of these hardware identifiers. This allows drivers to be used that are applicable to variations of devices.

The hardware manufacturer in this example is NVidia, which is identified by VEN_10DE.

Obviously, this is a device for which a driver is already installed, and the manufacturer and model for the device are shown. But the hardware id is also available for unknown devices and not recognized devices. This way, the hardware id, or Windows device ID, can be used to find the correct driver for the device. If no exact match for the driver is available, you can also check out the Compatible Ids by selecting that as the Property selector.

Compatible Windows device id

Note: Depending on the hardware device, the number of tabs in the device properties dialog will vary. But there will always be a Details tab as used in the steps in this guide.

Hardware device details tab

Programs like DriverFinder use the hardware id and the compatible id to find a matching driver for a device as well. This way these programs can find a driver for a device to match the hardware and Windows version.

FAQs

What is a hardware ID?

The hardware ID for a device is an identifier for a piece of computer hardware. Think of a sound card, or a webcam, for example. The hardware ID is vendor-specific. A hardware ID consists of a device class, vendor identifier, device identifier, subsystem identifier (different versions of the device), and a revision number. An example of a hardware ID is: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9A49&SUBSYS_14321043&REV_01

Revisions can be used for updates of firmware on the same device for example.

Is hardware ID the same as Device ID?

Yes, the hardware ID is often referred to as the device ID.

Is the hardware ID the same for all Windows versions?

A hardware ID is specific to a device. So, it is linked to the equipment, not the operating system. The hardware ID will not change for different Windows versions.

How do I find the hardware ID?

The hardware ID for a device can be found in the Windows Device Manager. In each version of Windows, the steps are the same. Open the Device Manager, right-click the device, select Properties, select the Details tab, and under Property select Hardware Ids. The Value shown contains the hardware ID(s) for the device.

What is the hardware ID used for?

The hardware ID is used by Windows to identify the device and find a device driver for it. Microsoft finds a driver in the repository or the Windows Update catalog. If no driver is available with Microsoft, a driver from the manufacturer needs to be installed to allow communication between Windows and the device.

What is a compatible ID?

The compatible IDs for a device are also hardware IDs. The difference is that a hardware ID is unique to a single device, while compatible IDs can apply to multiple devices. The compatible IDs identify the device as a piece of equipment of a certain category that can be used for certain functions. This is important if no unique device driver is available for a device. A driver for a compatible ID of the device can enable Windows to still communicate with the device.

Do Virtual Devices also have a hardware ID?

Yes, virtual devices in Windows also have a hardware ID. These devices also need software to function, and need to be identified as a device within Windows. Examples are:

Intel(R) Virtual 82566 Gigabit Network Connection (PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_10B7)

Logitech Gaming Virtual Mouse (LogiDevice\VID_046D&PID_C231)

HP 530T DP Virtual Bus Device (pci\ven_14e4&dev_16af&subsys_18d3103c)

Entry Filed under: Device Drivers

318 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Andy  |  October 30th, 2015 at 2:07 am

    @Nick – The first device is a Realtek Card Reader. Problem is that HP only has a 64-bit driver for it. But the file acutally also has the 32-bit files in it. So if the installer won’t work, just extract the contents with 7-Zip and then install the drivers.

    The second device is an AMD SMBus device. The driver for that is part of the graphics driver package on the HP site..

    The third device also an AMD device: AMD USB 3.0 Host Controller. I could not find an exact match for your device, so try the chipset drivers on the AMD site.

    The last device is the HP Mobile Data Protection Sensor. This driver will work for that.

    Best of luck!

  • 2. emeka  |  November 5th, 2015 at 8:05 pm

    i formatted my HP 2000 notebook windows 7 running on 64 bit
    no Ethernet controller
    no network controller
    no pci device
    no pci simple communication controller
    no sm bus controller .

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_188B103C&REV_05
    PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_0032&SUBSYS_1838103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&SUBSYS_188B103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_780B&SUBSYS_188B103C&REV_14

    pls help me

  • 3. ALAN JOY  |  November 7th, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    sir, My HP PAVILION 15-n 259tx has PCI device problem. I couldn’t update it. Hardware id is as follows: PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5227&SUBSYS_2164103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5227&SUBSYS_2164103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5227&CC_FF0000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5227&CC_FF00

  • 4. Andy  |  November 8th, 2015 at 4:57 am

    @emeka – Your first device is a Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller, the second is an Atheros AR9485 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter, the third is the Realtek PCIE CardReader, and the last is the AMD SMBus device.

    All drivers are probably availabel on the HP support site. But since the HP 2000 series notebook has a lot of variations, I would need to know the exact model. It is somewhere on the bottom of the notebook. E.g. soemthing like “HP 2000-2b89WM”, but the part after the dash will be different.

  • 5. Andy  |  November 8th, 2015 at 5:03 am

    @ALAN JOY – The hardware ID you listed represents a Realtek Card Reader device. Not sure what Windows version you are using, but here is the Windows 8 driver for it.

  • 6. DEVANG VOHRA  |  November 11th, 2015 at 7:23 am

    Hi.Can somebody please help me in installing wifi drivers of HP 15 AC 125TU. Hardware Id’s of Network controller :-

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B723&SUBSYS_804C103C&REV_00
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B723&SUBSYS_804C103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B723&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B723&CC_0280

  • 7. Andy  |  November 13th, 2015 at 12:54 am

    @DEVANG VOHRA – Your device is indeed a wireless network controller: Realtek RTL8723BE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Adapter.
    The drivers are available on the HP support site.
    What is the exact problem you have with the driver installation?

  • 8. DEVANG VOHRA  |  November 13th, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Hi Andy i downloaded and installed the mentioned driver but still not able to see the wifi support. When i opened device manager and hence network controller it is still in yellow mark and says “The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)”.

    I have installed windows 8 and my device name is HP 15 AC 125TU. Please help me in getting this resolved. I haven’t used WIFI in laptop since i bought,.

  • 9. Andy  |  November 15th, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    @DEVANG VOHRA – The file name for the driver you need is sp72932.exe. Is that the driver you downloaded and installed?
    If it is and you still get the code 28 error, you can try and uninstall the device from the Device Manager, and then either reboot or in the Device Manager use the menu option to scan for hardware changes.
    That should reinstall the device, and the driver, hopefully resolving any driver configuration issues.

  • 10. cris  |  November 20th, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    pls help.. can’t update my pci device.. thx

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&SUBSYS_2212103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&SUBSYS_2212103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&CC_FF0000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&CC_FF00

  • 11. Andy  |  November 20th, 2015 at 10:57 pm

    @cris – Your device is a Realtek Card Reader device.
    The driver on the realtek website should work fine.

  • 12. yalcin  |  December 5th, 2015 at 5:02 am

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&SUBSYS_1858103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&SUBSYS_1858103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&CC_FF0000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5229&CC_FF00

    win 7- HP650 serial:5CB2365D4X

  • 13. Andy  |  December 7th, 2015 at 10:38 pm

    @yalcin – The device you listed is a Realtek card reader device.
    You can use the driver on the HP site (the link is for the 64-bit Windows 7 driver).

  • 14. YAMUNA  |  December 8th, 2015 at 11:35 am

    Hi, i coudnt connect my hp 630 with wifi and the pci device shows warnig. Hardware ID is

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&SUBSYS_3674103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&SUBSYS_3674103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&CC_FF0000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&CC_FF00

    pls help me with this issue

  • 15. Andy  |  December 8th, 2015 at 3:15 pm

    @YAMUNA – That is also a Realtek card reader device. Have you tried the realtek card reader drivers from the HP website for your model?
    You did not list your Windows version, so make sure to change that after clicking the link.

  • 16. Douglas  |  December 19th, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    PCI\VEN_1912&DEV_00148&SUBSYS_00141912&REV_03

    PCI\VEN_1B6F8DEV_7023&SUBSYS_5007148&REV_01

    I am running windows 7. they both say USB serial controllers. Any help would be great. Thank you

  • 17. Andy  |  December 23rd, 2015 at 3:23 am

    @Douglas – I cannot find the specific devices you are listing. The first is definitely a Renesas Electronics USB 3.0 Host Controller, so I would try the generic driver, since the specific hardware ID can’t be found.
    The second is an Etron USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller, but again, I can’t find the specific hardware ID for you.
    Are you certain they are correctly posted?

  • 18. Paul  |  December 27th, 2015 at 12:37 am

    I am searching a driver for this ID:

    PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1419&SUBSYS_14191022&REV_00
    PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1419&SUBSYS_14191022
    PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1419&CC_080600
    PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_1419&CC_0806

  • 19. Louaye  |  December 27th, 2015 at 7:16 pm

    its says here that i have two adapters Ralink RT3090 802.11b/n Wifi adapter and Realtek PCIe FE Family controller
    I want to make my probleme get solved because i have a wifi but the signal is way low then it shauld be i tested on my android and all work fine so the probleme is in my driver i want to completly change them both plz help me
    1st driver’s id :PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3090&SUBSYS_1453103C&REV_00

    Second driver : PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3090&SUBSYS_1453103C&REV_00

  • 20. Louaye  |  December 27th, 2015 at 7:17 pm

    1st driver PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3090&SUBSYS_1453103C&REV_00

  • 21. AnnNelly  |  December 31st, 2015 at 11:20 am

    I haven’t been able to install a driver (didn’t find the correct one) for USB\VID_067B&PID_2303&REV_0202. It is a USB-DB9 converter. Please help me find the driver. I’m using HP and Win 7.
    Thank you!

  • 22. AnnNelly  |  December 31st, 2015 at 11:39 am

    Ups, I need the driver to my Lenovo Ideapad Y550P (32-bit win 7) not to my HP.

  • 23. Nilesh Chamedia  |  December 31st, 2015 at 4:08 pm

    PCI\VEN_1B21&DEV_1142&SUBSYS_11421B21&REV_00
    PCI\VEN_1B21&DEV_1142&SUBSYS_11421B21
    PCI\VEN_1B21&DEV_1142&CC_0C0330
    PCI\VEN_1B21&DEV_1142&CC_0C03

    I am trying to install HP Laserjet P1102 printer but it is showing Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller driver missing. Can you please send it.

  • 24. Andy  |  January 3rd, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    @Paul – Your device is a AMD IOMMU Device (I/O Memory Management Unit). Not sure which Windows version you are using, but for Windows 7 you can use this link.

    @Louaye – The ID’s you list are the same, and they are indeed for the Ralink RT3090 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter. Try this driver from HP.

    @AnnNelly – Have you tried using a generic driver for the PL2303 device? This one is for Windows 7, 8 and 10 (32 and 64 bit).

  • 25. DDT  |  January 6th, 2016 at 3:34 am

    here are the hardware ID’s for it

    PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4365&SUBSYS_00161028&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4365&SUBSYS_00161028
    PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4365&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4365&CC_0280

  • 26. Akash  |  January 6th, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    I need driver for this plz help me PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&SUBSYS_A0121BCF&REV_04
    PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&SUBSYS_A0121BCF
    PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&CC_0C0330
    PCI\VEN_1033&DEV_0194&CC_0C03

  • 27. AnnNelly  |  January 12th, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    Thanks Andy! It works now 🙂

  • 28. Soulman  |  January 17th, 2016 at 2:32 am

    Please kindly help with this
    PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3290&SUBSYS_18EC103C&REV_00
    PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3290&SUBSYS_18EC103C
    PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3290&CC_028000
    PCI\VEN_1814&DEV_3290&CC_0280

  • 29. Andy  |  January 19th, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    @Soulman – The device is a Ralink RT3290 802.11bgn Wi-Fi Adapter, but since you did not list the Windows version of your computer, I cannot point you to a driver.

  • 30. kamran  |  January 31st, 2016 at 3:49 pm

    I need driver for this plz help me

    HP 635

    Windows Professional

    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&SUBSYS_3577103C&REV_01
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&SUBSYS_3577103C
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&CC_FF0000
    PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_5209&CC_FF00

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