Program Compatibility Assistant

A driver cannot load on this device

Driver:  HWiNFOA.SYS

HWiNFOA.SYS

A security setting is detecting this as a vulnerable driver and blocking it from loading.  You’ll need to adjust your settings to load this driver.

I received the above message on August 10, 2023.

 I did a file search on my computer (Windows 11) and the only thing I found is a file entitled, HWInfo64a.sys, as follows:

"C:\Windows\SysWOW64\drivers\HWiNFO64A.SYS"

The file type is “System file.”  Its size is 27 KB

Hovering over the file with my mouse, it states the following:

File description:  HWiNFO AMD64 Kernal Driver

Company REALiX™

File version:  8.98.0.0

Date created:  11/16/21 8:49 PM

Size:  26.9 KB

I searched for REALiX™ and found a bit of early history on the following website:

https://www.exefiles.com/en/sys/hwinfo64a-sys/#:~:text=How%20to%20Fix%20HWiNFO64A.SYS%20Errors%20in%203%20Steps,...%203%20Step%203%3A%20Perform%20a%20Windows%20Update.

Fix HWiNFO64A.SYS Blue Screen of Death Errors (Free Downloads) (exefiles.com)

The website states that HWiNFO64A.SYS was initially used in Windows 10 in 2019 as the driver for “Driver Booster” developed by IObit as stated below:

“HWiNFO64A.SYS uses the SYS file extension, which is more specifically known as a HWiNFO AMD64 Kernel Driver file.  It is classified as a Win64 EXE (Driver) file, created for HWiNFO AMD64 Kernel Driver by IObit.

“The initial introduction of HWiNFO64A.SYS released in Driver Booster 7.0.2.435 was for Windows 10 on 09/24/2019.  According to our records, this is the primary and most recent file release from IObit.”

I also found a REALiX™ review by PC Magazine dated August 20, 2014.  The website is as follows:

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/realix-hwinfo64

Realix HWInfo64 Review | PCMag

It states the following:

“THE BOTTOM LINE:  HWInfo64 combines a wealth of information and real-time monitoring in a free, stable system-information utility that tinkerers should download.”

Also, “HWInfo64 is a simple application that scans your PC's components and spits out basic computer information about your/the operating system, storage capacity, and RAM.”  Etc., etc.

I then searched HWInfo64 and found a company called HWiNFO Diagnostic Software that provides a free download of their FREEWARE that appears to do what the REALiX version did.  The two websites that I found this information on are as follows:

https://www.fosshub.com/HWiNFO.html

HWiNFO download latest version (fosshub.com)

and

https://www.hwinfo.com/download/

Free Download HWiNFO Sofware | Installer & Portable for Windows, DOS

There appears to be software that utilized this driver, but I am unable to find any such software anywhere on my computer.  My computer was bought new with Windows 10 installed.   This software could have been originally installed on my computer when new.  The software could have been removed when I updated to Windows 11 on October 5, ‎2022, but, if so, one would wonder why the driver was not removed with the installation of Windows 11.  Nonetheless, since it is still there, I am not yet inclined to suggest that Microsoft uses this driver in Windows 11 as it has always been a driver for software, i.e., why would Microsoft use it.

As advised from sources on the internet, I have turned off Memory Integrity located in Windows 11 Settings / Privacy & Security / Windows Security / Device Security / Core Isolation Details / Memory Integrity, then restarted my computer.  The problem still existed.  I turned Memory Integrity back on before restarting my computer because it is unsafe to leave it off.  The problem still existed.

Maybe we should ask Microsoft.