SOLVED: Core Isolation Memory Integrity Incompatible Drivers WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS

If you are trying to tighten up your security by adding Virtualization-Based Security (aka VBS) to your Windows 11 you might find this error:

Core Isolation  Memory Integrity
Incompatible Drivers WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS

Driver date: 11/29/2017
Driver version: 1.2.0.0

Published name: oem26.inf

This is an old driver that ships with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and very few people need it.  In fact we have never run into a situation of any machine using WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS .

Fortunately, it is very easy to remove:

  1. RIGHT click on the START button and select WINDOWS TERMINAL (ADMIN)
    • If you are on Windows 10, select POWERSHELL (ADMIN)
  2. You can then list all of the drivers on your computer using pnputil /enum-drivers and find the one with WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS or you can just look at the error message.  In my case the driver that needs to go is OEM26.INF
  3. Uninstall the driver using pnputil /delete-driver oem<XX>.inf

You do NOT need a reboot so you can immediately retry to enable CORE ISOLATION and you should see a prompt to reboot once Core Isolation > Memory Integrity is turned ON.

View Comments

  • Brilliant! That pesky driver pops up more than it should, even when using certain brands of pen drive/memory stick. Previously, I had to reinstall Windows 11 to be rid of it. Now it can be removed in seconds.

  • OH THANK YOU! I am screaming it from the top of my lungs. That incompatible message was driving me nuts. Thanks so much for the correct way to fix the problem. Please have a great day!

  • I used this approach to successfully remove some Huawei drivers.
    However, the Windows Security screen shows that I have some Logitech drivers that are incompatible, but they do not appear on the list when I run pnputil /enum-drivers.
    Any ideas?

    • Richard, this is the problem I'm having too. I got rid of the Western Digital oemNNN.inf driver that I didn't need by following instructions here. But I still have 2 logitech drivers preventing me from turning on Memory Integrity then Core Isolation. Neither show up on the pnputil list.

      They aren't listed as oemNNN.inf by Windows Security. One is LGBusEnum dot sys and the other is LGJoyXICore; both are dot sys. Any ideas?

  • I tried this and got the following message:
    Failed to delete driver package: One or more devices are presently installed using the specified INF.

    No idea where to go from here. Any ideas?

  • Thank you so much for this guide, it solve my 2 problems, my monitor refresh rate where windows update force acer monitor driver install in my ASUS laptop where it change my refresh rate from 120hz to 120.114hz and also this memory integrity issue. tqtqtqtqtq

Published by
Ian Matthews

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