Unknown device in Device Manager--can't figure out what it is!

Did you build it or is it a brand name? If its a brand name Im sure there is software you can download to auto load all device drivers, especially ones that are missing. If you built it and all devices are accounted for, it sounds like some type of specialized motherboard device driver of some type. Maybe a smb bus componet, onboard video or something like that. Check all your discs that came with you motherboard if you built it or look up the board online for the latest drivers.

It was a barebones system and I added all the good parts. It came with the motherboard, power source, and DVD drives installed, and I did the rest. Everything is accounted for which is why this has me baffled. I thought it might be my  WACOM tablet at first, but that's listed as a mouse. I checked the mobo disk, and everything is installed. I was willing to ignore it since the machine runs fine, but the recent crashes have me wondering if it has anything to do with the mystery device. We even had a nerd-pow-wow with all our techie buddies to try and locate this thing... no luck.

Computer crashed is caused by many symptoms and since you stated system was running fine for a while with unknown device, so the unknown is not a cause of system crashing that you are experiencing now.

Is there any new software or hardware added recently?

The better way to ID the unknown device is what make/model of system (motherboard, vendor of barebone system, etc.). List them here as much as you can so we could help better.

The only new software are the two games: Hellgate London and Age Of Conan, and it's just those two programs having a problem.

Barebones purchased through TigerDirect
Systemax Venture H356
Mobo is: Asus P5GZ-MX 945GZ mATX
Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.8GHz
2GB DDR2 ram
GeForece 8500GT

I dont know how much memory of video card you have, but it should be 256 Meg or better to play the AoC. The PSU comes with H356 is 350W (if that is correct as the link below), then I would suggest better PSU for this system. I dont say its intentional, but to think that if you buy this game with a P4, 1 gig of ram and a 128 mb graphics card is just silly. Yes, perhaps the game will  run but I wager the game will be unplayable! AoC pushes the system requirements for this game genre, but it's nothing you cant overcome, in time and $$ investment in your system.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3945985&Sku=SYXS-DC-981033&SRCCODE=WEBINKPLP&cm_mmc_o=YztBBCjCmH4CjCmmVCjCmmV

HengTime: Thank you! Perfect! That program located a couple interesting things about the system. It's reading my flash drive as still attached (and I haven't used it in months) and it's reading my camera as well. It must be one of those items, because everything else is accounted for. THANK YOU!

Punky: I don't have a P4 with 1 gig of Ram and a 128 MB graphics card. I assume you were quoting the game's minimum requirements. I assure you, I'm well above them:

 Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.8GHz
2GB DDR2 ram
GeForece 8500GT

And no, the link you provided is NOT the system I have. My husband has an identical machine to mine, (also barebones, upgraded by me) with a lower graphics card and he is NOT having the issues I am. The only difference is the graphics card (mine is higher end) and the unknown device. Otherwise they are exactly the same.

Perfect! Mystery device has been located and taken care of. You rock!

I just said those could be possible causes for system crashing. I know your system specs when you listed above though. I prefer to check Power supply and video card. Understand identical system runs that game no problem, but what if you have bad quality PSU or leaking memory?

Use memtest86 to test memory: http://www.memtest.org/
Calculate PSU: http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
If your system is good to those tests, then inspect the motherboard for bad cap: http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5

Still, id the cause for system crashing while playing games is long way.

Good luck.

Thank you, Punky. I'll run the tests.