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ERROR_FLT_FILTER_NOT_READY
Registered is not yet active
ERROR_FLT_FILTER_NOT_READY means that the minifilter has a valid Filter Manager registration but has not called FltStartFiltering. Operations that need an attachable instance, including manual attachment, cannot proceed while the driver is in this intermediate state.
FltStartFiltering is not merely a flag change. It tells Filter Manager that the driver can begin receiving volume-attachment requests and I/O callbacks. Those callbacks can arrive before FltStartFiltering returns, so every global table, communication port, lock, and callback dependency used by the driver must already be ready.
What to check
- Verify the
DriverEntrysequence: initialize driver state, callFltRegisterFilter, complete any required setup, then callFltStartFiltering. - Preserve and inspect the return status from
FltStartFiltering; do not continue as though a successful registration alone made the filter attachable. - Check error paths after registration. If setup of a communication port, configuration data, or other prerequisite fails, unregister the filter rather than leaving a half-initialized driver loaded.
- Do not use manual attachment as a production workaround. The kernel helper that forces an altitude is documented as a debugging facility, not a replacement for correct instance configuration.
References
- Microsoft: FltStartFiltering
- Microsoft: writing DriverEntry for a minifilter
- Microsoft Windows driver samples: MiniSpy
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