[Fixed] wdcsam64_prewin8.sys Turned Off Core Isolation

Have you recently switched to Windows 11 and encountered the wdcsam64_prewin8.sys Turned Off Core Isolation error message in Windows security? If yes, do not worry, as you are not alone! Several users have shared and experienced the same issue with their PC. 

If you are unaware, Core Isolation is a security setting on your PC that makes the Windows experience safer for the users. Having Core Isolation enabled allows you to use the system without worrying about any third-party application’s malicious activities. 

Unfortunately, the error makes it difficult for your PC to maintain its security. If you, too, have recently received the error prompt for the same, take it seriously, as the issue might seriously impact your PC security. 

In this post, let us first understand the error and then look at things that can help you resolve the error. 

What is the wdcsam64_prewin8?sys Turned Off Core Isolation Error

The  wdcsam64_prewin8, in particular, is a driver by Western Digital Technologies that works in sync with Windows Security to keep your PC safe. This error usually appears when this Western Digital driver is not working properly. There can be several reasons behind this. Some include – 

• Outdated Drivers
• System File Issues
• Pending Windows Updates
• Faulty Windows Installation

As soon as any of these issues hit your system, they malfunction the wdcsam64_prewin8 driver, which later toggles the Core Isolation feature in Windows Security. What it means is to keep your PC from facing the wdcsam64_prewin8.sys Turned Off Core Isolation error. You must take care of the wdcsam64_prewin8 driver. 

How to Fix the wdcsam64_prewin8?sys Turned Off Core Isolation Error

If it is the first time you have got the error, restart your PC. There is a possibility that the memory registers of the drives have not been refreshed for a while and are showing errors due to a glitch. After restarting the PC, wait a while and check if the error reappears. Just to be sure, try visiting Windows Security via the Start menu. 

After you have tried restarting the PC, if the issue persists, try the given fixes!

Fix 1 – Run SFC Scan for System Files

If the driver has been failing to work recently, there is a chance that the system files on your PC have been corrupted.  Running the system file checker scan is the best option to deal with these corrupt files. It can be run using the command prompt built into Windows. Here’s how you do it –

Step 1 – Run the Command Prompt as administrator on PC via the Start menu search.

Step 2 – In the Command Prompt, use the command SFC/Scannow and hit enter.

Step 3 – Let the process run. The command will automatically finish the process. 

Once it is over, restart your PC and check if the error appears again. 

Fix 2 – Update Existing Drivers

If the SFC scan does not resolve the issue, you must check the status of existing drivers on the PC. Since the wdcsam64_prewin8 driver is crucial for Core Isolation, it should always be up to date with the OS. 

To keep the drivers updated, you should know the correct method to update them. You are good to go if you know how to update drivers on Windows. However, if you do not know anything about the Device Manager or the Windows Driver update utility, then things may get a bit tougher for you.

The good news is that we will not discuss the traditional and lengthy route for updating drivers. You can update the drivers without worrying about anything. How? With Advanced Driver Updater!

The application is designed to finish driver updates in a matter of minutes, and that too with just a few clicks. Here’s what you need to do – 

Step 1 – Download and Install the Advanced Driver Updater on your PC.

Step 2 – Use the Scan Now button to initiate a search for all the outdated drivers on your PC.

Step 3 – Once you have the scanned results, check the list to find the outdated wdcsam64_prewin8 driver. Click on Update All to initiate the process. 

Allow the application to download and install all the updates on your PC. The app does all of it on its own. Restart your PC, and you should find all the drivers up to date with enhanced performance. 

Fix 3 – Uninstall the Faulty Driver Using Command Prompt

If updating the driver did not help, you should try removing the problematic driver. This way, the faulty driver will be removed, and as soon as you restart the PC, the device will automatically reinstall the drivers. 

Here’s what you need to do – 

Step 1 – Go to the Start menu and open Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2 – Firstly, use the command dism /online /get-drivers /format:table

Step 3 – After finding the driver information in the table, note the Published name of the driver to remove it.
Step 4 – After accessing the Published name, use the following command to uninstall the driver – pnputil /delete-driver oem46.inf /uninstall /force.

After the command is run successfully, restart your PC and launch Windows Security to check whether the Core isolation under Device Security is enabled.

Other than these fixes, checking for Windows updates via system settings is another thing you can try. Western Digital Technologies is a trusted name for providing the driver; hence, you should not worry about the driver automatically installing on the device in Fix 3. 

Try all the measures and tell us which one served you the best. That will be all for this post. Thanks for reading, good luck!

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