Fix a Fujitsu Scansnap Code 43 error

When you connect a Fujitsu Scansnap scanner to a Windows machine over USB, it usually works fine–until the dreaded Error Code 43 error turns up. Here’s how to fix a Fujitsu Scansnap Code 43 error under Windows 7 or Windows 10.

Here are the symptoms of Code 43. The device stops working (of course) and you get a message saying Windows stopped the device because it has reported problems (Code 43).

Assuming you haven’t tried the simple fixes yet, here’s what to try, in order: Unplug the scanner and plug it back in. Plug it into a different port. Swap the USB cable. Last and least, reboot.

But sometimes those simple fixes don’t work. I’m sure that’s why you’re here. When the simple fixes don’t work, try this.

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Right click on USB Root Hub and select Uninstall. Then Right Click on USB Serial Bus Controllers and select Scan for Hardware Changes. Then proceed down the list until you’ve done this for each root hub. This fixes the dreaded Code 43 error.

Click Start, then type Device Manager. Click on Device Manager when it comes up. Expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers, which will usually be the last or one of the last items in the list. One at a time, right-click on all of the USB Root Hub devices and click Uninstall. Then right-click on Universal Serial Bus Controllers and select Scan for Hardware Changes. This forces Windows to reload the proper device drivers.

Be sure to go through all of them. If one of them is messed up, they probably all have problems.

Be prepared for your mouse to quit working when you uninstall whichever root hub it’s connected to. Unplug the mouse and plug it into a different USB port when this happens. This is why you uninstall and reinstall the root hubs one at a time. I uninstalled all of them at first, and had to shut the computer down via the keyboard to continue. It was a good thing I had a PS/2 keyboard.

Once I picked the correct USB root hub, the scanner drivers reloaded and the scanner started working properly, automatically.

Unfortunately there’s precious little information out there about Code 43 errors, what causes them, and how to fix them. This fix worked for me, and it was simple. As best I can tell, the usual cause of Code 43s is improper shutdowns. Whenever possible, shut your computer down from the Start menu rather than just hitting your computer’s power button.

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