FIX: PCI BUS DRIVER INTERNAL error in Windows 10

Fix » Windows 10 » Errors

7 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

by Milan Stanojevic

updated on October 4, 2023

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Key notes

There are various BSOD errors, and one that users often reported is the PCI Bus Driver error on Windows 10.
This error is usually caused by drivers, so we advise you to update your drivers before trying other solutions.
Users reported that updating their operating system and scanning for OS damage can fix this issue as well.
Your hardware and overclocking can also cause the Restart required PCI bus error, so be sure to remove overclock settings and check your hardware.

How to fix PCI BUS DRIVER INTERNAL error in Windows 10

Blue Screen of Death errors are one of the most problematic errors on Windows 10. Errors such as PCI BUS DRIVER INTERNAL can cause you a lot of problems, but fortunately for you, there’s is a way to fix this error.

How do I fix PCI BUS DRIVER INTERNAL errors?

Update your drivers
Update Windows 10
Remove problematic software
Run the Hardware Troubleshooter
Run the SFC scan
Run DISM
Remove overclock settings
Reset Windows 10
Check your hardware

1. Update your drivers

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the list.
Expand the component that you want to update the driver for (In our case, the display adapter).
Right-click the driver and select Update driver from the drop-down list.
Select Search automatically for drivers.
Device Manager will download and install the compatible drivers for the component.
Perform the same procedure for all the drivers.

Installing Windows updates is crucial for system stability and safety, but your PC drivers are important as well.

Windows 10 relies on these drivers in order to communicate with your hardware, and if a certain driver is outdated, that can cause PCI BUS DRIVER INTERNAL error to appear.

You can easily fix these errors by updating your drivers, and in order to do that, you just need to visit your hardware manufacturer’s website and download all the necessary drivers.

Most common Windows errors and bugs can result from faulty or incompatible drivers. An outdated system can lead to lags, system issues, or even BSoDs.

You can prevent these problems by using an automatic tool that will search and install the correct drivers on your computer with just a few clicks. That's why we recommend you use Outbyte Driver Updater. Here's how to do it:

Download and install the Outbyte Driver Updater app.
Launch the software.
Wait for the app to detect all incompatible drivers.
Afterward, it will show you a list of the drivers found to select the ones to Update or Ignore.
Click on Update & Apply Selected to download and install the newest versions.
Restart your PC to ensure the applied changes.

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Disclaimer: You may need to upgrade the app from the free version to perform specific actions.

2. Update Windows 10

Before we start fixing this error it’s important that your Windows 10 is up to date. Microsoft is working hard on Windows 10, and new updates are released frequently through Windows Update.

Many of these updates address certain hardware and software issues, and in order to prevent BSoD errors, such as PCI_BUS_DRIVER_INTERNAL error, be sure to update Windows 10 frequently.

3. Remove problematic software

Blue Screen of Death errors can be caused by incompatible software, and if that’s the case, it’s highly advised that you locate and remove that software.

VPN clients are known to cause these types of errors, so if you’re using these programs be sure to remove them.

Another type of software that causes these types of errors is your antivirus. Many antivirus programs can cause Restart required PCI bus error to appear.

And in order to fix this problem, it’s advised that you uninstall all antivirus programs from your computer.

Even if you uninstall all third-party antivirus programs, you will still be protected by Windows Defender, so your PC won’t be completely defenseless.

It’s worth mentioning that antivirus software will often leave certain files and registry entries behind once you uninstall it, and sometimes even those files can cause BSoD errors.

To completely remove certain antivirus it’s advised that you use a dedicated PC removal tool such as CCleaner.

This software has its own uninstaller feature as well as PC cleaning capabilities which combined will ensure your PC will be free of any unwanted applications and their corresponding files.

4. Run the Hardware Troubleshooter

Open the Settings app and go to Update & Security section.
Select Troubleshoot from the menu on the left.
Select BSOD from the right pane and click Run the troubleshooter.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the troubleshooter.

You can sometimes fix PCI bus error on Windows 10 by using Windows 10’s built-in troubleshooter.

This tool can be used to resolve various issues, including the BSOD problems.

5. Run the SFC scan

Right-click on the Start Menu button, and open Command Prompt (Admin).
Enter the following line and press Enter:
sfc/scannow
Wait until the process is done (it may take a while).
If the solution is found, it will automatically be applied.
Now, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

If the built-in troubleshooter failed to resolve the problem, let’s try the SFC scan. This command-line tool scans your system and searches for potential problems.

The SFC scan will automatically resolve any issue if the solution is possible.

6. Run DISM

Right-click Start and open Command Prompt (Admin).
Paste the following command and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Wait until the scan is finished.
Restart your computer and try updating again.

With the Windows installation media

Insert your Windows installation media.
Right-click the Start menu and, from the menu, choose the Command Prompt (Admin).
In the command line, type the following commands and press Enter after each:
dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Now, type the following command and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X:SourcesInstall.wim:1 /LimitAccess
Make sure to change an X value with the letter of the mounted drive with Windows 10 installation.
After the procedure is finished, restart your computer.

If you’re still getting Restart required PCI bus message, you might be able to fix it with DISM.

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a tool that reloads the system image, and possible issues may get resolved along the way.

7. Remove overclock settings

By using overclocking software you can change how certain hardware works and achieve better performance, but overclocking your hardware comes with certain risks.

By overclocking your hardware you can potentially damage your computer, and you can cause system instability and error messages such as Your PC needs to be restarted PCI bus.

Few users reported that they managed to fix this error by setting the memory clock to the default value.

But bear in mind that almost any overclock setting can cause these types of errors, therefore, be sure to remove all overclock settings and check if that fixes the error.

8. Reset Windows 10

Restart your computer during the boot sequence a few times in order to start Automatic Repair. Alternatively, you can press and hold the Shift key and click the Restart button.
Choose Troubleshoot and go to Reset this PC. Now select Remove everything. You might get asked to insert Windows 10 installation media, so be ready to do that.
Choose Only the drive where Windows is installed and then select Just remove my files and click the Reset button.
Follow the instructions and wait for the reset process to complete.

After the reset process is completed, all files from your C drive will be removed, along with any software cause for the BSoD error.

If PCI bus driver error on Windows 10 is caused by software, you can fix it by performing a Windows 10 reset.

This procedure is similar to clean install, and it will remove all files from your C partition, so before you start Windows 10 reset, we strongly advise that you create backup for your important files.

It’s also worth mentioning that this procedure might require Windows 10 installation media, and you can easily create a bootable USB flash drive by using Media Creation Tool.

9. Check your hardware

Restart required PCI bus error can be caused by incompatible hardware, and if you installed any new hardware recently, be sure to remove it or replace it.

If the new hardware isn’t fully compatible with your PC that can lead to system instability and BSoD errors, so be sure to remove any recently installed hardware.

If the problem isn’t caused by new hardware, be sure to check all major hardware components such as your RAM, motherboard, hard drive, etc.

This error is usually caused by problematic drivers or by overclocking, so be sure to update all your drivers and remove all overclocking settings in order to fix this error.