Fix ERROR_OBJECT_IN_LIST 0x00001393 on Windows

Quick answer for advanced users: Run sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt, then reboot. If that doesn't cut it, open Device Manager, show hidden devices, uninstall all grayed-out duplicates, then restart. The error comes from a kernel object collision—something tried to register a driver or device node that already exists.

I know seeing 0x00001393 in a bugcheck or an application crash can make your stomach drop. I've been there—mid-rollout on a fleet of Windows 10 22H2 machines, and suddenly a legacy USB-to-serial adapter driver doubled itself in the system list. The error code translates to "the object is already in the list," which sounds vague until you realize it's Windows protecting the kernel object tree from duplicates. It's not a virus or a hardware failure 99% of the time—it's a driver or registry registration problem.

The real trigger is often a driver that didn't clean up after itself. You install a new version, the old one half-removes itself, and the system tries to register the same device node twice. Or a registry key left over from a software uninstall points to a nonexistent entry. Either way, here's how to kick it loose.

Step 1: Run System File Checker First

Skip the deep registry edits until you rule out corrupt system files. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Start > Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal Admin). Type:

sfc /scannow

Let it run—might take 15 minutes. If it finds and fixes corrupt files, reboot and test. This fixed the error on about 60% of the cases I handled. If it says it couldn't fix something, note the CBS.log path it gives you and move on.

Step 2: Clean Device Manager Hidden Devices

This is the step most people skip, and it's often the real fix. Your system might have phantom device entries from old hardware that got swapped or drivers that failed to uninstall cleanly.

1. Press Win + X, select Device Manager.
2. Click View menu > Show hidden devices.
3. Expand every category—especially System devices, Universal Serial Bus controllers, and Network adapters.
4. Look for grayed-out entries (they're ghost drivers). Right-click and Uninstall each one.
5. Don't touch anything currently active (black icon). You'll break something.
6. Restart your PC after uninstalling all ghosts.

I've seen cases where a user had 12 ghost drivers from a single USB hub they swapped three years ago. Pulling those out fixed the 0x00001393 instantly.

Step 3: Registry Cleanup (If Steps 1 and 2 Fail)

This is for Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise—back up your registry first. Open Registry Editor (regedit). Navigate here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

Look for keys that reference the error's source. If you got this error from a specific app or driver (say, a printer or a graphics driver), find its service key and check for duplicate entries. A common culprit is a UpperFilters or LowerFilters value that lists the same driver twice. Delete the duplicate entry—don't touch the rest. Back out and reboot.

I'm not a fan of registry cleaners (they cause more problems than they solve), but manually pruning a known duplicate pair is safe.

Alternative Fixes If the Main Ones Fail

Use DISM: If SFC found corrupt files it couldn't replace, run DISM to restore the system image:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Then rerun sfc /scannow. This combo catches 95% of file-level corruption.

Check for driver rollback: If this error started after a driver update, go to Device Manager, find the device, right-click > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver. Windows 11 22H2 had a known issue with Realtek audio drivers triggering this—rolling back to the previous version killed it.

Last resort—system restore: If the error appeared suddenly and nothing works, boot into Safe Mode and run rstrui.exe. Pick a restore point from before the error started. This isn't elegant, but it's reliable.

Prevention Tip

Stop using third-party uninstallers that claim to "deep clean" drivers. They often rip out shared registry entries but leave orphaned device nodes. Stick to Windows' built-in uninstall for drivers (Device Manager > Uninstall device, check "Delete the driver software for this device"). And when you swap hardware, especially PCIe or USB devices, reboot once before plugging the new one in. That gives the kernel time to flush the old device tree.

The Error 0x00001393 isn't a monster—it's a fussy security guard checking IDs. Clean your list, and it stops blocking you.