Core Isolation turned off due to WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS incompatibility

Anonymous
2022-09-02T19:09:56+00:00

I have been running Windows 11 successfully on my Microsoft Surface for some time now with no problems.

Within the last day or so, I all of a sudden got a notification that Core Isolation has been disabled due to an incompatible driver, WDCSAM64_PREWIN8.SYS.

From what I can see, this driver is related to Western Digital. However, I do not have any Western Digital devices attached to my Surface, nor have I recently added/installed anything from Western Digital.

I have tried searching for this driver but have come up empty.

Surface | Surface Pro | Safety and security

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Anonymous
2022-11-28T10:37:21+00:00
  1. Select the Startbutton and type “Core isolation”.
  2. Select the Core Isolation system settings from the search results to open the Windows security app.

On the Core isolation page, you’ll find Memory integrity along with the toggle to turn it on

  • If you receive a notification / message says that the memory integrity can't be turn on follow the below steps.
  1. Try to scan and fix.
  2. If it is not solved, please click on "Review any driver incompatibilities".

3.We can see a driver or more.

  1. Please note the published name here is "oem46.inf"
  2. Select the Start button and type “Device Manager" and follow as shown below.

  1. Select the right driver from Device manager"oem46.inf" and right click and select remove driver.

Example :-

7. System needs to be restarted after removal of the driver.

Hopefully this will solve your issues no need to install any software for this.

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-10-22T21:04:49+00:00

    If you have a Western Digital application installed on you PC, uninstall it then re-boot. If you really need the WD app then you can re-install it. Be careful, however, not to install an optional Western Digital driver in Windows Update. That's how my problem started. Hope this helps.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-10-23T15:46:04+00:00

    Hi Adrian, thanks for taking the time to send me your advice re the problem with my WD app drivers blocking my way to switching on the memory integrity in Windows Defender security. It appears to be the simplest solution yet and I will give it a try when I have more time. I have noted your cautionary hint about the possibility of an optional WD driver coming via a Windows update. I think that happened recently so that may also require being uninstalled. Again, many thanks and best wishes.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-10-24T12:45:35+00:00

    Ok, thank you but have you occurred any issue after uninstalling it ??

    cuz I have like a big problem up here

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-10-24T13:32:51+00:00

    I am still trying to uninstall the software.

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