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petrosky

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Unknown Device in Device Manager

I get 2 unknown devices in device manager.  I just did a new install of 98 on a Presario 9642.  I did the same thing with an identical system and I even used the same cd.  Same printer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, NIC.  The only considerable difference is that I installed while a SCSI card for my HP scanner was plugged in.  I took the card out and rebooted but no change.  Also got a crappy Compaq modem that I think is so stubborn that it only accepts one configuration.  I took it out also with no change.  I don't get these unknown devices on my other system.
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petrosky

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My 'other system' does not have the scanner and I have a different modem.
Are These Unknown devices locate in the other section of device manager?

Affirmative
What type are they
Audio ,Video Etc
Under the general header of 'computer' there are 2 'Unknown devices' (with exclamation points).  Their properties do not give much: The drivers for this device are not installed (code 28)...

There is no description such as Audio or Video.

If I display Device Manager 'by connection' they show up under the header 'Plug and Play BIOS'.
1 Check Modem and Com Ports 1 & 2
2 Check for printer drivers
3 Check for scanner or images driver
4 turn on your printer
5 last resort delete pci bus from device manager and reboot ,let windows 98 set it up again, it will ask for the cd rom 98 disk or
a manuf. disk.

Goto www.compaq.com\support to down the compaq USB driver,  it sounds like you have incompatible USB driver in your system.  Or you can download other drivers for your modem too at compaq site.  I know they have newest driver for win98 in their own site.
Let me Know if any of these comments help you usually when you get the yellow ! it means the driver have to be reinstall

Mako161
Nothing's working.  I reinstalled W98 again.  This time I removed
all cards.  Only base peripherals attached (monitor, mouse, keyboard).
Now I get three unknown devices.  I'll never buy a Comaq again.
Are the BIOS dates of the 2 systems the same?

Are you SURE there's no yellow '!'s in Device Manager - especially in System Devices? (May not be evident until you scroll down.)
I can't find any drivers related to USB devices.  Besides, the systems are the same models and I've installed from the same cd and, yes, I have recently upgraded the BIOS in the second (problem) system.  The good system has both com 1 and 3 installed and enabled while the bad system either has one or the other.  So I'm going to try and manually install another port in "Add devices".
I suspect that these are devices relaed to the modem.  For example, "Wave device for viocemodem"  I'd just delete them and not worry about it.  If the modem's still installed,  then updated drivers are needed.  
Ok, I decided to simplify the situation by removing the modem card and disabling the special compaq modem entry in the BIOS.  Fine.  I boot up and I get two entries under Other Devices: A question mark with a red ' x ' over it (this means disabled) and a question mark with a yellow ' ! ' over it (this means it requires a driver or that the system expects a device to be attached).  Whatever I do I can't make these two entries go away.  I remove them and POST picks them up, Windows attempts to load a driver for each one but cannot find the drivers.  I'm still mystified why this does not happen on my other system which is the exact same model of Compaq.

Secondary question: When the Compaq modem is inserted, Windows loads a driver.  Under Device Manager this results in a grey diamond icon (entry is something like: "compaq audio modem") but under the heading Modem there is no entry.  Did Windows just load a type of special device/slot driver that is to be used with the modem inserted there?  Then I have to actually load the driver for the modem itself?
Compare the CMOS entries for the two systems - sounds like you're enabling a device on the problem one that's not on the other system,or assigning diferent properties,etc.Especially check in the 'Peripherals' section.
Also,you should have an entry similar to 'Plug and Play:Manual or Auto' - set it to Manual on both systems and again check for differences.
it's simple win 98 replace your device  by microsoft device
delete yours two unknow device and that all
On Oct. 11 I state that removing them does not resolve the issue.  They are always identified upon startup.
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rmhinri

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