Question

No devices will show up in Device Manager

Asked by: CTSLA

No devices show up in Device Manager. I have tried through Administrator and have all the current Windows Updates installed. I am running Norton AntiVirus. I have tried running ComboFix, Spybot, Malwarebytes. Computer comes up clean.

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Asked On
2008-10-22 at 09:32:49ID23837622
Tags

Microsoft

,

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

,

All updates completed

Topics

Microsoft Operating Systems

,

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
2
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2008-10-22 at 09:39:41ID: 22778566

This web page should be of help:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035
Annoyances.org  Blank or Empty Device Manger in Windows XP - A compilation

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2008-10-22 at 10:03:25ID: 22778801

 

by: CTSLAPosted on 2008-10-22 at 10:12:25ID: 22778886

To orangutang this was happening within SP 2 and I installed SP 3 to see if it would correct it but still nothing works.

To LeeTutor I have tried a couple of the suggestions from the annoyances link and doesn't seem to be working. It doesn't show the computer icon it is just a completely blank screen if that helps.

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2008-10-22 at 10:20:22ID: 22778976

This one is the 3rd in that compilation; did you try it?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504
No Items Appear in the Device Manager List When You Open It

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2008-10-22 at 10:21:47ID: 22778993

One of LeeTutor's solutions has to work! :)

 

by: CTSLAPosted on 2008-10-22 at 10:29:19ID: 22779072

LeeTutor yeah that was the first one I tried and still wouldn't show up.

 

by: LeeTutorPosted on 2008-10-22 at 11:01:47ID: 22779439

You restarted the computer after changing the startup type to Automatic for the Plug and Play service?

I believe I copied this from some previous question at Experts-Exchange, but I didn't note which one:

If Device Manager is showing nothing, then Its the plug and play service that is the problem. But if the Device manager is showing the system_name and not showing any devices in the window, then check the security permissions on the Registry key HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\ENUM .The SYSTEM account must have full control permissions on this key in order for the Device manager to list all the devices in the window

You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP.  You must be logged on as a local administrator to perform this task:

1. Go to "Start", "Run", and enter "regedt32"
2. Maximize the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" window.
3. Scroll down to "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum"
4. With "Enum" selected click the "Security", "Permissions" menu.

Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on this key.

5. Click "Add".
6. Add the group "Everyone" and the user "SYSTEM".
7. Select "Everyone" and check "Read" ONLY!
8. Select "SYSTEM" and check "Full Control".
9. Click the "Advanced" button at the bottom of the window.
10. On the Advanced window check "Reset permissions on all child objects..."
11. Click "OK"
12. On the warning window click "Yes"
13. Close REGEDT32

 

by: CTSLAPosted on 2008-10-22 at 11:04:25ID: 22779465

Yeah that was the second one I tried and still now luch.

Plug and Play is set to automatic on startup already

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2008-10-22 at 17:40:19ID: 22782453

Did you also try "Method D: Reset permissions for any unwriteable registry subkeys" from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917925

 

by: CTSLAPosted on 2008-10-24 at 13:43:04ID: 22799937

I replaced the registry keys and it worked

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2008-10-24 at 14:19:49ID: 22800221

Replaced what registry keys?

 

by: CTSLAPosted on 2008-10-24 at 15:01:05ID: 22800477

default, system, sam, security, software.
Move backups from System Volume Information to windows\system32\config
It's basically a manual registry restore to an earlier point in time.
The regular System Restore would not work on this computer.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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