However, don’t worry about it being difficult to fix—most of the time there’s one really easy solution.
What Does the Red X in Device Manager Mean?
A red x next to a device in Device Manager in Windows XP (and back through Windows 95) means the device is disabled. The red x doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem with the hardware device, but rather that Windows isn’t allowing the hardware to be used and that it hasn’t assigned any system resources to be used by the hardware. You’ll also see this if you’ve disabled the hardware manually.
How to Fix the Device Manager Red X
To remove the red x from a particular piece of hardware, you’ll need to enable the device, which is done right there in Device Manager. It’s usually that simple. Enabling a device involves selecting the device and changing its properties so Windows will start using it again. Read our How to Enable a Device in Device Manager tutorial if you need help doing this.
More on Device Manager & Disabled Devices
Disabled devices generate Device Manager error codes. The specific error, in this case, is a Code 22: “This device is disabled.” If there are further issues with the hardware, the red x will probably be replaced with a yellow exclamation point, which you can troubleshoot separately. If you’ve enabled the device but the hardware still isn’t communicating with the computer like you know it should, it’s possible the driver is outdated or even missing entirely. See our guide on How to Update Drivers in Windows if you need help fixing that type of problem. Most devices that aren’t working at all even after enabling them, can be deleted from the list in Device Manager. Reboot the computer after deleting the device to force Windows to recognize it once again. Then, if the device still isn’t working, try updating the drivers. You can open Device Manager the normal way through Control Panel, but there’s also a command you can use, which is described here.
