Win2000: Other device always wants to load an unknown device when I reboot
I have had a problem for so long I don't remember when it began. Whenever I reboot for whatever reason the hardware "finder" wizard ALWAYS comes up to load some unknown device. If I pursue to see what it's trying to load I will get messages like so: "VID_04E6PID_80000002. Type: Other devices. Mfr: Unknown. Location: LPT1.0." Another one is "Device type: Other devices. Mfr: Unknown. Location: on USB Printing Support." I've seen it ask for an *.inf file/driver when I push to the end, but what inf file is never made known no matter what CD I put in the tray or how it searches the hard drive. It's nuts.
I ALWAYS get a message in the box (on any and all) that "this device is working properly"!!! ???
My Logitech mouse, HP scanner 5370C, Iomega CD Predator burner, HP Printer 1220cse, and digital camera (when I need to download images) are all accounted for and have no conflicts, working perfectly.
I have a USB hub which is connected to the USB port on the computer. The CD burner is also directly connected to the computer USB port. Everything else I have mentioned is connected to the USB Hub itself. Broderbund PDF creator shows LPT1 as its printer (good luck, fella, it ain't there!). I've never had occasion to use that program. I just got Adobe Acrobat for desktop work, and I bet it will find it's "printer" too and it best choose the USB port! The video is fine and sure is not on LPT1! Each peripheral is accounted for and is working perfectly.
This "unknown" item(s) totally flummox me. I go in and uninstall to get it off, but it always comes back even when I cancel out that wizard that pops up on reboot.
This is a big mystery to me. Ask me what you need to know before I belabor this too much.
Thanks,
Lindsay
I ALWAYS get a message in the box (on any and all) that "this device is working properly"!!! ???
My Logitech mouse, HP scanner 5370C, Iomega CD Predator burner, HP Printer 1220cse, and digital camera (when I need to download images) are all accounted for and have no conflicts, working perfectly.
I have a USB hub which is connected to the USB port on the computer. The CD burner is also directly connected to the computer USB port. Everything else I have mentioned is connected to the USB Hub itself. Broderbund PDF creator shows LPT1 as its printer (good luck, fella, it ain't there!). I've never had occasion to use that program. I just got Adobe Acrobat for desktop work, and I bet it will find it's "printer" too and it best choose the USB port! The video is fine and sure is not on LPT1! Each peripheral is accounted for and is working perfectly.
This "unknown" item(s) totally flummox me. I go in and uninstall to get it off, but it always comes back even when I cancel out that wizard that pops up on reboot.
This is a big mystery to me. Ask me what you need to know before I belabor this too much.
Thanks,
Lindsay
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ASKER
Kali, I disable this Unknown Device every time I reboot if I think about it (since it causes no problems I sometimes forget it exists). It comes back regularly (it seeks for a inf file, but for what? I have NO idea...when I provide any CD or Windows CD it doesn't recognize any of the inf files as the one it seems to want!! Criminey).
See my note just above as to working with it in Safe Mode. Everything is working perfectly now. I just downloaded photos from my camera beautifully. I will check the CD burner (was okay before I tried some things mentioned here) to see what's with that. I hate to louse that up again, but Iomega has excellent tech support. I just HATE taking all that time again, and I don't know why it acted up just now when I lifted the lid. As for Iomega: Some companies are SO good, but they are few and far between which is why I come here. :)
See my note just above as to working with it in Safe Mode. Everything is working perfectly now. I just downloaded photos from my camera beautifully. I will check the CD burner (was okay before I tried some things mentioned here) to see what's with that. I hate to louse that up again, but Iomega has excellent tech support. I just HATE taking all that time again, and I don't know why it acted up just now when I lifted the lid. As for Iomega: Some companies are SO good, but they are few and far between which is why I come here. :)
Ok Thanks Lindsay, but... you have been disabling this device when you get prompted for the driver (.inf file), when you went into safe mode you "uninstalled" the device, not "disable it".
Can you please try it the way I said.. that is by going into the Device Manager, and disabling the "uknown device" there by right clicking on it. Then if you could just do a reboot, and see the result. If I am right, after the reboot, Windows should not prompt you for "uknown hardware found thing" :) I know its frustrating, but this might be worth a try. You dont need to go to safe mode to try it...
All the best :)
Can you please try it the way I said.. that is by going into the Device Manager, and disabling the "uknown device" there by right clicking on it. Then if you could just do a reboot, and see the result. If I am right, after the reboot, Windows should not prompt you for "uknown hardware found thing" :) I know its frustrating, but this might be worth a try. You dont need to go to safe mode to try it...
All the best :)
ASKER
Kali, I missed part of your question. Yes, that "hive" is present in my Registry. Should I do anything to it?
Inside of the specific folder it has a lot of info. CampatibleIDs: VID_xxxxx item. DeviceDesc: SCM PPort Atapi Adapter, LocationInfo: LP51.0, mfr: Sun Microsystems, Service is epatap2k (this USED to be my burner by HP which is long gone but my consultant installed a "reader" for it last year using the epatap2k driver). Do I get that out?
Specifically the Hardware ID is the LPTENUM....you give in your answer.
Inside of the specific folder it has a lot of info. CampatibleIDs: VID_xxxxx item. DeviceDesc: SCM PPort Atapi Adapter, LocationInfo: LP51.0, mfr: Sun Microsystems, Service is epatap2k (this USED to be my burner by HP which is long gone but my consultant installed a "reader" for it last year using the epatap2k driver). Do I get that out?
Specifically the Hardware ID is the LPTENUM....you give in your answer.
ASKER
Kali, you answered while I wrote! I do disable. It always comes back. I "think" I stated that way up early on. I tried your suggestions and Jeff's. I did the disable both in regular mode AND in Safe Mode. Hope I'm understanding this correctly. I don't think I've ever only uninstalled it. The disable button is what I normally see and hit. I can't just boot and reboot all afternoon. :) Welll, I could, but it takes SO long each time, and I think I've done it enough for now. Since it's not a problem to the functioning of my machine and peripherals (unless I did something "bad" during the Safe Mode exercise) I can just ignore it. I have NO idea why it's searching on something it doesn't need.
Thanks again. I'll try to wait for a bit to be sure we are not typing at the same times. ;)
Lindsay
Thanks again. I'll try to wait for a bit to be sure we are not typing at the same times. ;)
Lindsay
is it a dell dimension 8100?
ASKER
Jeff, think OLD! ;) It's the XPS T500, but it's an excellent 25 GB machine. I got it in 1999. I've upgraded the memory (got 256 MB for about $30, and it began to run like a Pentium III) and kept it in excellent shape. Win 2000 caued me the most problems as it doesn't support all of the wonderful peripherals I bought with it. I went all out for this setup. I had to dump a cd burner (HP) that I paid in the 00s for. I lost my great win/fax modem by USR (got a new one for a few bucks). It's a shame the lack of forthought Windows has. Surely they knew they would be going on after Win98!! I got stuck there somewhat, but I'm pulling out as I can afford.
When I consider what I paid for this system compared to what I would get today for a similar system it almost breaks my heart! Who knew? NOW I know a LOT more. I don't buy anything right out of the door (especially with digital cameras) due to technology. I was thinking a machine I paid so much for would last a long time, and in a way, it is.
I don't know if many people will know how my Dell works, but if Windows2000 is the culprit, we can surely work that out. I assume it was my OS as I never had the problem of drivers trying to load for ghost peripherals. But Win98 was not nearly as stable as 2000. And now they are pushing so hard for XP. I won't soon go there. I only got 2000 last year! Everything I use now works on it. I even waited forever to put on Win95 for my old computer. Always the last to go. ;)
I may one day get a brand new system, but I will have to be ready to toss the peripherals, and right now that's out of the question. I put thousands into this system!
When I consider what I paid for this system compared to what I would get today for a similar system it almost breaks my heart! Who knew? NOW I know a LOT more. I don't buy anything right out of the door (especially with digital cameras) due to technology. I was thinking a machine I paid so much for would last a long time, and in a way, it is.
I don't know if many people will know how my Dell works, but if Windows2000 is the culprit, we can surely work that out. I assume it was my OS as I never had the problem of drivers trying to load for ghost peripherals. But Win98 was not nearly as stable as 2000. And now they are pushing so hard for XP. I won't soon go there. I only got 2000 last year! Everything I use now works on it. I even waited forever to put on Win95 for my old computer. Always the last to go. ;)
I may one day get a brand new system, but I will have to be ready to toss the peripherals, and right now that's out of the question. I put thousands into this system!
ASKER
Still waiting. No crisis here. Just curious. I've provided answers to all questions I believe as of Friday evening. It's aftre 3 p.m. here in Oregon and just thought I would here back before now. I need to move on to other questions. I won't close out until I know if there is anything I can do to stop this "idiot" unknown device from always trying to load. It's just "in my face" and ticks me off as it takes about 3 clicks to clear all the stuff away.
Thanks.
Lindsay
Thanks.
Lindsay
have you added any hardware to the machine excluding those external perihperals that are all accounted for?
ASKER
Nope. This has gone on since last fall, maybe after the consultants had it twice; maybe it was after I reformatted. Every peripheral is in there (some twice in two different places but no conflicts). I am going to install a USR Win/Fax modem card, but I haven't touched it inside. I think it has to be this USB Hub but how is beyond me.
The mouse is accounted for in two places for example, but it runs fine (except for when I burn a CD and for a little while it freezes so I just use my pen mouse during that time). The mouse installation is also showing twice in the Control Panel under the add/remove program. Since it "ain't broke" I'm not touching it.
I did have a "bump" today. For some reason the install wizard came up and wanted to reconfigure my DSL modem/software. I think that's because something "hit" several programs when I was uninstalling and reinstallind Office 2000. All's well. I just walked it through. Everything was the same so no biggee.
I just leave that ? device unknown thing alone now. It does no harm, and I'm tired of uninstalling the driver (WHAT driver?) and/or disabling it. This may never have an answer. I just hate it because I'm OC!! :)
Lindsay
The mouse is accounted for in two places for example, but it runs fine (except for when I burn a CD and for a little while it freezes so I just use my pen mouse during that time). The mouse installation is also showing twice in the Control Panel under the add/remove program. Since it "ain't broke" I'm not touching it.
I did have a "bump" today. For some reason the install wizard came up and wanted to reconfigure my DSL modem/software. I think that's because something "hit" several programs when I was uninstalling and reinstallind Office 2000. All's well. I just walked it through. Everything was the same so no biggee.
I just leave that ? device unknown thing alone now. It does no harm, and I'm tired of uninstalling the driver (WHAT driver?) and/or disabling it. This may never have an answer. I just hate it because I'm OC!! :)
Lindsay
that's definately a strange problem, if it doesn't bother you or cause problems I'd personally just leave at alone...otherwise you may have to reinstall windows.
jeff
jeff
ASKER
During all of the above my mouse was disabled most of the time! It somehow came back on line. I need to go through the devices here somewhere and show that several are loaded differently in two or three ways. Later on that. But I'll open up a specific question so as not to confuse with this "unknown" thingee.
Thanks!! I appreciate the try.
Lindsay