Empty Harware device manager list

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G

Guest

Hi. I have no idea why, but my hardware device list is completely empty. But
my PC seem to be running fine.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Many thanks
Gary
 
Start the Plug and Play service.

Open Services...
Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK |
Scroll down to and double click Plug and Play |
Set Startup type to Automatic | Click Apply | Click the
Start button | When started, close Services

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

[[After you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a Windows
XP-based computer, the Device Manager window is blank or some devices no
longer appear. If some devices do appear and you remove one device, all
devices are removed from Device Manager.]]
from...
Device Manager malfunctions after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893249

Malware can also cause this.

Spyware.Apropos.C
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html

AproposFix tool
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14679793

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wesley, Thank you for your reply.

My Plug and Play Services are running ok.
I have ran the Apropos.C removal tool.
SP2 has been installed for a very long time with no problems so didn't call
them for the FixCSS, however i did uninstall CSSCOD - which I didn't
recognise as a program i installed (not sure this was the right thing to do)

But I still have the problem.

I have noticed that when double clicking MY COMPUTER it takes some time to
display my drives (search light waving for about 15 seconds).

I have also noticed that my Audigy Sound Card is not seen by Creatives
update site or by the installation software for it, even tho it is
working/sounding perfectly ok.

Also, there is now a pause of about 10-15 seconds when an address is typed
in to IE before the page is displayed, this includes typing rubbish before
the error page appears. Clicking links on a site is fine.

I have Nortons System Works, ZoneAlarm FireWall, Windows Defender, Ad-Aware
and Spybot running on my computer - all up to date.

Sorry to be a pain, but I don't know what is causing all of this.

Many thanks
Gary
 
Gary,

A couple more things to try.

Disable the Plug and Play service.
Reboot.
Set the Plug and Play service back to Automatic.
Start the Plug and Play service.
If the Start button doesn't become available, reboot and that should restart
the service.

It may also be a registry key permission problem.

Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum
Right click on the Enum folder and select Permissions...

Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on
this key. Or just SYSTEM may be missing.

Click Add
Add the group Everyone and the user SYSTEM
Select Everyone and check only the Read box
Select SYSTEM and check Full Control
Click the Advanced button at the bottom of the window.
On the Advanced window check Reset permissions on all child objects
Click OK
On the warning window click Yes
Close the Registry Editor.
Reboot!

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum
Right click on the Enum folder and select Permissions...

Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on
this key. Or just SYSTEM may be missing.

Click Add
Add the group Everyone and the user SYSTEM
Select Everyone and check only the Read box
Select SYSTEM and check Full Control
Click the Advanced button at the bottom of the window.
On the Advanced window check Reset permissions on all child objects
Click OK
On the warning window click Yes
Close the Registry Editor.
Reboot!
Click to expand...

Hi Wesley and many thanks again for you help.
Your instructions (above) seemed to have worked - thank you.

But, there was no 'reset permissions' option and I am really not sure if I
have left it setup correctly. To Add a group you just type SYSTEM or EVERYONE
in the 'Enter the object names to select' box?

I am the only user on my computer and my user name is in the administrators
group. So what should be listed? I currently have listed under 'Permissions
for Enum':

Administrators (computername/administrators) ...(no ticks)
Everyone ... (Allow: Read)
SYSTEM ... (allow: Full control & Read)

I could not find 'reset' in the advanced window.

Best Regards
Gary
 
Hi Gary,

I really do not know what your supposed to have for Permissions. I got the
Permissions stuff from several sources on the net.

I have Everyone and SYSTEM:
Everyone ... (Allow: Read)
SYSTEM ... (allow: Full control & Read)

Leaving Administrators (computername/administrators) ...(no ticks) will not
hurt anything.

The main thing is that you got the Device Manager to populate.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
OK. It has sorted out all the 'little' problems actually!

Device Manager populates
IE now loads pages instantly when an address is typed in
My Computer populates instantly
Creative update/install software can now see my sound card

I was also having a little problem with a bluetooth dongle, not had time to
test that but im sure that will be working to....

so again, thank you for you time and expertise!

Gary
 
Glad to help, Gary. Keep having fun! ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wesley Vogel
Thank for information
My system win64 xp get empty device manager list too.
I did start the Plug and Play service and get a error message:
"Error 3: the system can not find the path specified."


Wesley Vogel said:
Start the Plug and Play service.

Open Services...
Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK |
Scroll down to and double click Plug and Play |
Set Startup type to Automatic | Click Apply | Click the
Start button | When started, close Services

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

[[After you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a Windows
XP-based computer, the Device Manager window is blank or some devices no
longer appear. If some devices do appear and you remove one device, all
devices are removed from Device Manager.]]
from...
Device Manager malfunctions after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893249

Malware can also cause this.

Spyware.Apropos.C
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html

AproposFix tool
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14679793

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Gary said:
Hi. I have no idea why, but my hardware device list is completely empty.
But my PC seem to be running fine.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Many thanks
Gary
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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