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re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:16 am Posted by Steve (1481 messages posted) Turn Plug and play back on...:) http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, May 5, 2003 at 6:19 am Posted by Tye (2 messages posted) When checking to see if Plug and Play was on, it was. I tried to re-install the modem from the disc and even though it "installed" the device manager was still empty. No modem, no drivers, nothing. I even chose the "view hidden option" and still nothing. :-( On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:16 am, Steve wrote: >Turn Plug and play back on...:) >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 7:56 pm Posted by gman (3 messages posted) did anyone answer your question, I am having the same problem? On Monday, May 5, 2003 at 6:19 am, Tye wrote: >When checking to see if Plug and Play was on, it was. >I tried to re-install the modem from the disc and even though it "installed" the >device manager was still empty. No modem, no drivers, nothing. I even chose the "view >hidden option" and still nothing. :-( > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, September 5, 2003 at 6:28 pm Posted by Carlos (1 messages posted) I am having the same problem, did you find any solution? I also have the PnPlay running but the device manager still empty... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, September 11, 2003 at 4:43 pm Posted by Dave D (2 messages posted) I have a sneaking suspicion that this problem may be caused by a security update for the RPC vulnerability. I dont know why but I have this exact problem and it occured when I installed the update for the RPC vulnerability. I also know some peope that have experiencesd this after installign the blaster RPC patch.. Might be wrong but it seems like a big co-incidence... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 9:19 pm Posted by Dave D (2 messages posted) I have had a look around and it doesnt seem that this could have been caused by the rpc patches because alot of people have been experiencing it well before the patches were released. I am sure Microsoft will actually have soem usefull troubleshooting for this sometime just after people have stopped using XP and moved to longhorn or whatever it ends up being called. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at 10:46 pm Posted by pradeep kumar moses (1 messages posted) 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 On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, September 21, 2003 at 7:43 pm Posted by Nandgopal (1 messages posted) http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 Please visit the Above MS KB Article. This happens if the Plug and Play devices are disabled. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm Posted by Sayantan Datta (12 messages posted) Solution Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform the following steps: Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click OK. The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. Click the Services tab. Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck it. Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable the Plug and Play service. Enable the Plug and Play Service To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the following steps: Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. The Computer Management window appears. Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. Double-click Plug and Play. NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. The Plug and Play Properties window appears. Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the Start button. This will start the Plug and Play service. Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 27, 2003 at 5:14 pm Posted by gman (1 messages posted) I tried a solution I saw on the web. It involved turning off plug and play, rebooting and then turning PnP back on. That did nothing, I think my prob was related to USB as well. I finally reloaded windows xp and that fixed the problem. Its drastic but it was the only thing that worked thanks On Thursday, August 14, 2003 at 7:56 pm, gman wrote: > >did anyone answer your question, I am having the same problem? > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 2, 2003 at 10:50 am Posted by Sajith (2 messages posted) I was having the same problem, and this solution worked for me Thanks a lot On Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm, Sayantan Datta wrote: >Solution > >Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG > >To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform >the following steps: > >Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click >OK. >The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. >Click the Services tab. >Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck >it. >Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. >Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. > >NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status >displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable >the Plug and Play service. >Enable the Plug and Play Service > >To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the >following steps: > >Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. >The Computer Management window appears. >Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. >Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. >Double-click Plug and Play. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > >The Plug and Play Properties window appears. >Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > > >Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the >Start button. >This will start the Plug and Play service. >Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. >You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 17, 2003 at 11:46 am Posted by Sayantan Datta (12 messages posted) Hey Sajith, you are most welcome. You have any other issues for which you feel like suing Bill Gates just send me a mail to sayantandatta@indiatimes.com and we will sue together. On Sunday, November 2, 2003 at 10:50 am, sajith wrote: >I was having the same problem, and this solution worked for me > >Thanks a lot > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, February 6, 2004 at 8:26 am Posted by ganesh (1 messages posted) Hello guys I have the same problem in Win 2000 professional at home. I folowed ur advice and went to services to check if PnP is running. It is running (Atuo mode) but iam unable to stopt/start it .. all buttons are disabled. FYI I was logged in as admin. Is ur solution only for XP ? doesnt apply to 2Kpro ? Any thing else u can think of. I have been sitting on this for a week now and am mighty pissed off ! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, February 7, 2004 at 2:14 pm Posted by Sayantan Datta (12 messages posted) Hey there Ganesh. I tried all internal databases at my workplace and all the goddamned internet but found no solutions. All I can advice from my experience is it is one of Microsoft's embarrassments that it prefers to keep off the books. I would suggest that you back up all system folders (My Document, My Music, etc. ) and run a repair reinstallation of Win 2000 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, April 3, 2004 at 5:05 pm Posted by MicroMan (1 messages posted) Hi Guys, I've been watching this thread with interest, because it happened to me a few days ago on my Windows ME machine. Device Manager was empty except for one unknown device. However, Safe-Mode was still revealed the entire list. The solution for me was to boot the machine to a DOS prompt using an Emergency Startup disk. Then ran c:\windows\win. It reported a problem and said it had fixed it. Back in business!! Thought it was coincidental, but I was installing a Wireless Router onto my network back then. Hope this helps. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, May 2, 2004 at 12:53 pm Posted by JG (3 messages posted) You Rock!! Thanks so much for you contributions to this topic!! On Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm, Sayantan Datta wrote: >Solution > >Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG > >To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform >the following steps: > >Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click >OK. >The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. >Click the Services tab. >Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck >it. >Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. >Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. > >NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status >displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable >the Plug and Play service. >Enable the Plug and Play Service > >To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the >following steps: > >Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. >The Computer Management window appears. >Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. >Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. >Double-click Plug and Play. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > >The Plug and Play Properties window appears. >Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > > >Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the >Start button. >This will start the Plug and Play service. >Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. >You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, May 24, 2004 at 3:39 pm Posted by Sean (2 messages posted) It would seem here the only option is to turn on Plug and Plague to get device manager back, is this true? I don't want Big Brother Billy controlling my resources, it seem to screw up my Motu Audio Digital interface card, that's why I tried to turn it off, so I can set the resources myself. But the device manager is now empty, and b 4, the "Automatic setting tab" is always grey out, unavailable for everything, why? Tried all the BIOS settings I could find, and all the Windows XP Home settings I found, ended up with no display in Device Manager, any help?? Sean AMD 1800+, 1 gig, Abit KX7-333R,Via 333R chipset Bloody Windows XP Home Lawsuit on Billy, count me in!!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, May 28, 2004 at 6:48 am Posted by Avinash Tauro (2 messages posted) I have had this blank device manager for a month. Thanks a lot!!!!!! On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:16 am, Steve wrote: >Turn Plug and play back on...:) >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Thursday, June 3, 2004 at 4:22 am Posted by vicejesus (2 messages posted) Hello, I'm glad, if glad is the right word, to see that other people are having the same problem. It took about 3 days to figure out how to phrase this on google before finding the right forums...vexing. So yes, my problem with the empty Device Manager\PlugnPlay failure started after downloading all the recent Microsoft Updates and downloading the Windows XP version of the Yamaha DS-XG sound card driver. After that it was downhill...i turned on my computer the next morning and had no sound, no modem, or anything else related to Plug n Play. I've tried all the solutions so far here, from checking Services, to enabling System control priviliges in Regedit, to checking Computer Management, disabling it in the BIOS, rebooting, re-enabling. I've even bought a live chicken and a trapped soul in case i have to resort to Voodoo. personally I'd rather it was Gates' throat that could be slit...but that's just the angry side of me talking, that can't get online or play music... So yeah, I have the same problem... It seems that this is some kind of PlugnPlay problem among SEVERAL, judging by the amount of posts I've seen in this thread with the same problem but different preceeding events. What the heck, windows, what the heck. thanks, chris [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 8:45 am Posted by Bulldog (1 messages posted) I too have the same problems after updating my perfectly working machine with XP SP-1 update on a Toshiba 5005-s504. It is running the Yamaha AC-XG sound (or was). No sound, no device manager entries and the initial display within Windows explorer from root (C:) takes 45-60 seconds to open and display. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated as I loved this machine but now.... On Thursday, June 3, 2004 at 4:22 am, vicejesus wrote: >Hello, I'm glad, if glad is the right word, to see that other people are having the >same problem. It took about 3 days to figure out how to phrase this on google before >finding the right forums...vexing. So yes, my problem with the empty Device Manager\PlugnPlay >failure started after downloading all the recent Microsoft Updates and downloading >the Windows XP version of the Yamaha DS-XG sound card driver. After that it was downhill...i >turned on my computer the next morning and had no sound, no modem, or anything else >related to Plug n Play. I've tried all the solutions so far here, from checking Services, >to enabling System control priviliges in Regedit, to checking Computer Management, >disabling it in the BIOS, rebooting, re-enabling. I've even bought a live chicken >and a trapped soul in case i have to resort to Voodoo. personally I'd rather it was >Gates' throat that could be slit...but that's just the angry side of me talking, >that can't get online or play music... So yeah, I have the same problem... > >It seems that this is some kind of PlugnPlay problem among SEVERAL, judging by the >amount of posts I've seen in this thread with the same problem but different preceeding >events. What the heck, windows, what the heck. > >thanks, >chris [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Monday, June 14, 2004 at 11:35 am Posted by vicejesus (2 messages posted) yeah, my My Computer was doing that. If i went into msconfig and regedit and disabled a lot of shit, i can avoid the delay, but i've lost patience. I'm just reinstalling and reformatting, which is proving to be even more exhausting because i have to wait till my dad sends over my Windows XP cd i left in the states, and im having immense difficulty reformatting and removing windows xp...joy of joys. good luck to all with the same problem. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, June 21, 2004 at 6:59 am Posted by Khong How Yu (3 messages posted) Thanks Pradeep. Your suggestion worked for me when I tried fixing the problem on a friend's PC. Never knew I can set permission for a Registry key :) On Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at 10:46 pm, pradeep kumar moses wrote: >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 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Sunday, July 4, 2004 at 11:17 am Posted by auja123 (1 messages posted) Funny this just happened to me it took the list of items all was just blank. No virii I did 2 different scans. My D: drive wouldn't stop being checked as it came up clean no bad sectors no errors but scanned each bootup. I decided to reformat, C: wouldn't format so I formatted D: then forced C: to format & reinstalled C: on boot up chkdsk ran again on D: & I reformatted D: again. Everything now is ok. But this is wild. Just thought I would share. On Monday, June 14, 2004 at 11:35 am, vicejesus wrote: >yeah, my My Computer was doing that. If i went into msconfig and regedit and disabled >a lot of shit, i can avoid the delay, but i've lost patience. I'm just reinstalling >and reformatting, which is proving to be even more exhausting because i have to wait >till my dad sends over my Windows XP cd i left in the states, and im having immense >difficulty reformatting and removing windows xp...joy of joys. good luck to all with >the same problem. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - it worked!!! Monday, July 5, 2004 at 6:10 pm Posted by James Norio (1 messages posted) Hi, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I spent an entire day with Dell computer support trying to retrieve the device manager list on my girlfriend's laptop with Windoze 2000. It appears to have disappeared after Dell support had me install WinRoute to access a wireless TrueMobile 2300. All that was left in the device manager list was an icon of a computer with the computer's name. I was told that I would have to re-install Win2K, and anyway why wasn't I using XP? I am getting disappointed with their level of support; it used to be better in the old days (wasn't everything?). Other symptoms included: no more plug n play (for USB drives, etc.), no sound, slow bootup, etc.). I tried the fix spelled out by Sayantan but it didn't work; however, I noticed that when I turned off plug n play, the icon with my computer name also disappeared, which led me to try the solution suggested by Pradeep. After applying Pradeep's fix, everything seems fine. Just for other dummies like me who weren't sure where to start, here are the steps I went through: Start-Run-regedt32.exe (note the missing "i", it took me awhile to get past that); Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine; Burrow into the registry - SYSTEM/CurrenControlSet/Enum; Highlight "Enum"; Click on Security-Permissions on Tool Bar; [Note: on my system, only "Everyone" was in the list, with no permissions] Click on "Add", Choose SYSTEM from list, click on "Add", Click on "OK"; Toggle on Allow Read & Full Control; [I also added Administrator to the list but don't know if this matters or not or if it may be a problem later...] Click on "OK"; Reboot! Again, many thanks for the effective advice! Cheers, Jim On Monday, June 21, 2004 at 6:59 am, Khong How Yu wrote: >Thanks Pradeep. Your suggestion worked for me when I tried fixing the problem on >a friend's PC. Never knew I can set permission for a Registry key :) > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] HELP nothing worked!!! Thursday, August 5, 2004 at 8:57 am Posted by Inge Mueller (2 messages posted) No! None of the hints worked at all! The device manager folder is empty The network connection folder is empty PnP service is started All rights for the "enum" in the registry are as needed both folders are empty even after starting XP in saved mode I installed SP1 (and tried also SP2) deinstalled all SPs that is really annoying!!!!!!! Please help (and try to find other solutions than the described in this forum) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, September 1, 2004 at 11:50 am Posted by Tom (1 messages posted) This was the answer to my problem.... SYSTEM did not have rights to the ENUM key. Why is that? Thanks. Tom On Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at 10:46 pm, pradeep kumar moses wrote: >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 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, September 3, 2004 at 2:43 am Posted by kenneth (1 messages posted) Thats right!! You ROCK! This one helped me! On Sunday, May 2, 2004 at 12:53 pm, JG wrote: >You Rock!! Thanks so much for you contributions to this topic!! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, September 11, 2004 at 9:36 pm Posted by ashfaq (1 messages posted) Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK. Double-click Plug and Play. If you receive a Configuration Manager message, click OK. In the Startup Type list, click Automatic, and then click OK. Close Services. Restart the computer. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: HELP nothing worked!!! Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 12:27 pm Posted by Matt (1 messages posted) I've now got this same problem. Just got a new Gamepad and reallised XP had ignored my game port on my... you guessed it, Yamaha 754 XG card. An updated driver later and no sound, no devices, no fun, no gamepad. I've read the whole thread and tried everything but nout has worked. XP Home edition SP2 Dell 4600 2.8 P4 On Thursday, August 5, 2004 at 8:57 am, Inge Mueller wrote: >No! >None of the hints worked at all! > >The device manager folder is empty >The network connection folder is empty >PnP service is started >All rights for the "enum" in the registry are as needed >both folders are empty even after starting XP in saved mode >I installed SP1 (and tried also SP2) deinstalled all SPs > >that is really annoying!!!!!!! >Please help (and try to find other solutions than the described in this forum) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - it worked!!! Wednesday, September 15, 2004 at 6:12 am Posted by BIK (1 messages posted) I'm also very thankful it worked for our INSPIRON 8000 that developed the same empty device manager. So thank you all for posting this very helpful information. On Monday, July 5, 2004 at 6:10 pm, James Norio wrote: >Hi, >Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I spent an entire day with Dell computer support >trying to retrieve the device manager list on my girlfriend's laptop with Windoze >2000. It appears to have disappeared after Dell support had me install WinRoute >to access a wireless TrueMobile 2300. All that was left in the device manager list >was an icon of a computer with the computer's name. I was told that I would have >to re-install Win2K, and anyway why wasn't I using XP? I am getting disappointed >with their level of support; it used to be better in the old days (wasn't everything?). > Other symptoms included: no more plug n play (for USB drives, etc.), no sound, slow >bootup, etc.). > >I tried the fix spelled out by Sayantan but it didn't work; however, I noticed that >when I turned off plug n play, the icon with my computer name also disappeared, which >led me to try the solution suggested by Pradeep. > >After applying Pradeep's fix, everything seems fine. Just for other dummies like >me who weren't sure where to start, here are the steps I went through: > >Start-Run-regedt32.exe (note the missing "i", it took me awhile to get past that); >Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine; >Burrow into the registry - SYSTEM/CurrenControlSet/Enum; >Highlight "Enum"; >Click on Security-Permissions on Tool Bar; >[Note: on my system, only "Everyone" was in the list, with no permissions] >Click on "Add", Choose SYSTEM from list, click on "Add", Click on "OK"; >Toggle on Allow Read & Full Control; >[I also added Administrator to the list but don't know if this matters or not or >if it may be a problem later...] >Click on "OK"; >Reboot! > >Again, many thanks for the effective advice! >Cheers, >Jim > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am Posted by Dan (1 messages posted) The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! 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 You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, and Printers. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 11:58 am Posted by Brina (1 messages posted) I had the same problem on a clients computer. I found a solution that actually worked on Microsofts website. Here is the link- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 Now everything is showing up in device manager. Hope this helps! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 12:27 pm Posted by Cam (4178 messages posted) EMERGENCY BOOT DISK FREEWARE " I'd rather it was Gates' throat that could be slit... " It is a bit Kosher isn't it? ☺ Mac WINDOWS SUPPORT  RAM [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: HELP nothing worked!!! Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 11:51 am Posted by jusid (2 messages posted) Got the same problem after installing Yamaha sound card drivers. Found the solution. It is needed to reset children permissions under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum registry key. It seems drivers setup sets wrong permissions for some keys its create. This leads to problem with device manager. On Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 12:27 pm, Matt wrote: >I've now got this same problem. Just got a new Gamepad and reallised XP had ignored >my game port on my... you guessed it, Yamaha 754 XG card. An updated driver later >and no sound, no devices, no fun, no gamepad. >I've read the whole thread and tried everything but nout has worked. >XP Home edition SP2 >Dell 4600 2.8 P4 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 7, 2004 at 6:39 pm Posted by Grigory Morozov (2 messages posted) Just had this problem on the client's PC, I found out with the help of RegMon what all permissions was missing from my registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\USB (can be any other key in Enum branch in your case). In this case Device Manager just aborts reading device information and displays nothing. To fix, check permissions on all the keys here, should be "Full Control" for "SYSTEM" and "Read" for "Everyone", and add them if necessary. WBR, Gregory On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 8, 2004 at 8:42 am Posted by Sid (1 messages posted) Thanks, I had the same problem and your solution worked great. On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: HELP nothing worked!!! Thursday, November 18, 2004 at 8:34 pm Posted by Lee Fastenau (1 messages posted) This solution worked! My device manager list also disappeared, but after installing gamepad drivers for the Saitek P2500. All the other solutions here had no effect. Thank you! -Lee On Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 11:51 am, jusid wrote: >Got the same problem after installing Yamaha sound card drivers. Found the solution. > >It is needed to reset children permissions under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum >registry key. > >It seems drivers setup sets wrong permissions for some keys its create. This leads >to problem with device manager. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager - Fixed Friday, November 19, 2004 at 7:55 pm Posted by Wayne Smith (1 messages posted) No, nothing to do with Plug and Play. Need to change permission settings in the registry. Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum. Add full permissions to Everyone. Click on Advanced button. Put a tick in both options at the bottom (Inherit from parent the permission entries... and Replace permission entries on all child or objects...). Exit and reboot - Device Manager no longer empty. On Friday, September 5, 2003 at 6:28 pm, Carlos wrote: >I am having the same problem, did you find any solution? I also have the PnPlay running >but the device manager still empty... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager XP Home - No Com ports Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 4:27 pm Posted by Fritz Newton (1 messages posted) I am havng a similar problem with my COM ports not showing on device manager. I tried the fixes suggested and no luck and also tried http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;825826 Does anyone have any other suggestions or links to MS Bulletins? Thanks for any help. On Sunday, November 7, 2004 at 6:39 pm, Grigory Morozov wrote: >Just had this problem on the client's PC, >I found out with the help of RegMon what all permissions was missing from my registry >key >HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\USB >(can be any other key in Enum branch in your case). >In this case Device Manager just aborts reading device information and displays nothing. >To fix, check permissions on all the keys here, should be "Full Control" for "SYSTEM" >and "Read" for "Everyone", and add them if necessary. > >WBR, >Gregory > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Device manager empty, no programs work at all...ahhhhhhh Monday, December 13, 2004 at 6:07 pm Posted by Jim (1 messages posted) I have been pulling my hair out for 3 days now and I finally got everything to work again. Click START, right click MY COMPUTER and click MANAGE. Select SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS then SERVICES. ALL of my services were disabled. I went through the entire list and started all of the services that I could and all my programs started again. Dell wanted me to wipe out my C drive and start all over but I knew there must be a way to undo the damage done by attempting to install the Verizon Support program. I hope this helps anyone who experiences the damage that a poorly written program can do to your machine! On Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 4:27 pm, Fritz Newton wrote: >I am havng a similar problem with my COM ports not showing on device manager. I >tried the fixes suggested and no luck and also tried http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;825826 > >Does anyone have any other suggestions or links to MS Bulletins? > >Thanks for any help. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: HELP nothing worked!!! Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 8:41 am Posted by AHarter (1 messages posted) My sentiments, exactly! Nothing, nothing, nothing worked... until: Check, in Services, if the Universal Plug and Play Device Host is started. Mine wasn't. When I started this, I could finally see my devices in Device Manager. Seems that the SSDP service is part of the Universal Plug and Play and must be started for the other to work correctly. Got this info from Robert Moir's Website... the url is too long to list. Hope this helps! On Thursday, August 5, 2004 at 8:57 am, Inge Mueller wrote: >No! >None of the hints worked at all! > >The device manager folder is empty >The network connection folder is empty >PnP service is started >All rights for the "enum" in the registry are as needed >both folders are empty even after starting XP in saved mode >I installed SP1 (and tried also SP2) deinstalled all SPs > >that is really annoying!!!!!!! >Please help (and try to find other solutions than the described in this forum) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 8:57 am Posted by Don (1 messages posted) I changed permissions in the registry for everybody, but when I put a check in both options for inherit parent and child it did not change some of the sub permission entries. rebooted and still have the same problem. Can you help further Thanks Don On Friday, November 19, 2004 at 7:55 pm, Wayne Smith wrote: >No, nothing to do with Plug and Play. Need to change permission settings in the >registry. > >Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum. > >Add full permissions to Everyone. Click on Advanced button. Put a tick in both >options at the bottom (Inherit from parent the permission entries... and Replace >permission entries on all child or objects...). > >Exit and reboot - Device Manager no longer empty. > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Device manager empty, fixed! Wednesday, January 5, 2005 at 7:36 am Posted by Ron Malloy (1 messages posted) All, I too had this problem when I installed a USB camera from Logitech. I learned from this web site: http://www.webservertalk.com/archive49-2004-7-289039.html That the security permissions for the system and administrators was missing when viewed under regedt32.exe. I went to registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Enum. Highlighted the Enum entry, go to the top of the regedt32 menu bar, choose "Security", and view the settings for key "Enum". You might notice that it is void of "allow" checkmarks for the local members of the machine you are working on. Check "allow" for each login account you want to allow access to the device manager, click apply and re-run the device manager. Please don't credit me, credit the folks at WWW.WEBSERVERTALK.COM, specifically the person that described the fix, Torgeir Bakken. Regards, Ron Malloy On Monday, December 13, 2004 at 6:07 pm, Jim wrote: >I have been pulling my hair out for 3 days now and I finally got everything to work >again. Click START, right click MY COMPUTER and click MANAGE. Select SERVICES AND >APPLICATIONS then SERVICES. ALL of my services were disabled. I went through the >entire list and started all of the services that I could and all my programs started >again. Dell wanted me to wipe out my C drive and start all over but I knew there >must be a way to undo the damage done by attempting to install the Verizon Support >program. I hope this helps anyone who experiences the damage that a poorly written >program can do to your machine! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Device manager empty, fixed! Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 4:16 am Posted by Catherine (2 messages posted) Am testing all the suggested solutions here. I got this problem after uninstalling Spybot S-D (Search & Destroy), downloaded from www.download.com. I don't know if this program is related to the problem, though. On Wednesday, January 5, 2005 at 7:36 am, Ron Malloy wrote: >All, > >I too had this problem when I installed a USB camera from Logitech. I learned from >this web site: http://www.webservertalk.com/archive49-2004-7-289039.html >That the security permissions for the system and administrators was missing when >viewed under regedt32.exe. I went to registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Enum. >Highlighted the Enum entry, go to the top of the regedt32 menu bar, choose "Security", >and view the settings for key "Enum". You might notice that it is void of "allow" > checkmarks for the local members of the machine you are working on. Check "allow" >for each login account you want to allow access to the device manager, click apply >and re-run the device manager. > >Please don't credit me, credit the folks at WWW.WEBSERVERTALK.COM, specifically the >person that described the fix, Torgeir Bakken. > >Regards, >Ron Malloy > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Device manager empty SOLUTION! Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 4:42 am Posted by Catherine (2 messages posted) The solution BELOW worked for me wonderfully, although enabling all those devices tried my patience. These were the things that happened before my 'problem' occurred. I'm not sure which one actually triggered the problem...but in the future this might help. 1) I installed a Windows Security Update for adware (released in the last couple of weeks). 2) I uninstalled Spybot S-D (anti spyware program that affects the system registry) 3) I tried booting up using the Diagnostic Startup once, which possibly disabled all my services (even if I then booted up with the Normal Startup afterwards nothing worked though...maybe the settings didn't just bounce back.) On Monday, December 13, 2004 at 6:07 pm, Jim wrote: >I have been pulling my hair out for 3 days now and I finally got everything to work >again. Click START, right click MY COMPUTER and click MANAGE. Select SERVICES AND >APPLICATIONS then SERVICES. ALL of my services were disabled. I went through the >entire list and started all of the services that I could and all my programs started >again. Dell wanted me to wipe out my C drive and start all over but I knew there >must be a way to undo the damage done by attempting to install the Verizon Support >program. I hope this helps anyone who experiences the damage that a poorly written >program can do to your machine! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED 100%!! Friday, January 14, 2005 at 5:04 pm Posted by Flo (3 messages posted) Hi, I had the same problem for the last few days, but I've finally found the solution to the problem. I think this is definitely a glitch in the Win XP OS because we all came across the same problem through different actions. I wasn't installing any new software, hardware, or was even on the internet, for that matter. All I did was scan for adware and viruses and BAM! -- it happened. The root of the problem is that for some reason Win XP thinks it'd be funny to disable all the services that make up the backbone of the OS, which is why Windows XP suddenly has no ability to connect to any hardware or that it looks like Windows 2000 and not the sleek XP. And what's really annoying about this glitch is that it erases all the system restore points you ever saved in the past, so there's no way you can ever go back to normal. As some people mentioned in previous posts, yes, Plug and Play was disabled, but you can't fix this problem through the BIOS Setup Screen because Win XP has its own way of enabling P&P, for some stupid annoying reason. So how to fix this damn problem... Go to START --> RUN --> "services.msc" (sans quotes). Here is a list of all the services that XP disabled on its own. Go through it an enable all of them (some you can skip if you know you won't use it) and don't forget to start them as well, or else they won't work. (right click on service-->"start") I have all of hardware back, including sound, and Win XP looks sleek and nice again, but there are still problems here and there. First of all, you'll never get those system restore points back because Win XP is a jackass. Second of all, I'm having trouble starting my firewall or connecting to the internet (wi-fi, 56k), but I don't know if that's because I'm not at my house where I have LAN, or if I need to re-install some applications or services from my recovery disk. And finally, there are still some services that after enabled cannot be started for some odd reason. Windows error says that the device or service connected to the said service is not enabled, but that doesn't make sense since I've enabled all of them, so there are still glitches in the system. I hope this helped some, and if anyone can figure out the rest of the glitches, please reply! Thanks. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Friday, January 21, 2005 at 12:25 pm Posted by Enigma (2 messages posted) Welp, everyone on here has just mentioned and reposted over and over all the pat answers from Microsoft about the services and the permissions... well, here's my problem. MUCH worse than what you guys are getting I guess. I've got the same blank/empty Device Manager only this happens right after (and due to) installing XP Service Pack 2. I get this on multiple laptops, but ONLY the laptops (IBM StinkPads, widely varying models). All my services and registry permissions look fine. But I still have blank Device Manager. However, if I look at the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum I have at least one garbage entry as my first entry and many times I even have multiple garbage entries or even all of them. ex. a blank key under ENUM with the name $%&'()*+, and no values. Many times the key name gets longer and longer consecutively. I cannot delete these keys because they are of course in use by the system. The same will be repeated in ControlSet001 and 002, so I can't even repair using those. So there...whatcha think of THAT! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, January 27, 2005 at 8:10 am Posted by dave (1 messages posted) BIG THANKS to Dan for his accurate and clear information. It solved my problem of blank device manager. I think it might have been caused by me chopping out registry entries for a program called LOGMEIN although I'm not 100%. Dave [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Wednesday, February 2, 2005 at 10:33 am Posted by JoeMeister (1 messages posted) Hi, Windows XP Service Pack 2 did the same thing to my computer as well as disabling internet explorer from browsing the internet. When I unloaded windows xp service pack 2, I had an empty device manager and when I tried to install a 56k modem for doing faxes no ports were showing. (this modem has worked before). Internet explorer was working, at least (I connect with high speed) I suspect that Microsoft has a virus on their site that causes this. If you don't think that this is possible - then please note that this has actually happened to me - I tried downloading a dialup networking upgrade for windows 98 from Microsoft's website in the past and it tried to plant a virus onto my computer... Oh, btw not only can't I see the hardware settings in device manager if I try to get the hardware settings by checking out the properties after clicking on a control panel icon, for example e.g. the keyboard the hardware settings are blank there too. Maybe there is some registry setting like "disable hardware properties display" or something like that that will fix this, I hope so, 'cause I can't bloody well fax resumes anymore..... Joe On Friday, January 21, 2005 at 12:25 pm, Enigma wrote: >Welp, everyone on here has just mentioned and reposted over and over all the pat >answers from Microsoft about the services and the permissions... well, here's >my problem. MUCH worse than what you guys are getting I guess. > >I've got the same blank/empty Device Manager only this happens right after (and >due to) installing XP Service Pack 2. I get this on multiple laptops, but ONLY >the laptops (IBM StinkPads, widely varying models). > >All my services and registry permissions look fine. But I still have blank Device >Manager. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Maybe there is no ONE answer Thursday, February 3, 2005 at 8:34 pm Posted by Larrybum (1 messages posted) I think more than one or two issues are in play here. I was working on our church computer and found it slow as Christmas. I downloaded and ran adaware. It ran for 4 hours, getting slower and slower as it ran. It had found some 66K spyware files at this point, most in a directory that appeared to hold an old OS (Migrated from ME to XP) and had an option to uninstall XP. Since the machine had effectively stopped...examining one file every minute or so. I had to simply shut it off....kind of dangerous, I know. I let it run chkdsk coming back up. I ran msconfig and set it in diagnostic mode (cutting off a lot of services and devices). I then ran a disk cleanup program that comes with XP and found that I could eliminate the old OS files...which I did. I rebooted, again in diagnostic mode, and ran adaware again. This time, it completed in a few minutes...found two registry problems and a handful of spyware files (kind of strange it was now so few). The machine had some pop to it now. I rebooted, reenabled the normal startup and everything looked good. Next day the secretary complains that she can't print anything. I go by and check it out. Internet access is fine...everything seems to work except: 1. no printers are listed in the printers faxes window 2. No scanners are listed, although a digital camera had been installed and a scanner was attached. 3. The device manager showed a blank. What I found here was that somehow a whole string of services were disabled. I looked at the list running "services.msc". I clicked on each one at a time and set disabled to "automatic". I rebooted the machine and it's working fine now. So my problem, although described a lot like others in this thread actually had nothing to do with permissions. I can see however that you should have the same problem if you simply didn't have the rights to see these system utilities. Maybe the abnormal end to the adaware run caused the trouble. Maybe my disabling a lot of drivers and services as part of my temporarily cutting the load down on the processor had something to do with this problem. Whatever, this forum was invaluable to me in getting this corrected. A rebuild of the computer would have been a nightmare. Thanks for all the good advice. By the way, this machine was running service pack 1 when it failed. On Wednesday, February 2, 2005 at 10:33 am, JoeMeister wrote: >Hi, > >Windows XP Service Pack 2 did the same thing to my computer as well as disabling >internet explorer from browsing the internet. When I unloaded windows xp service >pack 2, I had an empty device manager and when I tried to install a 56k modem for >doing faxes no ports were showing. (this modem has worked before). Internet explorer >was working, at least (I connect with high speed) I suspect that Microsoft has a >virus on their site that causes this. If you don't think that this is possible - >then please note that this has actually happened to me - I tried downloading a dialup >networking upgrade for windows 98 from Microsoft's website in the past and it tried >to plant a virus onto my computer... Oh, btw not only can't I see the hardware settings >in device manager if I try to get the hardware settings by checking out the properties >after clicking on a control panel icon, for example e.g. the keyboard the hardware >settings are blank there too. Maybe there is some registry setting like "disable >hardware properties display" or something like that that will fix this, I hope so, >'cause I can't bloody well fax resumes anymore..... > >Joe > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Device manager empty, fixed! Saturday, February 12, 2005 at 4:00 pm Posted by paul Davidson (1 messages posted) >this enum advice is the best. i had the same problem when i updated the software for a logitec camera and the plug and play was started and all that stuff - the problem was in the permissions in the registry. On Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 4:16 am, Catherine wrote: > >Am testing all the suggested solutions here. >I got this problem after uninstalling Spybot S-D (Search & Destroy), downloaded from >www.download.com. I don't know if this program is related to the problem, though. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Friday, February 18, 2005 at 5:36 am Posted by clif (1 messages posted) I've tried every suggestion in this forum and nothing has helped. I may have a deeper problem... When I run the list of enabled/disabled services most are disabled, but when I try to enable them I get an odd error message about Plug and Play not being operational (and I can't enable Plug and Play). I also get an error about "Win32" whatever that means.... On Friday, January 21, 2005 at 12:25 pm, Enigma wrote: >Welp, everyone on here has just mentioned and reposted over and over all the pat >answers from Microsoft about the services and the permissions... well, here's >my problem. MUCH worse than what you guys are getting I guess. > >I've got the same blank/empty Device Manager only this happens right after (and >due to) installing XP Service Pack 2. I get this on multiple laptops, but ONLY >the laptops (IBM StinkPads, widely varying models). > >All my services and registry permissions look fine. But I still have blank Device >Manager. However, if I look at the registry key: > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum > >I have at least one garbage entry as my first entry and many times I even have >multiple garbage entries or even all of them. ex. a blank key under ENUM with >the name $%&'()*+, and no values. > >Many times the key name gets longer and longer consecutively. I cannot delete >these keys because they are of course in use by the system. The same will be >repeated in ControlSet001 and 002, so I can't even repair using those. > >So there...whatcha think of THAT! > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, March 29, 2005 at 10:30 pm Posted by Tyson (1 messages posted) yeah lol you think u have it bad... I cant even get into device manager I click the button it gives me the error "failed to create empty document." if I try to get into services.msc it gives me the same error "failed to create empty document." or even right click on my computer and select manage what do you know same bloody error "failed to create empty document." what on earth is wrong with my computer? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - it worked!!! Friday, April 1, 2005 at 10:17 pm Posted by Roberto Grande (1 messages posted) Thank you Jim; your use of regedt32.exe (as opposed to regedit.exe) was what allowed me to take care of my Device Manager issue... however I just assigned read and full modification rights to the current user, and instantly I had a Device Manager that actually allowed me to manage devices - no reboot required! Thanks so much to all who have contributed to this thread! Roberto On Monday, July 5, 2004 at 6:10 pm, James Norio wrote: "Hi, Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!" [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Saturday, April 16, 2005 at 8:27 pm Posted by Kent Givitout (1 messages posted) I got it through a combination of things mentioned here and elsewhere...perhaps it will help you, as well. ~ BIOS: Plug & Play OS - No ~ Checked Registry: ENUM permissions in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet (as they should be: Everyone - Read; SYSTEM - Full Control) ~ Services (Start | Run | Services.msc) Plug and Play: 2X Click --> Set to Disabled (Just OK the errors) - Reboot ~ Services (again) - Set to Automatic (Just OK all errors) - Reboot System Tray goes a little nuts (with Found New Hardware icons) as it rediscovers all devices again. Device Manager now displayed all devices as normal. Note (the following may only relate to my circumstances): I had two devices with (Network Card and Com 1) with error exclamation marks...clicking them produced errors. Right-clicked and uninstalled both. Rebooted - Windows rediscovered these two "uninstalled" devices and set drivers correctly without any intervention\interaction from me. All is well again. Good Luck On Friday, February 18, 2005 at 5:36 am, clif wrote: >I've tried every suggestion in this forum and nothing has helped. I may have a >deeper problem... When I run the list of enabled/disabled services most are disabled, >but when I try to enable them I get an odd error message about Plug and Play not >being operational (and I can't enable Plug and Play). I also get an error about >"Win32" whatever that means.... > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Many many thanks Dan! (re: Empty Device Manager) Thursday, May 5, 2005 at 9:51 am Posted by Nicolas (1 messages posted) Many thanks Dan! My computer had Administrators set with no permissions instead of what you describe. I don't know when and how these permissions got messed up, but your solution worked it out. You rock! On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Tuesday, May 17, 2005 at 7:54 am Posted by Ryan (1 messages posted) Enigma, my IBM at work is having a problem very similar to yours. I first noticed my Network Connections folder was empty accept for the Network Wizard/Connection Wizard icons and the dialup account. There's supposed to be a LAN connection too. This being the case I thought about going thru the Device Manager to see if there was a problem with the NIC drivers. Come to find out the Device Manager was empty. I first tried the Plug and Play solution but the P&P service was already started. I also tried the Registry key permission solution, everything was already set though. Here's where I can relate with Enigma, the subdirectories in Enum were all a bunch of characters and each folder got longer and longer. The only difference was I was able to delete all of the folders, there were probably a couple hundred in there. Deleting them changed nothing so. It's very possible that installing SP2 caused this but I can't say for sure because I didn't notice the problem until a few months ago. This is a business computer so I can't just reformat because special software has to be installed. I did have a question about regedit.exe and regedt32.exe. What's the difference, they both look identical. And in the instructions it says to go to Security>Permissions. There is no security menu option...I was able to right click on Enum and click Permissions though. Anyway I still have no solved this mystery, tried every possible solution I know to. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Thursday, June 16, 2005 at 8:07 am Posted by KimberTech (1 messages posted) Thats right.... Go to RUN type Regedt32 Then go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum With the ENUM KEY HIGHLIGHTED Click SECURITY menu that appears in the toolbar, then PERMISSIONS. (In XP you right click the key and choose permissions) You may have to ADD the group for the profile that can't see the device manager/printers/network contents. Give this group READ ONLY permission and then give SYSTEM full control. In some instances, you will need to go to ADVANCED and check reset permissions on all child objects. Click yes in the warning window and reboot. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Friday, June 17, 2005 at 10:30 pm Posted by anthony (1 messages posted) hey i just had this problem. i rebooted and my sound was gone with nothing in device manager etc. the prob was i dissabled plug and play in the services... type msconfig in the run box and then check and make sure plug and play is selected. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 7:44 pm Posted by Arvind (1 messages posted) Hello Dan, You know what I had been looking to resolve this issue from past week and finally your solution helped. I was almost decided to reinstall the software as per Dell tech support. Thank you very much for the information. Regards Arvind G On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager XP Home - No Com ports Thursday, June 30, 2005 at 1:37 am Posted by Howard A (1 messages posted) I'm having this problem too. My customer tells me that his PC modem just stopped working a couple of days ago. Modem diagnostics produce only an error message saying that the COM port is in use by another program. When I checked the Winxp Home device manager there were no COM ports shown at all. Any ideas anyone? I am currently checking for Viruses and Adware. Customer has a comprehensive McAfee security software installation. Any suggestions gratefull received. On Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 4:27 pm, Fritz Newton wrote: >I am havng a similar problem with my COM ports not showing on device manager. I >tried the fixes suggested and no luck and also tried http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;825826 > >Does anyone have any other suggestions or links to MS Bulletins? > >Thanks for any help. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 3:09 pm Posted by Joe Sullivan (1 messages posted) I've tried every single fix listed here. My Enum permissions were already set to 'full control' for system, and the 'plug and play' service was enabled and running. My device manager is still empty. Does anyone have a fix for this problem that works? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 7:42 am Posted by Chris Koloszar (1 messages posted) Wayne, Thanks for the tip it now works, I don't know how this happened, but have my suspicions when I was loading some Sony software.. On Friday, November 19, 2004 at 7:55 pm, Wayne Smith wrote: >No, nothing to do with Plug and Play. Need to change permission settings in the >registry. > >Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum. > >Add full permissions to Everyone. Click on Advanced button. Put a tick in both >options at the bottom (Inherit from parent the permission entries... and Replace >permission entries on all child or objects...). > >Exit and reboot - Device Manager no longer empty. > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Saturday, August 13, 2005 at 3:52 pm Posted by Kathy Doolittle (1 messages posted) Thank you so much for the tip! Worked exactly as I needed. It was brought on, for me, by a very bad auto update from Norton Internet Security 5 (s/w rather than av) that went terribly wrong causing me no amount of grief. On Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 7:42 am, Chris Koloszar wrote: >Wayne, >Thanks for the tip it now works, I don't know how this happened, but have my suspicions >when I was loading some Sony software.. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at 3:22 am Posted by Murxidon (2 messages posted) Ok, download Tune-Up utilities from http://www.download.com/TuneUp-Utilities/3640-2086_4-10280149.html load up and choose tune up registrydefrag, when thats completed restart.. And voila!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, August 19, 2005 at 6:39 am Posted by Earl_CG (1 messages posted) I am in shock - that is a truely fantastic piece of software. I had numerous problems before: - Device Manager Empty - My Computer took an age to load - My new Logitech Mx510 mouse wasn't fully recognised. I had hunted high and low for solutions to each of these. With that program this registery clueless individual had solved all of them in five minutes. I think I need to go and lie down lol! [Reply or follow-up to this message] Told you it would work :P Friday, August 19, 2005 at 7:03 am Posted by Murxidon (2 messages posted) Hehe.. Bow down to my greatness :P [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Thursday, September 1, 2005 at 6:28 pm Posted by Lisa Reid (1 messages posted) I have Windows 2000 Pro and my modem was dumped while loading some Sony software as well -- hmmm. Sony said they had never heard of such a thing and insisted that it was a virus. It wasn't. On Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 7:42 am, Chris Koloszar wrote: >Wayne, >Thanks for the tip it now works, I don't know how this happened, but have my suspicions >when I was loading some Sony software.. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 10, 2005 at 10:29 am Posted by Patrick Mckay (5 messages posted) This fix, and many other is not working for me. The Microsoft website claims there is a hotfix but you have to contact them. On Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm, Sayantan Datta wrote: >Solution > >Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG > >To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform >the following steps: > >Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click >OK. >The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. >Click the Services tab. >Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck >it. >Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. >Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. > >NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status >displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable >the Plug and Play service. >Enable the Plug and Play Service > >To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the >following steps: > >Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. >The Computer Management window appears. >Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. >Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. >Double-click Plug and Play. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > >The Plug and Play Properties window appears. >Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > > >Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the >Start button. >This will start the Plug and Play service. >Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. >You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 10, 2005 at 11:09 am Posted by Patrick Mckay (5 messages posted) I tried this software. This is a demo version, you get 30-days, then you pay. I think it was $39.95 or something like that. Didn't resolve the problem and my default browser was changed! I would consider reloading, but that is what I am in the process of right now! If I find an answer that works for me, I will post the solution. Don't recommend shareware or demoware! On Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at 3:22 am, Murxidon wrote: >Ok, download Tune-Up utilities from http://www.download.com/TuneUp-Utilities/3640-2086_4-10280149.html > >load up and choose tune up registrydefrag, when thats completed restart.. And voila!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 10:09 am Posted by Jodi (1 messages posted) I got this problem after installing a new DVD drive. The PNP service was running fine, and the enum permissions were all setup correctly. The cause of my problem was that I had invalid registry keys in the PCI and PCI->USB branches of the enum registry keys! The corrupt registry keys were along the lines of "$%^&*()01234" or longer. My fix was the following 1) Go to the permissions of the corrupt registry key 2) add new permission for the administrator 3) give the administrator "full control" 4) once applied you can now delete the offending key 5) so, delete the corrupt key. Once I had deleted ALL the corrupt keys in the enum/PCI branch of the registry my device manager start to work again. Therefore I am posting my findings here so that someone else can benfit from my findings. -Jodi On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 1:52 pm Posted by Patrick Mckay (5 messages posted) Similar probvlem after no particular event. XP SP 2 had been installed already, everthing was working one minute, next minute Device Manager empty. Found a number of solutions... one was the PNP thing, the other had to do with permissions and opened them up and set them up to inherit all the way down the line. Still no success. How can a guy discover where and which registry keys are corrupt. That may be my answer but I have no idea where to start. Thanks. On Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 10:09 am, Jodi wrote: >I got this problem after installing a new DVD drive. > >The PNP service was running fine, and the enum permissions were all setup correctly. > >The cause of my problem was that I had invalid registry keys in the PCI and PCI->USB >branches of the enum registry keys! > >The corrupt registry keys were along the lines of "$%^&*()01234" or longer. > >My fix was the following > >1) Go to the permissions of the corrupt registry key >2) add new permission for the administrator >3) give the administrator "full control" >4) once applied you can now delete the offending key >5) so, delete the corrupt key. > >Once I had deleted ALL the corrupt keys in the enum/PCI branch of the registry my >device manager start to work again. > >Therefore I am posting my findings here so that someone else can benfit from my findings. > >-Jodi > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:42 pm Posted by mark (4 messages posted) i tried enum fix etc .etc. the only thing that worked for me was to delet security update for windows KB905749 in add remove programs.not really sure why this update is causing a prob with my pc though.? On Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 3:09 pm, Joe Sullivan wrote: >I've tried every single fix listed here. My Enum permissions were already set to >'full control' for system, and the 'plug and play' service was enabled and running. > > >My device manager is still empty. Does anyone have a fix for this problem that works? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:54 pm Posted by mark (4 messages posted) this is very odd,windows security update KB905749 is corrupting my enum registry,i will look into it tomorrow to see if i can figure it out, but as of now if install above update (KB905749) no device manager,but if i uninstall it (reboot) there is my device manager . yours confussed. mark On Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 10:09 am, Jodi wrote: >I got this problem after installing a new DVD drive. > >The PNP service was running fine, and the enum permissions were all setup correctly. > >The cause of my problem was that I had invalid registry keys in the PCI and PCI->USB >branches of the enum registry keys! > >The corrupt registry keys were along the lines of "$%^&*()01234" or longer. > >My fix was the following > >1) Go to the permissions of the corrupt registry key >2) add new permission for the administrator >3) give the administrator "full control" >4) once applied you can now delete the offending key >5) so, delete the corrupt key. > >Once I had deleted ALL the corrupt keys in the enum/PCI branch of the registry my >device manager start to work again. > >Therefore I am posting my findings here so that someone else can benfit from my findings. > >-Jodi > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 9:44 pm Posted by Ben (2 messages posted) Thanks god for this one. Nothing was working until i read your last message. I de-install the windows security update KB905749 and a few other which have been installed at the same date. Reboot the machine, and my devices are back :):):) Thanks On Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:54 pm, mark wrote: >this is very odd,windows security update KB905749 is corrupting my enum registry,i >will look into it tomorrow to see if i can figure it out, but as of now if install >above update (KB905749) no device manager,but if i uninstall it (reboot) there is >my device manager . >yours confussed. >mark > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 10:33 pm Posted by mark (4 messages posted) in the end i decided to back up my registry using xp backup utillity and saved it to my desktop.installed KB905749 every thing messed up as usuall,then restored my registry with the backup i just made and were looking good divice manager back,and no more server busy...switch to..screen coming up when i start photo explsion.And no more you have updates ready to install..etc etc. personaly id like to thank microsoft at this time for this little dittiy as i have nothing better to do than try and keep my OS running :-) On Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 9:44 pm, Ben wrote: >Thanks god for this one. > >Nothing was working until i read your last message. I de-install the windows security >update KB905749 and a few other which have been installed at the same date. Reboot >the machine, and my devices are back :):):) > >Thanks > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Thursday, October 20, 2005 at 5:48 am Posted by Rrose (5 messages posted) I had also the same kind of problem, that came with a certain amount of others (problems with windows explorer and IE6, being unable to remove my webcam device...), I tried everything and nothing worked. I decided to remove all the windows security updates installed in the last five days, and everything works fine now ! On Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:42 pm, mark wrote: >i tried enum fix etc .etc. >the only thing that worked for me was to delet security update for windows KB905749 >in add remove programs.not really sure why this update is causing a prob with my >pc though.? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Friday, October 21, 2005 at 7:02 am Posted by William Magness (1 messages posted) I had same problems. Registry editing and changing permissions did not work. However, deleting Microsoft Security Update KB905749, and only that update, solved my problems. Computer recognized all of my hardware and repopulated my Device Manager. Thank you all for your excellent help! Uncas On Thursday, October 20, 2005 at 5:48 am, Rrose wrote: >I had also the same kind of problem, that came with a certain amount of others (problems >with windows explorer and IE6, being unable to remove my webcam device...), I tried >everything and nothing worked. I decided to remove all the windows security updates >installed in the last five days, and everything works fine now ! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, October 21, 2005 at 11:36 pm Posted by Jaz (2 messages posted) I'm putting this in here even though it's an old thread. I just ran into this, and found no solution anywhere. I tried all the suggestions and none worked. This is what worked for me. I ran regedt32.exe. Under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\ROOT_HUB I had a large number of garbled entries. I deleted them all manually. Yeah, it was crazy punching the "delete" then "enter" keys alternately and rapidly, because there are a lot of entries to delete. You can tell the garbled ones because the normal entries have a certain pattern, such as Vid_0ea0&Pid_2168 and so on. That's not garbled, it's just standard MicrosoftRegSpeak. The bad ones just have a bunch of % and $ and stuff, and seem repeated over and over, getting longer all the time. I deleted the ones under CurrentControlSet001 and 002 as well. _Then_ I could see my devices again! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, October 21, 2005 at 11:49 pm Posted by Jaz (2 messages posted) I noticed that my Network Properties was still empty after my fix (described above). Ouch! Do I have to try to find more crud in the registry? I rebooted, and they were back. I was inspired to try what I did by a comment in the Microsoft Knowledge Base about the FixCSS.exe you have to grovel to MS to get. There's a comment about crud in the registry. So I found it and deleted it. I was about to do a clean re-install anyway. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 24, 2005 at 11:34 am Posted by Patrick Mckay (5 messages posted) I found the Root_Hub solution... there were no contents there to remove, and I groveled to Microsoft for the FixCSS.exe as well... no luck. I have got to find out what causes this problem. My problem has occured at about 95% of an installation of Windows XP SP2 and security patches (and in different spots each time, and all of a sudden) and it has happened with both Microsoft Office XP and 2003 on these computers. Worse part is squeezing some support (and lying to even get someone to talk to me) out of Microsoft and there not being an answer. Lots of people have been having this problem for a long time. I am starting to feel like I have stepped back in to the Windows 95 days! On Friday, October 21, 2005 at 11:49 pm, Jaz wrote: >I noticed that my Network Properties was still empty after my fix (described above). > Ouch! Do I have to try to find more crud in the registry? I rebooted, and they >were back. I was inspired to try what I did by a comment in the Microsoft Knowledge >Base about the FixCSS.exe you have to grovel to MS to get. There's a comment about >crud in the registry. So I found it and deleted it. I was about to do a clean re-install >anyway. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupt Registry Keys in the Registry Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 11:28 am Posted by Andrew Humphriss (5 messages posted) Fantastic! Thanks Jodi! Just delete the strange registry keys in enum - pci and usb - they get longfer and longer and look completely different to the other keys. Thanks mate - you're a genius. On Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 10:09 am, Jodi wrote: >I got this problem after installing a new DVD drive. > >The PNP service was running fine, and the enum permissions were all setup correctly. > >The cause of my problem was that I had invalid registry keys in the PCI and PCI->USB >branches of the enum registry keys! > >The corrupt registry keys were along the lines of "$%^&*()01234" or longer. > >My fix was the following > >1) Go to the permissions of the corrupt registry key >2) add new permission for the administrator >3) give the administrator "full control" >4) once applied you can now delete the offending key >5) so, delete the corrupt key. > >Once I had deleted ALL the corrupt keys in the enum/PCI branch of the registry my >device manager start to work again. > >Therefore I am posting my findings here so that someone else can benfit from my findings. > >-Jodi > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Finally success! Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 9:41 pm Posted by ARNIE (1 messages posted) After trying all the prior fixes, deleting all corrupt keys and subkeys gave me my Device Manager back. Hurra and Tnx! On Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 11:28 am, Andrew Humphriss wrote: > > >Fantastic! Thanks Jodi! > >Just delete the strange registry keys in enum - pci and usb - they get longfer and >longer and look completely different to the other keys. > >Thanks mate - you're a genius. > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Microsoft Security Update KB905749 WAS THE DOG!!!!! re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 1:27 am Posted by yushikaneda (1 messages posted) This is the only thing that worked for me. Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now may scanner started to work again. In fact, this is how I became aware of the problem. It was not just the empty Device Manager. My Canon USB flatbed scanner was not working, probably after I installed that Security Update (as far as I remember). Now I am back in business!!!! Thank you so much again! Yushi On Friday, October 21, 2005 at 7:02 am, William Magness wrote: >I had same problems. Registry editing and changing permissions did not work. However, >deleting Microsoft Security Update KB905749, and only that update, solved my problems. > Computer recognized all of my hardware and repopulated my Device Manager. Thank >you all for your excellent help! > >Uncas > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 WAS THE DOG!!!!! re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Saturday, November 5, 2005 at 4:32 am Posted by Fish (1 messages posted) Spent half a day, checking the registry, restoring the devmgr.files etc., switching on and off the plug n play services. But the actual curprut was Microsofts Automatic Security update KP905749... The purpose of these updates is to protect our systems. But it seems they can actually corrupt them. This does not seem like good businesss sense. What the f..k' are Microsoft up to. This is just poor product support and bad quality development. For a company like Microsoft its totally inexcusable. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Sunday, November 6, 2005 at 2:54 pm Posted by andy (2 messages posted) Many many thanks Mark, after deleting security update KB905749, device manager lists everything fine and also the slow "my computer/windows explorer searching for hardware" no longer happens. However after rebooting, xp was downloading an update, i assume its redownloading the same update, but hopefully as long as i dont allow it to install i'll be OK? On Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:42 pm, mark wrote: >i tried enum fix etc .etc. >the only thing that worked for me was to delet security update for windows >in add remove programs.not really sure why this update is causing a prob with my >pc though.? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 WAS THE DOG!!!!! re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Sunday, November 6, 2005 at 8:39 pm Posted by doug forest (1 messages posted) microsoft offers 4 solutions for the 'my computer' long delay problem(which is caused by the KB905749 security update) --- http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=819017 --- it only slightly cured the problem for me. it fixed the delay, but not the device manager (which was still blank). out of frustration i did a system restore before that patch was released and im flying now! i'm a video editor and my video playback was totally screwed up/sluggish/choppy, i was loosing my mind. i seriously thought it was a virus... never thought it was because of billy boy & his merry men. my computer is now trying to re-install the security patch again....... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Monday, November 7, 2005 at 7:27 am Posted by mark (4 messages posted) hi andy. glad this worked for you. when you are at the windows update site you can hide updates you do not want to install,which is what i did to stop my auto update from trying to install KB905749. :-) its also possible to unhide an update,so say ...in a year or so from now when microsoft decide to fix this problemb you can unhide it and install it. On Sunday, November 6, 2005 at 2:54 pm, andy wrote: >Many many thanks Mark, after deleting security update KB905749, device manager lists >everything fine and also the slow "my computer/windows explorer searching for hardware" >no longer happens. However after rebooting, xp was downloading an update, i assume >its redownloading the same update, but hopefully as long as i dont allow it to install >i'll be OK? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Monday, November 7, 2005 at 11:17 am Posted by andy (2 messages posted) Hi Mark, thanks for your speedy reply. I went to the update site but couldnt see anywhere for hiding updates, please advise. Also i would like to try your suggestion of backing up my registry and then reinstalling the update, anychance of going through how this is done? tia, Andy On Monday, November 7, 2005 at 7:27 am, mark wrote: >hi andy. >glad this worked for you. >when you are at the windows update site you can hide updates you do not want to install,which >is what i did to stop my auto update from trying to install KB905749. >:-) >its also possible to unhide an update,so say ...in a year or so from now when microsoft >decide to fix this problemb you can unhide it and install it. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Finally success! Yes! Yes! Yes! Tuesday, November 8, 2005 at 7:23 am Posted by Muddy Water (1 messages posted) Deleting the registry keys that looked like this: $%&'()*+,-./0123$%&'()*+,-./0123$%&'()*+,] did the trick. And there were dozens of them. I now have the pnp patch installed (KB905749) AND devices showing up normally in my device manager. On Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 9:41 pm, ARNIE wrote: >After trying all the prior fixes, deleting all corrupt keys and subkeys gave me my >Device Manager back. Hurra and Tnx! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 8:50 am Posted by Ait'al (2 messages posted) Yea, i just had to do taht final step to reset the child permissions. I still have the problem the other guy had. I dont have any network settings showing. If it is relevant i just had to use your solution in the thread about MMC required internet explorer 5.5 or greater to be installed, just to get access to all my system programs running in MMC. I wonder if it has anything to do with it. On Monday, November 8, 2004 at 8:42 am, Sid wrote: >Thanks, I had the same problem and your solution worked great. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 9:02 am Posted by Ait'al (2 messages posted) Sorry.... I reset the computer and it started redetecting my hardware. I have full network stuff showing now 8) !!! Thank you! On Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 8:50 am, Ait'al wrote: >Yea, i just had to do taht final step to reset the child permissions. I still have >the problem the other guy had. I dont have any network settings showing. If it is >relevant i just had to use your solution in the thread about MMC required internet >explorer 5.5 or greater to be installed, just to get access to all my system programs >running in MMC. I wonder if it has anything to do with it. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Sunday, November 13, 2005 at 8:58 pm Posted by Monte (3 messages posted) Thank you! I had all the same symptoms as most of the posters in this thread, and have spent a LOT of time reading through here and many other help forums to solve these issues (sluggish Explorer, empty Device Manager, no networking options, etc.). Finally, I got pointed to removing Microsoft Security Update KB905749. It worked! My system is back to full funtionality now. The only concern I have now is that KB905749 may be slated to be part of future "roll-up" and/or Service Packs. A further question is why this security patch so adversely affected some users and not others. Which settings triggers KB905749 to block local access to PnP features? On Friday, October 21, 2005 at 7:02 am, William Magness wrote: >I had same problems. Registry editing and changing permissions did not work. However, >deleting Microsoft Security Update KB905749, and only that update, solved my problems. > Computer recognized all of my hardware and repopulated my Device Manager. Thank >you all for your excellent help! > >Uncas [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Monday, November 14, 2005 at 5:56 pm Posted by Cpt CryBaby (2 messages posted) Please Help Me! I've been on this all day with agonizingly slow progress. I want to remove this offending security update: KB905749. Provided, of course, that I even have it on my system. I have absolutely no idea how to even begin this process. Can someone please give a step-by-step on how to determine if I received this file and, if so, how to remove it? I contacted Dell support who informed me this would require a restore. Unfortunately, one of the byproducts of this same problem is that all of my restore points were destroyed. I've tried every single fix suggested on this thread with no solution to my problem. No matter what I set my plug and play or permissions to, my Device Manager remains blank and I get absolutely no sound at any time. Also, I can not deal directly with MS since my software was pre-installed on my computer so I can't get my hands on the hotfix fixccs.exe. Does anybody have this file? Can anybody get it and make it available? If someone would care to track it down and send it to me, i'd gladly post it to my site and link here for all to use. Hope someone can help. Thanks On Sunday, November 13, 2005 at 8:58 pm, Monte wrote: >Thank you! > >I had all the same symptoms as most of the posters in this thread, and have spent >a LOT of time reading through here and many other help forums to solve these issues >(sluggish Explorer, empty Device Manager, no networking options, etc.). > >Finally, I got pointed to removing Microsoft Security Update KB905749. It worked! >My system is back to full funtionality now. > >The only concern I have now is that KB905749 may be slated to be part of future "roll-up" >and/or Service Packs. > >A further question is why this security patch so adversely affected some users and >not others. Which settings triggers KB905749 to block local access to PnP features? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Monday, November 14, 2005 at 6:14 pm Posted by Monte (3 messages posted) Removing that Knowledge Base update is fairly straight-forward. Open the Control Panel Open "Add or Remove Programs" Place a tick mark in the box at the top that says "Show Updates" Scroll down the list of programs and updates until you find KB905749. Double check you have selected ONLY this update to uninstall. Click "uninstall" and follow the prompts. You will most likely get a serious looking screen saying that most of your programs and system resources will not work if you continue with the uninstall. There will be a list of those programs. Click through this, authorizing the uninstall process to continue. Reboot when prompted. If you cannot find KB905749 in the list to uninstall, then you haven't got that update in your system and the answer to your problems do not lie within this particular fix. :( On Monday, November 14, 2005 at 5:56 pm, Cpt CryBaby wrote: >Please Help Me! I've been on this all day with agonizingly slow progress. > >I want to remove this offending security update: KB905749. Provided, of course, >that I even have it on my system. I have absolutely no idea how to even begin this >process. Can someone please give a step-by-step on how to determine if I received >this file and, if so, how to remove it? > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 8:28 am Posted by Cpt CryBaby (2 messages posted) Thank You Monte, This seems to have done the trick! A loss of sound was also a part of my problem. Once my Device Manager was re-populated I had to download my sound driver again and go through some other steps to make it my default sound device. With one exception, things seem to be back to normal. I had to change how I receive Windows updates. With the automatic setting, MS wanted to immediatley re-install the offending security update. I had to change this to manual so that I can unselect it when installing updates. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I think there are more than one causes to the problem but I eventually found the once that applied to me. Thanks Again! Captain CryBaby On Monday, November 14, 2005 at 6:14 pm, Monte wrote: >Removing that Knowledge Base update is fairly straight-forward. > >Open the Control Panel > >Open "Add or Remove Programs" > >Place a tick mark in the box at the top that says "Show Updates" > >Scroll down the list of programs and updates until you find KB905749. Double check >you have selected ONLY this update to uninstall. > >Click "uninstall" and follow the prompts. You will most likely get a serious looking >screen saying that most of your programs and system resources will not work if you >continue with the uninstall. There will be a list of those programs. Click through >this, authorizing the uninstall process to continue. > >Reboot when prompted. > >If you cannot find KB905749 in the list to uninstall, then you haven't got that update >in your system and the answer to your problems do not lie within this particular >fix. :( > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 5:13 pm Posted by Monte (3 messages posted) Ah yes, sorry about not mentioning Microsoft Update will continue to have a hissy fit with this update uninstalled. I use the "notify only" option for MS Update, then select "custom" every time I visit the update site. It still returns a big yellow banner saying my system is missing a vital update, but I'd rather have access to my system's internals. Given that KB905749 mainly addresses a *local* vulnerability in PnP, I'll accept the risk of removing it. Slightly off topic... I've heard that MS is well aware that KB905749 has adversely affected a LOT of Windows users. Let's hope they are busily rechecking their coding on this one. If any MS reps are reading this, I'd be glad to provide whatever information I can to help you get to the bottom of the issues with KB905749, if you haven't already done so. On Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 8:28 am, Cpt CryBaby wrote: >Thank You Monte, > >This seems to have done the trick! > >A loss of sound was also a part of my problem. Once my Device Manager was re-populated >I had to download my sound driver again and go through some other steps to make it >my default sound device. With one exception, things seem to be back to normal. > >I had to change how I receive Windows updates. With the automatic setting, MS wanted >to immediatley re-install the offending security update. I had to change this to >manual so that I can unselect it when installing updates. > >Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I think there are more than one >causes to the problem but I eventually found the once that applied to me. > >Thanks Again! > >Captain CryBaby > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 3:48 pm Posted by CalderMunroe (2 messages posted) Yes I did the same thing now thaey gave me another update that sounds like it is the same thing and I am vary woried about downloading it Vulnerability in Plug and Play Could Allow Remote Code Execution and Elevation of Privilege (899588) this is it it seemed like the same thing has anyone downloaded it or is it a fix for the other one please respond thanks > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, November 18, 2005 at 9:34 pm Posted by Coyt Phillips (1 messages posted) I had an empty device manager on my windows 2000 server system. None of the steps above worked for me so here is how I got mine up and running again. 1. Disable Plug & Play in normal windows. 2. Boot into safemode without networking 3. Change the permissions as described many times above. 4. Change the plug & play back to automatic startup. 5. Push the start button on the plug & play service. 6. Go to your device manager and it should be full. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 4:59 pm Posted by John (2 messages posted) I just had this problem with my XP Device Manager being blank. Removing KB05749 didn't do the trick for me. The culprit in my case was a nasty adware that was installed on my system. It's called apropos. Not sure how I got it. Probably some shareware I installed had this adware included in the installation. Sneaky! It was constantly popping up ads when I'd surf the net with IE. It drove me nuts! Adware and Seek & Destroy couldn't see it. I finally found it was on my system using a trial version of Spy Sweeper. I'd have Spy Sweeper remove it, but the darn thing would be back again after the next reboot! I finally found a utility that removes apropos once and for all at DSLReports.com, in this thread... http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 see the message by CalamityJane. It has the link to download the AproposFix and installation instructions. The fix must be run in XP Safe Mode as apropos has registry settings that allows itself to be reinstalled upon reboot. I think it evens runs as a service. The fix worked great. Apropos is gone finally. And guess what? My device manager is now showing everything again. Before you run this apropos fix, I suggest downloading the trial version of Spy Sweeper from www.webroot.com Do the system scan and it'll tell you if you have apropos on your system. If you do, download and run that Aproposfix. Hope this helps... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 5:13 am Posted by johnlee (1 messages posted) I tried literally everything listed above except what John suggested, but to no avail. The spyware remover program pointed to by John finally did the trick and now everything seems to be back to normal. Thanks a lot! : ) On Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 4:59 pm, John wrote: >I just had this problem with my XP Device Manager being blank. Removing KB05749 >didn't do the trick for me. The culprit in my case was a nasty adware that was installed >on my system. It's called apropos. Not sure how I got it. Probably some shareware >I installed had this adware included in the installation. Sneaky! It was constantly >popping up ads when I'd surf the net with IE. It drove me nuts! Adware and Seek >& Destroy couldn't see it. I finally found it was on my system using a trial version >of Spy Sweeper. I'd have Spy Sweeper remove it, but the darn thing would be back >again after the next reboot! I finally found a utility that removes apropos once >and for all at DSLReports.com, in this thread... > >http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 > >see the message by CalamityJane. It has the link to download the AproposFix and >installation instructions. The fix must be run in XP Safe Mode as apropos has registry >settings that allows itself to be reinstalled upon reboot. I think it evens runs >as a service. The fix worked great. Apropos is gone finally. And guess what? >My device manager is now showing everything again. >Before you run this apropos fix, I suggest downloading the trial version of Spy Sweeper >from www.webroot.com Do the system scan and it'll tell you if you have apropos >on your system. If you do, download and run that Aproposfix. > >Hope this helps... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 5:31 am Posted by glenn (1 messages posted) Thanks John, I've been trying to fix this problem for the past 3 days, and finally got it! I first noticed my LAN connection was missing from the notification tray, even though I was connected to it and the internet. I checked Network connections and both LAN and IEEE1394 connections were missing (which lead me to an MS knowlege base page), then I found Device manager was empty, My Computer was really slow, and my printer/scanner was no longer available. I tried all of the above sugggestions, apart from yours, but to no avail. I went looking through the registry and found that HKLM/System/CurrrentControlSet/Enum/Root/LEGACY_W3SMGMT gave an error, and I could not delete or change privileges for it in any way. I used SpySweeper to find and remove Apropos, which did not fix the problem. In my case it did not re-install itself again on startup though, so (again) I thought it wasn't the same problem as yours. I then went and un-installed all Windows updates up to the same date of KB05749, but again this did not fix the problem either. Then had a look at the link for the next steps of your fix, saw that it mentioned adchannel.contextplus.net, and remembered seeing something like that while un-installing the windows updates. Sure enough in Add/Remove programs there was ContextPlus. I clicked on Change/Remove to see if there was anything I could do with it and it hung my PC :-( Pressed reset button and hey presto - everything is back to normal :-) Checked Add/Remove programs and ContextPlus was gone. Out of interest, I also checked the registry again, and the LEGACY_W3SMGMT key is no longer corrupt. So I think this explains atleast why the symptoms are the same for the other fixes above. I assume it had nothing to do with un-installing windows updates, so I am going to try re-installing them. Thanks again. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 9:04 am Posted by San (2 messages posted) Hi, Im having exactly the same problem as Glen - 1st noticed my LAN connection was missing from the notification tray and then my network connections but i am still connected to it and the are missing in network connections and then I found Device manager was empty, My Computer was really really slow.l I have tried all the solutions in this forum, but all my setting seem to be already in the position of the solutions. I dont have the Apropos problem nor is there ContextPlus in add/remove as i dont have this spyware. Any suggestions anyone, this is driving me crazy!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 10:06 am Posted by Steven (1 messages posted) Hi Enigma, it's a few months ago that you covered this problem. Did you solved it so far? I've updated my Thinkpad R50p to XP SP2 and have exactly the same problems as you described. - empty device manager that displays only the Computername - only garbage in the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum": $%&'()*+,-,/0123 that repeats all the time and gets longer and longer. Seems like a bug, that is related to recursive programming in a programm that updates this registry entry. - my internal modem does not work anymore - no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections. Best regards, Steven. On Friday, January 21, 2005 at 12:25 pm, Enigma wrote: >Welp, everyone on here has just mentioned and reposted over and over all the pat >answers from Microsoft about the services and the permissions... well, here's >my problem. MUCH worse than what you guys are getting I guess. > >I've got the same blank/empty Device Manager only this happens right after (and >due to) installing XP Service Pack 2. I get this on multiple laptops, but ONLY >the laptops (IBM StinkPads, widely varying models). > >All my services and registry permissions look fine. But I still have blank Device >Manager. However, if I look at the registry key: > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum > >I have at least one garbage entry as my first entry and many times I even have >multiple garbage entries or even all of them. ex. a blank key under ENUM with >the name $%&'()*+, and no values. > >Many times the key name gets longer and longer consecutively. I cannot delete >these keys because they are of course in use by the system. The same will be >repeated in ControlSet001 and 002, so I can't even repair using those. > >So there...whatcha think of THAT! > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 11:21 am Posted by Aistis (3 messages posted) hy guys i have a problem about device manager look http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=devicemanager9sc.jpg, i deleted one file i guess when my doctor web found infected file and i deleted it and now when i run device manager i see blank screen http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=devicemanager9sc.jpg any ideas what i need to do? p.s can it be a problem that when my dr.web antivirus program found dll file and i deleted it thats why i cant see device manager? thanks [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: STILL No One Has the Real Answer!! Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 2:33 pm Posted by king_georgebush (1 messages posted) I read this whole thread messages and tried all solutions yet still my device manager is empty and my network is not connected. The only place I can see my devices is under Safe Mode, but no use as devices not activated there. These days Its incredible for ordinary people to suffer such anxieties and time wastage using computers, despite the promises of technology. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager How I fixed it (New Info) Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 2:36 pm Posted by Sepulchre (1 messages posted) I was Having the same problem everyone else was, Empty Device manager (among other related problems..Slow Folders, context menus etc.) I tried All of the fixes listed here and none of them worked for me. Then one time when I was in Safe Mode, I decided to check device manager there. My devices showed up, and one other interesting thing. Under the system devices tree there were 2 instances of "PnP BIOS Extension", one of which had (!) indicating a conflict. I disabled and uninstalled the conflicted instance and Viola! Everything was fixed! Hope this helps some of you who have tried all the other fixes with no luck. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager How I fixed it (New Info) Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 3:23 pm Posted by San (2 messages posted) In safe mode I could view the device manager which was a step forward, but i did not have the dulicapate. Unfortunately still got the problem. I wonder why there are so many different solutions for the problem that work for some and not others. On Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 2:36 pm, Sepulchre wrote: >I was Having the same problem everyone else was, Empty Device manager (among other >related problems..Slow Folders, context menus etc.) I tried All of the fixes listed >here and none of them worked for me. Then one time when I was in Safe Mode, I decided >to check device manager there. My devices showed up, and one other interesting thing. > Under the system devices tree there were 2 instances of "PnP BIOS Extension", one >of which had (!) indicating a conflict. I disabled and uninstalled the conflicted >instance and Viola! Everything was fixed! > >Hope this helps some of you who have tried all the other fixes with no luck. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749(Interesting Update) Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 7:37 pm Posted by Pete (1 messages posted) Finally after nearly a whole day I fixed this problem by removing said update. Just for fun I reinstalled it & everything was STILL OK. What gives? Possibly a virus or spyware I have prevoulsy deleted. On Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 5:13 pm, Monte wrote: >Ah yes, sorry about not mentioning Microsoft Update will continue to have a hissy >fit with this update uninstalled. I use the "notify only" option for MS Update, then >select "custom" every time I visit the update site. It still returns a big yellow >banner saying my system is missing a vital update, but I'd rather have access to >my system's internals. > >Given that KB905749 mainly addresses a *local* vulnerability in PnP, I'll accept >the risk of removing it. > >Slightly off topic... I've heard that MS is well aware that KB905749 has adversely >affected a LOT of Windows users. Let's hope they are busily rechecking their coding >on this one. If any MS reps are reading this, I'd be glad to provide whatever information >I can to help you get to the bottom of the issues with KB905749, if you haven't already >done so. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 7:59 pm Posted by thomas (1 messages posted) this all started I was on the net. after checking the add/remove programs window, 2 new spywares had been installed together at 3:50. i removed them and thought everything was ok till i tried to access the net. then after checking device manager, realised it was empty. after trying all your suggestions (much appreciated by the way), i'm going to scrap and start anew. death to spyware. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 10:40 pm Posted by JohnF (1 messages posted) Had the same thing on an XP computer I was working on this evening ... no Device Manager, modem stopped. Also installed, Ad-Aware, Spybot, MS AntiSpyware. The AproposFix.exe fixed it! MS is still coming up with notes about PeopleOnPage trying to install the Apropos software again, but your fix did it! Thanks! On Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 4:59 pm, John wrote: >I just had this problem with my XP Device Manager being blank. Removing KB05749 >didn't do the trick for me. The culprit in my case was a nasty adware that was installed >on my system. It's called apropos. Not sure how I got it. Probably some shareware >I installed had this adware included in the installation. Sneaky! It was constantly >popping up ads when I'd surf the net with IE. It drove me nuts! Adware and Seek >& Destroy couldn't see it. I finally found it was on my system using a trial version >of Spy Sweeper. I'd have Spy Sweeper remove it, but the darn thing would be back >again after the next reboot! I finally found a utility that removes apropos once >and for all at DSLReports.com, in this thread... > >http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 > >see the message by CalamityJane. It has the link to download the AproposFix and >installation instructions. The fix must be run in XP Safe Mode as apropos has registry >settings that allows itself to be reinstalled upon reboot. I think it evens runs >as a service. The fix worked great. Apropos is gone finally. And guess what? >My device manager is now showing everything again. >Before you run this apropos fix, I suggest downloading the trial version of Spy Sweeper >from www.webroot.com Do the system scan and it'll tell you if you have apropos >on your system. If you do, download and run that Aproposfix. > >Hope this helps... [Reply or follow-up to this message] Similar problem; previous suggestions not working Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 10:55 pm Posted by Jessie (1 messages posted) I'm thrilled to have found this thread because it means I'm not the only one experiencing this problem, but I'm still frustrated because the suggestions above haven't worked for me. My modem is listed as uninstalled; the device manager is empty except in safe mode; and only COM1 is listed, though my modem is supposedly in COM4. I'm on a Compaq Presario 7AP195 that originally had Windows 98 but was upgraded to XP Home about two years ago. The modem worked beautifully until yesterday evening, when I installed a wireless USB adaptor. The adaptor works & I can access a wireless network, but the modem is no more. If any Presario users have had this same problem, I'd love to hear your solutions! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Similar problem; previous suggestions not working Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 11:45 pm Posted by Aistis (3 messages posted) hy all i see that miracles happens in these days..............i deleted all files in a directory temporary internet files and BINGO device manager is working:)) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 21, 2005 at 6:11 am Posted by ananth (1 messages posted) I attempted all these options. the plug & play is automatic & running. i changed the permissions in registry for ENUM (but i got msg saying that all children under ENUM are not set) still i couldnt find any device. The problem is windows is identifying my iPOD thro USB but itunes is NOT identifying. In windows i could open iPOD in disk mode but itunes says 'ipod is not connected' can anybody resolve this problem. Thanks a lot, Ananth On Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at 10:46 pm, pradeep kumar moses wrote: >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 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager & no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections Monday, November 21, 2005 at 8:23 am Posted by Andrea C (5 messages posted) Well, I have been reading/trying/ everything so far written in this thread, going way back to last YEAR when it was originally posted. I am STILL not able to view anything in the device manager, or in the Network connections folders, YET I CAN access the net- and task manager shows my motorola cable modem as operational and working when I click on the "networking" tab in task manager. In SAFE MODE, I can view EVERYTHING in device manager and see no yellow errors, and AOL won't work either anymore- but in SAFE mode with network access- AOL starts and signs me in instantly. My network adapter is not being recognized either, but in safe mode it IS. I am now on day FOUR of this nightmare. I need help and will personally bribe you all with a nice gift to whoever can help me get back to where I should be with this brand new WinXP home ed HP computer! (SP2 installed) Thanks in advance to you all! Andrea C [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Try this then. Monday, November 21, 2005 at 11:36 am Posted by HarryA (1 messages posted) Check out the aproposfix.exe mentioned at http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 Worked for me! On Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 3:09 pm, Joe Sullivan wrote: >I've tried every single fix listed here. My Enum permissions were already set to >'full control' for system, and the 'plug and play' service was enabled and running. > > >My device manager is still empty. Does anyone have a fix for this problem that works? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 21, 2005 at 12:39 pm Posted by Paul Woollam (1 messages posted) i have now tried everything mentioned in this on-going drama. the reg fix, the pnp enable disable enable again, the apropos fix, the tune up tools reg fix, the security update removal (which i never had) and anything else mentioned. still i cannot see my device manager. i cant see my network connections and cannot connect to the internet using my wireles router which i know works as i am on another pc using it now! i have only been trying to fix it for 4 hours now so any help from anyone would be extremely gratefully recieved. the only thing i have done in last few days is updated itunes before it all went mad! i have even uninstalled itunes to see if that is what caused the problem...to no avail. as i say any help would be good...thanx On Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 7:59 pm, thomas wrote: >this all started I was on the net. after checking the add/remove programs window, >2 new spywares had been installed together at 3:50. i removed them and thought everything >was ok till i tried to access the net. then after checking device manager, realised >it was empty. after trying all your suggestions (much appreciated by the way), i'm >going to scrap and start anew. death to spyware. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 21, 2005 at 3:52 pm Posted by Andrea C (5 messages posted) Same here- except I am on day four now, and I CAN access the internet as long as I disable the firewall. I have totally ruined my virus softwrae somehow- Norton is acting even weirder then usual, they say UNINSTALL and REINSTALL but I can't uninstall it. Norton is the least of my worries right now- I want my device manager back and my network folder is still empty. I am able to access the internet, even though my cox cable modem icon is no longer there. But AOL won't work, when it starts I get errors. In safe mode I can see EVERYTHING again- except in the network folder- the COX icon is not there still, but in safe mode everything is listed in device manager. In safe mode, I am also able to start and use AOL. I can use outlook express for mail, too, but it isn't right to just leave my computer in this state of corruption, especially since it is a very new computer- and I want things right. I hate the thought of doing a system restore to factory status, I will lose so much and as I said I only just got this one in May- so everything is the way I want it in terms of what I have installed, my PSP, my tubes, graphics, everything- There MUST be a fix for this! The virus scanner shows no virus, and spy sweeper just finds some adware cookies, but pop up windows are still coming up which never happened before. There must be a way to explain the registry fix for the permissions, a little more detailed, as I am uncertain if when we ADD a new group and user are in the same STEP or in two steps, one after the other????? Please someone- another bribe coming at 'cha! I promise a nice lil gift sent via snail mail! Thanks in advance! Andrea On Monday, November 21, 2005 at 12:39 pm, Paul Woollam wrote: >i have now tried everything mentioned in this on-going drama. the reg fix, the pnp >enable disable enable again, the apropos fix, the tune up tools reg fix, the security >update removal (which i never had) and anything else mentioned. still i cannot see >my device manager. i cant see my network connections and cannot connect to the internet >using my wireles router which i know works as i am on another pc using it now! i >have only been trying to fix it for 4 hours now so any help from anyone would be >extremely gratefully recieved. the only thing i have done in last few days is updated >itunes before it all went mad! i have even uninstalled itunes to see if that is what >caused the problem...to no avail. as i say any help would be good...thanx > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager & no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections Monday, November 21, 2005 at 4:03 pm Posted by Taylor (1 messages posted) this is the exact problem i have right now. i'm getting so frustrated with it. i've tried everything! there's nothing in the device manager and nothing in the network connections window. but i have connection to the internet. i noticed this problem a day and a half ago. let me know if anyone has a solution! On Monday, November 21, 2005 at 8:23 am, Andrea C wrote: >Well, I have been reading/trying/ everything so far written in this > >thread, going way back to last YEAR when it was originally posted. I > >am STILL not able to view anything in the device manager, or in the > >Network connections folders, YET I CAN access the net- and task manager > >shows my motorola cable modem as operational and working when I click > >on the "networking" tab in task manager. > >In SAFE MODE, I can view EVERYTHING in device manager and see no yellow > >errors, and AOL won't work either anymore- but in SAFE mode with > >network access- AOL starts and signs me in instantly. > >My network adapter is not being recognized either, but in safe mode it > >IS. > >I am now on day FOUR of this nightmare. I need help and will > >personally bribe you all with a nice gift to whoever can help me get > >back to where I should be with this brand new WinXP home ed HP > >computer! (SP2 installed) > >Thanks in advance to you all! >Andrea C [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager & no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections Monday, November 21, 2005 at 7:55 pm Posted by MrCreosote (7 messages posted) I just ran into the same problem: empty Device manager and empty Network Connections. What is interesting is that this laptop (Toshiba) does not auto discover network computers - all other PCs in network do. Did the Permissions/enum thing and everything appeared OK. Didn't do the bad key thing yet or the XP upgrade thing yet. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager & no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections Monday, November 21, 2005 at 11:55 pm Posted by Aistis (3 messages posted) guys also try to go to add/remove programs and check suspiciuos programs that are used rarely and uninstall it...........i think that hepled me out [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:21 am Posted by Bob W. (1 messages posted) This fix worked for me too! Glad I kept reading through all the posts and trying them one by one. Hard to believe, this may be the first time in my life I was actually excited to find spyware on my system.... Then I felt the end could be in sight :) On Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 4:59 pm, John wrote: >I just had this problem with my XP Device Manager being blank. Removing KB05749 >didn't do the trick for me. The culprit in my case was a nasty adware that was installed >on my system. It's called apropos. Not sure how I got it. Probably some shareware >I installed had this adware included in the installation. Sneaky! It was constantly >popping up ads when I'd surf the net with IE. It drove me nuts! Adware and Seek >& Destroy couldn't see it. I finally found it was on my system using a trial version >of Spy Sweeper. I'd have Spy Sweeper remove it, but the darn thing would be back >again after the next reboot! I finally found a utility that removes apropos once >and for all at DSLReports.com, in this thread... > >http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 > >see the message by CalamityJane. It has the link to download the AproposFix and >installation instructions. The fix must be run in XP Safe Mode as apropos has registry >settings that allows itself to be reinstalled upon reboot. I think it evens runs >as a service. The fix worked great. Apropos is gone finally. And guess what? >My device manager is now showing everything again. >Before you run this apropos fix, I suggest downloading the trial version of Spy Sweeper >from www.webroot.com Do the system scan and it'll tell you if you have apropos >on your system. If you do, download and run that Aproposfix. > >Hope this helps... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 1:07 am Posted by marlon (153 messages posted) hi to all ... i tried all the suggestion above,,,but nothing seems to solve my empty device manager,,,, 1.i,d go to Enum,, followed the suggestion,,but i'm failed to correct my problem.. 2.i'd go to services.msc..and checked for the plug and play ,,but it was set on AUTOMATIC,,,and was started.. but only difference was,,,the STOP, AND START BUTTON,,WAS DISABLED,,,IS THERE ANY TO ENABLED IT,,,? 3.I'd boot it safe mode,,and device manager was not empty and no conflict to the installed driver.. 4,i'd uninstalled the microsoft update but nothing seems to happen.... the only thing that i'd do was i insall the rf online..by levelup...and it works fine,,,, any idea that help to my empty device manager..> thanksss [Reply or follow-up to this message] HAPPY DANCE_ oh yeah! It's FIXED for me! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:41 am Posted by Andrea C (5 messages posted) Well I went thru all the tips/tricks/advice/suggestions, too and I never thought to heed the advice to execute that apropos fix because it was never detected on my computer and I was running the virus software every hour practically trying to fix this device manager/missing network icons dilema, and I ran spyware too- at least 3 versions of various ones- again nothing showed up. I removed updates, no change- and then when I was at the end of my thoughts and ready to do factory restore, I said let me try that apropos fix- what harm can it do- if it isn't there- it isn't going to try and repair it- if it IS there, maybe something good will come from trying to fix it, right? Well, I booted up in safe mode- and ran the file- and as it was going thru it's thing- I noticed there was this one filename it removed called s2goin...exe and I recognized that title as it kept saying that was trying to access my computer- in a few different error messages that I had got recently. Well, when I had to reboot in normal mode when it was done doing it's "fix", I figured that there wouldn't be no change, I am so used to having nothing work at this point- LOL! But lo and behold, device manager is back to normal! The network icon in system tray with the red X is there, but I still can't see/find my cox cable icon in network folder. I will consider myself lucky right now to have most of everything back the way it should be though. I will work on the network folder later- and I am also showing errors in Norton as well, auto protect will not allow me to set it ON. I hope everyone reading this who's had no luck might also want to try that apropos fix, it is in this thread and there was a link for the file. THANKS to the person who posted it, I cannot say thank you enough, and I want to go back and find out who you are. I owe you a little present! Hugs to you all, Andrea C On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 1:07 am, marlon wrote: >hi to all ... >i tried all the suggestion above,,,but nothing seems to solve my empty device manager,,,, >1.i,d go to Enum,, followed the suggestion,,but i'm failed to correct my problem.. >2.i'd go to services.msc..and checked for the plug and play ,,but it was set on AUTOMATIC,,,and >was started.. >but only difference was,,,the STOP, AND START BUTTON,,WAS DISABLED,,,IS THERE ANY >TO ENABLED IT,,,? >3.I'd boot it safe mode,,and device manager was not empty and no conflict to the >installed driver.. >4,i'd uninstalled the microsoft update but nothing seems to happen.... >the only thing that i'd do was i insall the rf online..by levelup...and it works >fine,,,, >any idea that help to my empty device manager..> >thanksss [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - fixed by removing spyware Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:37 am Posted by shade (1 messages posted) I had the same problem on a Windows XP PC. Also the following: Opening My Computer took ages. Visiting a web page entered in the address bar took ages. Occasional crashes. No network connection showing in 'Network Connections' window. The PC had loads of spyware, but I had run Microsoft AntiSpyware, AdAware and Spybot, and the problem remained. I then tried Spyware Doctor, which found some extra things, removed them, said it would need to run again in safe mode, and removed some more. All problems now gone. The Spyware it found was: Block-Checker EliteBar MySearch Trojan.Delf.IT TargetSavers SahAgent AproposMedia (in a restore point) Trojan.Crypt.T (in a restore point) Common Components for 180Solutions items (but in a quarantine from another spyware scanner) I am surprised that Microsoft AntiSpyware missed so much, and impressed with Spyware Doctor. Unfortunately you now have to pay to get it to remove stuff, but you can do a scan for free. In future such cases I will be running Spyware Doctor and/or Webroot Spy Sweeper in addition to AdAware, Spybot & MS AntiSpyware. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - fixed by removing spyware Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:21 am Posted by Lou Kurrelmeyer (28 messages posted) Wow! This is a long running thread... It seems that anything that fouls up the registry will cause the Device Manager to show empty. Reading this whole enormous thread, I see groups of causes. 1) Installing a device which comes with bad registry entries (wrong Permissions). I see multiple examples of this, especially the Yamaha sound devices. 2) Not having the plug’n-play running. This does not foul up the registry so much as it keeps Windows from reading the registry. 3) Other creative ways of hosing up the registry, like Microsoft’s security update for Windows KB905749. 4) Spyway/Adware/Trojans which place deliberately corrupt entries in the registry to keep you from deleting them. If you see an empty Device Manager and… a) You just installed a new device—Check the Permissions in the registry for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum. If you get a message about not being able to change the permission of all of the sub nodes (children), see “b)” below. b) It is taking ages to display after clicking on My Computer, you can no longer see you “Local Area Network” connection when you display connections, you are seeing lots of pop-ups every time you access the Internet—Check for Spyware/Adware/Trojans. I think the Apropos family of Spyware is the cause, but there may be others. c) You don’t fall into the above two categories, make sure your Plug’n-Play service is running. d) Last choice seems to be removing Microsoft’s security update for Windows KB905749. My experience report: I checked my Plug’n-Play service and it was running. My HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum permissions were okay. It took me ages to look through them all, which I did because I got the message saying some of the children (sub nodes) could not be changed. I could not find any problems, but after right clicking the three gillionth entry I might have missed something. A word to the wise, don’t waste your time checking all of the permissions. Not being able to set them with the simple change-all-children approach is a symptom of another problem, not a problem in itself. I checked if I had Microsoft’s security update for Windows KB905749. I did. I removed it. This did not fix the problem either. I tried the free 30-day trial of the TuneUp Utilities. My registry is now 8mb smaller, and no longer has ~4,200 problems in it. Other than that, this did not fix anything. I looked in thread http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 and found the link to swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe. This fixed the problem. A few words on Apropos: Norton (Symantec) detected a variation of Apropos and could not remove it. I tried NoAdware, which claimed to find and remove it. I used the Symantec removal tool “FixAprop.exe”. It claimed to have found and removed the problem. This Spyware/Trojan/Adware is extremely stealthy, polymorphic (changes itself and finds a new hiding place), and extremely destructive. It appears to place intentionally corrupt entries in the registry. I assume this is so you can’t delete them using REGEDIT or REGEDIT32, neither of which can remove a corrupt directory entry. The author of aproposfix.exe who goes by the nic swandog46 came up with a very interesting approach to finding this extremely stealthy and hard to fix problem. He fires off a PING to IP 1.1.1.1 (non-existent), which makes apropos come out of hiding. He immediately starts grep-ing (text searching) the registry. If he hits on apropos, he exports the entire registry; fixes it; and imports the repaired version overwriting the corrupt registry that REGEDIT can’t fix directly—but can export and import. (This is a massive oversimplification of what that program does.) After aproposfix.exe fixed the problem I could set the authority on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum and all children with no error message. Below is the log I got as output from aproposfix.exe, which the author requests you post: Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Running from directory: C:\Download\aproposfix\aproposfix ************ Registry entries found: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CrTPtAH2JS79] @=" ntqFMPXYYXYYZYyBQM.MIXYYXnaY3tyy0YPVPQBJedYAOFSBOPYAOJSFOQ7ZPVP" "Device"="\\\\.\\NetpRpl" "DriverPath"="C:\\WINNT\\system32\\drivers\\drmvirta.sys" "DriverName"="PCIFips" "HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Hignents\\w3scoina.exe" "UninstallerPath"="C:\\WINNT\\system32\\faxinger.exe" "UninstallerRegKey"="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\{3282FFA8-E511-44E8-BF08-45540AD7CBF1}" "UninstallerParams"="/CTUN" "HDll"="C:\\WINNT\\system32\\cnvegobj.dll" "ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" "LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" "PartnerId"="CP.IST2" "InstallationId"="{X5712eb0-c117-6904-5bdd-e4720ea4d8c1}" "PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 "ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Hignents\\nmsakley.exe" ************ Removing hidden service: Service PCIFips removed. Removing hidden folder: Deletion of folder Hignents succeeded! Deleting files: Deletion of file C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\drmvirta.sys succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINNT\system32\infmgr32.exe succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINNT\system32\cnvegobj.dll succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINNT\system32\faxinger.exe succeeded! Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CrTPtAH2JS79] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CrTPtAH2JS79] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{3282FFA8-E511-44E8-BF08-45540AD7CBF1}] Done! Finished! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Trying to find this "apropo fix" Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:22 am Posted by MrCreosote (7 messages posted) looking... looking... looking... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: FIXED MINE! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:55 am Posted by MrCreosote (7 messages posted) SAFE MODE: Add/Remove: REMOVE THESE: Contextplus The Best Offers HiJackThis: couldn't see anything syspicious. REBOOT All Fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:56 pm Posted by Gary (1 messages posted) Please download AproposFix from here: >> swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe Save it to your desktop but do NOT run it yet. Reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following: 1) Restart your computer 2) After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon appears, press F8. 3) Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear 4) Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode. Once in Safe Mode, please double-click aproposfix.exe and unzip it to the desktop. Open the aproposfix folder on your desktop and run RunThis.bat. Follow the prompts. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - fixed by removing spyware Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 1:26 pm Posted by foxhop (1 messages posted) Kurrelmeyer I had the simliar problem with spyware. I fixed it due to your helpful post. I am very grateful! All other fixes didn't help fix 'My Computer' load time or the empty Device Manager. Seems this spyware put currupt regkeys into my registry and device manager couldnt load up. I also found some good software on the search for a fix. RootkitRevealer v1.56 Scan your system for rootkit-based malware Also I used AproposFix v1. Look below for results. Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Registry entries found: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] @="o24z4B3HIIHIIJI:TLr3:HIIHXKIrdiYjrnI9F9Az3ONIy8:Cz89I39A1yB36J9F9" "Device"="\\\\.\\i80Wmi" "DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\mstkdump.sys" "DriverName"="Tlnenum" "HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Xergroup\\vbssvpsp.exe" "HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mswppcmp.dll" "ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" "LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" "PartnerId"="CP.AOP2" "InstallationId"="{X4c6730f-3e88-5b2e-c181-b746b0e53c91}" "PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 "ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Xergroup\\qcacacls.exe" "AutoUpdater"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\lfiign32.exe" "Version"="2.0.128" "CrMnTmt"=dword:0036ee80 ************ Removing hidden service: Service Tlnenum removed. Removing hidden folder: Deletion of folder Xergroup succeeded! Deleting files: Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mstkdump.sys succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\lfiign32.exe succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\mswppcmp.dll succeeded! Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] Done! Thanks agian Kurrelmeyer and I hope this helps anybody in need! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager fix gives error box. Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 2:31 pm Posted by Evil Man (1 messages posted) When I try to follow this fix, the computer states, "Registry editor cannot set security in the key currently selected, or some of its subkeys." What should I do in this case? On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 2:34 pm Posted by Adrian (1 messages posted) Yea worked for me too, registry was ok, permissions were ok, downloaded aproposfix.exe, unpacked and ran in safe mode, voila, devices back and network back, I wonder where I got it from!! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:21 am, Bob W. wrote: >This fix worked for me too! Glad I kept reading through all the posts and trying >them one by one. Hard to believe, this may be the first time in my life I was actually >excited to find spyware on my system.... Then I felt the end could be in sight :) > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager fix gives error box. Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:06 pm Posted by Lou Kurrelmeyer (28 messages posted) Evil Man Your symptoms fit the category of the apropos Spyware/Virus. You might want to try the repair, documented above, using AproposFix. [Reply or follow-up to this message] thank you ,thank you...100x Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:31 pm Posted by marlon (153 messages posted) thank you so much for the guys who post and give the link,,,, for those who haven;t solve there problem,,try to download this and run it in SAFE MODE,,,, http://swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe .. ‡mAr ‡ [Reply or follow-up to this message] trouble downloading aproposfix !! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:44 pm Posted by Aron (7 messages posted) hello all, i have tried all of the suggestions, except aproposfix. when i go to the site to download, it appears to start downloading for a split second, then i get a msg that says "ie cannot download aproposfix. ie was unable to open this internet site. the requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. try again later" but i have been getting this for a few hours. any ideas? thanks in advance for your help On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:31 pm, marlon wrote: > >thank you so much >for the guys who post and give the link,,,, >for those who haven;t solve there problem,,try to download this and run it in SAFE >MODE,,,, > >http://swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe >.. >‡mAr ‡ [Reply or follow-up to this message] ARON!!! re: trouble downloading aproposfix !! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:52 pm Posted by Andrea C (5 messages posted) I would gladly send to you the fix file- but not allowed to send my email address, am I? I have it d/led to my desktop- and mind you the adware/spyware/virus software never found that issue but when I booted into safe mode and ran the fix, it worked, and now I have everything in device manager again, and in network folder, but it STILL will not show my cox high speed internet connection icon, any thoughts, anyone? I want to send the file fix thru, any suggestions how to share it, I will gladly send it in! Andrea ______________________________ On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 4:44 pm, Aron wrote: >hello all, i have tried all of the suggestions, except aproposfix. when i go to >the site to download, it appears to start downloading for a split second, then i >get a msg that says "ie cannot download aproposfix. ie was unable to open this >internet site. the requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. try >again later" but i have been getting this for a few hours. any ideas? thanks in >advance for your help > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - fixed by removing spyware Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 6:42 pm Posted by david_sim (1 messages posted) Hi, Where can i download the AproposFix v1? Please help me.....thanks On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 1:26 pm, foxhop wrote: >Kurrelmeyer > >I had the simliar problem with spyware. I fixed it due to your helpful post. I am >very grateful! > >All other fixes didn't help fix 'My Computer' load time or the empty Device Manager. > >Seems this spyware put currupt regkeys into my registry and device manager couldnt >load up. > >I also found some good software on the search for a fix. > >RootkitRevealer v1.56 >Scan your system for rootkit-based malware > >Also I used AproposFix v1. >Look below for results. > >Log of AproposFix v1 >************ >Registry entries found: > >[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] >@="o24z4B3HIIHIIJI:TLr3:HIIHXKIrdiYjrnI9F9Az3ONIy8:Cz89I39A1yB36J9F9" >"Device"="\\\\.\\i80Wmi" >"DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\mstkdump.sys" >"DriverName"="Tlnenum" >"HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Xergroup\\vbssvpsp.exe" >"HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mswppcmp.dll" >"ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" >"LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" >"PartnerId"="CP.AOP2" >"InstallationId"="{X4c6730f-3e88-5b2e-c181-b746b0e53c91}" >"PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 >"ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Xergroup\\qcacacls.exe" >"AutoUpdater"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\lfiign32.exe" >"Version"="2.0.128" >"CrMnTmt"=dword:0036ee80 > >************ > >Removing hidden service: >Service Tlnenum removed. > >Removing hidden folder: >Deletion of folder Xergroup succeeded! > >Deleting files: > >Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\mstkdump.sys succeeded! >Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\lfiign32.exe succeeded! >Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\mswppcmp.dll succeeded! > >Backing up files: >Done! > >Removing registry entries: > >REGEDIT4 > >[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] >[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C7XVEAvngNn5] > >Done! > >Thanks agian Kurrelmeyer >and I hope this helps anybody in need! > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Trying to find this "apropo fix" Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 7:15 pm Posted by mdoyle (2 messages posted) Below are the results I received from the Apropo fix. My Device Manager is still empty. Can anyone else help?? Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Running from directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\aproposfix\aproposfix ************ Registry entries found: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] @="fSnTagkEFFEFFGFD5L3qnoUEFFEUHFoafVgokF6C67w0LKFv5 9w56F.0 QIKLBG6C6" "Device"="\\\\.\\zr3pYVWC" "DriverName"="NAVBIOS" "UninstallerRegKey"="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\{759EF5D2-3A79-4D87-A93B-5913FCED8AE2}" "UninstallerParams"="/CTUN" "ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" "LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" "PartnerId"="CP.IST2" "InstallationId"="{X2b69dc1-061b-12e5-05e5-928450281f36}" "PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 "Version"="2.0.106" "LastAURestoreMsgTS"="2005:11:14-06:02:41:470" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD\AU2] "AP"="/DVNM=\"\\\\.\\zr3pYVWC\" /INSC=\"AU\"" ************ Removing hidden service: Service NAVBIOS removed. Removing hidden folder: No folder found! Deleting files: Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{759EF5D2-3A79-4D87-A93B-5913FCED8AE2}] Done! Finished! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:22 am, MrCreosote wrote: >looking... looking... looking... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Tried everything -- only one oddball thing did it Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:01 pm Posted by Fred Paskiewicz (1 messages posted) After going through almost every fix listed here, I just wanted to share with everyone what finally did it for me. I was about to run the AproposFix when I thought I'd take another look into my registry, particularly, the HKLM/Software. There I found, and forgive me for not writing it down, but it's easy to spot, was a folder label, something to the effect of C9239djhkh. Inside the folder it listed: Outpdate folder in C:\Programs t2eiplus.exe Windows/System32 sweparhm.sys Windows/System32 Cmdodisc.dll Window/System32 So I booted in SAFE MODE, went into the KLM/Software Folder, deleted the files in the directories it was referring too (including the folder in c:\programs\Outpdate\) and then deleted the entire C9239djhkh (Not exact name) Folder in the registry. Rebooted, and everything was absolutely normal again. I regained my Devices and Network windows. Hope it helps, Fred On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 7:15 pm, mdoyle wrote: >Below are the results I received from the Apropo fix. My Device Manager is still >empty. Can anyone else help?? > >Log of AproposFix v1 > >************ > >Running from directory: >C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Desktop\aproposfix\aproposfix > >************ > >Registry entries found: > >[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] >@="fSnTagkEFFEFFGFD5L3qnoUEFFEUHFoafVgokF6C67w0LKFv5 9w56F.0 QIKLBG6C6" >"Device"="\\\\.\\zr3pYVWC" >"DriverName"="NAVBIOS" >"UninstallerRegKey"="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\{759EF5D2-3A79-4D87-A93B-5913FCED8AE2}" >"UninstallerParams"="/CTUN" >"ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" >"LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" >"PartnerId"="CP.IST2" >"InstallationId"="{X2b69dc1-061b-12e5-05e5-928450281f36}" >"PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 >"Version"="2.0.106" >"LastAURestoreMsgTS"="2005:11:14-06:02:41:470" > >[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD\AU2] >"AP"="/DVNM=\"\\\\.\\zr3pYVWC\" /INSC=\"AU\"" > >************ > >Removing hidden service: >Service NAVBIOS removed. > >Removing hidden folder: >No folder found! > >Deleting files: > > >Backing up files: >Done! > >Removing registry entries: > >REGEDIT4 > >[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] >[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C6PO9AFsHNmD] >[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{759EF5D2-3A79-4D87-A93B-5913FCED8AE2}] > >Done! > >Finished! > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:19 pm Posted by O (1 messages posted) Wow this AproposFix really worked for me, i almost cant believe it. Thanks to all for your great help!!!! I tried everything and this was the only fix for me.. Once again thanks!!! O On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:56 pm, Gary wrote: >Please download AproposFix from here: > >>> swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe > >Save it to your desktop but do NOT run it yet. > >Reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following: >1) Restart your computer >2) After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon >appears, press F8. >3) Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear >4) Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode. > >Once in Safe Mode, please double-click aproposfix.exe and unzip it to the desktop. >Open the aproposfix folder on your desktop and run RunThis.bat. Follow the prompts. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:50 pm Posted by mdoyle (2 messages posted) i rerean the fix in safe mode again and below are the results. It appears that it did address the one issue but device manager is still empty. Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Running from directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.MICHMIKE\Desktop\aproposfix ************ Registry entries found: ************ No service found! Removing hidden folder: No folder found! Deleting files: Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 Done! Finished! I piped the output to a txt file. Below is what I received. Please be careful when using this batch! It should only be used under qualified supervision. Use at your own risk! This batch MUST be run in Safe Mode or it will not work! Please be patient while the batch runs. It may take some time. Swandog46 Press any key to continue . . . Pinging 1.1.1.1 with 32 bytes of data: Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Ping statistics for 1.1.1.1: Packets: Sent = 3, Received = 0, Lost = 3 (100% loss), Pinging 1.1.1.1 with 32 bytes of data: Request timed out. Request timed out. Ping statistics for 1.1.1.1: Packets: Sent = 2, Received = 0, Lost = 2 (100% loss), Finished! Please restart your computer in normal mode and post the contents of log.txt along with a new HijackThis log. Press any key to continue . . . On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:19 pm, O wrote: >Wow this AproposFix really worked for me, i almost cant believe it. Thanks to all >for your great help!!!! I tried everything and this was the only fix for me.. Once >again thanks!!! O > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:51 pm Posted by Ah (1 messages posted) Apropos worked for me as well. I guess the one positive out of all of this is that I found out about TuneUp utilities. My registry is certainly a lot sleeker now. Just a hunch, but I think the problem may be in internet explorer. For the longest time I had disabled: "enable third party browser extensions" but there were a couple of toolbars that I liked, so I clicked this box open. In fact a minute after I did this, my start page was hijacked...and of course now this. This one was hard to pinpoint because it was hard to tell whether it was a virus or just a bug in XP; clearly it's a virus. This is pure speculation but internet explorer settings could be the cause. Anyways, thanks for all the help in debugging. This was bugging me to no end! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:19 pm, O wrote: >Wow this AproposFix really worked for me, i almost cant believe it. Thanks to all >for your great help!!!! I tried everything and this was the only fix for me.. Once >again thanks!!! O > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Device manager empty, fixed! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:11 pm Posted by Ron (1 messages posted) Thanx for the aproposfix. Worked great ! On Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 4:16 am, Catherine wrote: > >Am testing all the suggested solutions here. >I got this problem after uninstalling Spybot S-D (Search & Destroy), downloaded from >www.download.com. I don't know if this program is related to the problem, though. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:35 pm Posted by jreese (1 messages posted) A very large thank you to whoever originally posted the link to the AproposFix. I have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person that goes through this crap. Step 1. ===== Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe Step 2. ===== Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. Step 3. ===== Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should be an account with Administor privledges. Step 4. ===== //For AproposFix.exe: Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer once you are prompted. //For AproposUninstaller.exe: Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal tool. Step 5. ===== Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware to help you stay protected against spyware. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. http://www.safer-networking.org/ http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:55 pm Posted by Beerinator (1 messages posted) THIS ROCKS IT WORKED FOR ME TOO. I tried everything else and this little program rocked it! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:51 pm, Ah wrote: >Apropos worked for me as well. I guess the one positive out of all of this is that >I found out about TuneUp utilities. My registry is certainly a lot sleeker now. > >Just a hunch, but I think the problem may be in internet explorer. For the longest >time I had disabled: "enable third party browser extensions" but there were a couple >of toolbars that I liked, so I clicked this box open. In fact a minute after I did >this, my start page was hijacked...and of course now this. This one was hard to >pinpoint because it was hard to tell whether it was a virus or just a bug in XP; >clearly it's a virus. This is pure speculation but internet explorer settings could >be the cause. > >Anyways, thanks for all the help in debugging. This was bugging me to no end! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Tried everything -- only one oddball thing did it Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 10:25 pm Posted by MrCreosote (7 messages posted) Everything Fixed.... but can't auto find printers Actually, it was trying to debug why XP wasn't automatically finding network printers that started this whole investigation. Well, I have Device Manager and Network Connections populated, but I'm not getting any "auto Printers" showing up. I've got the auto find set in Folders > Options. Registry NoNetCrawl is set to 0 so that shouldn't be it. I suspect I may still have more insideous spyware/adware mucking up my laptop. What is interesting is that the apropo dealt with contextplus which I found independently. Interesting. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: trouble downloading aproposfix !! Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:02 pm Posted by marlon (153 messages posted) try the ff. >www.swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe >http://www.swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe >http://swandog46.geekstogo. com/aproposfix.exe >swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe ....at first i also encountered that,,,i try the other,,but it works,,,,hope others work for you [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 5:34 am Posted by Aron (7 messages posted) does aproposfix work for w2k also? i don't see any similar postings under the w2k area, but this blank device mgr is the same problem i am having under w2k. Also, someone referred to "tuneup utilities" in the message above, how do i run those? thank you, aron On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:51 pm, Ah wrote: >Apropos worked for me as well. I guess the one positive out of all of this is that >I found out about TuneUp utilities. My registry is certainly a lot sleeker now. > >Just a hunch, but I think the problem may be in internet explorer. For the longest >time I had disabled: "enable third party browser extensions" but there were a couple >of toolbars that I liked, so I clicked this box open. In fact a minute after I did >this, my start page was hijacked...and of course now this. This one was hard to >pinpoint because it was hard to tell whether it was a virus or just a bug in XP; >clearly it's a virus. This is pure speculation but internet explorer settings could >be the cause. > >Anyways, thanks for all the help in debugging. This was bugging me to no end! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Apropos - does it work n w2k? Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 6:57 am Posted by Aron (7 messages posted) i downloaded it, but when i click on it to unzip, i get a windows error, doesnt seem to unzip anyway??? frustrated and i'm not gonna take it anymore. On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:55 pm, Beerinator wrote: > >THIS ROCKS IT WORKED FOR ME TOO. > >I tried everything else and this little program rocked it! > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Tried everything -- only one oddball thing did it Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:26 am Posted by Lou Kurrelmeyer (28 messages posted) The registry key you found looks like an apropos key, except you were able to delete it. The ones I have found are corrupt (intentionally I think). I wonder if the tool is missing some of the registry keys. It could be that the key you found was left over from a previous partial removal of the same spyware. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos - does it work n w2k? Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:33 am Posted by Lou Kurrelmeyer (28 messages posted) The file you downloaded is a self extracting ".rar" object. That is what the Unix folks use for ".zip" files. The person who wrote the code is definately a Unix programmer if you look at the code. I find I can unzip by right clicking on the aproposfix.exe and extracting with WinZip. There are four objects inside: grep.exe zip.exe sed.exe RunThis.bat Unzip the files to a new folder and run the ".bat". [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS - did NOT run correctly on my W2k OS Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 8:43 am Posted by Aron (7 messages posted) I have an empty device manager. I have tried every single idea on this thread and none of them work. The aproposs was my last try and it didn't seem to run. This could be because i have W2k (this is an XP solution) or another issue with my computer. Any new ideas welcome, thanks all for contributing. Aron On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:19 pm, O wrote: >Wow this AproposFix really worked for me, i almost cant believe it. Thanks to all >for your great help!!!! I tried everything and this was the only fix for me.. Once >again thanks!!! O > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS - did NOT run correctly on my W2k OS Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 9:11 am Posted by Lou Kurrelmeyer (28 messages posted) No matter what the cause, the problem is in your registry. a) Windows can't read it (serivce not running like plug and play) b) Error in registry (corruption, virus, authority problem. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 12:02 pm Posted by benny (1 messages posted) God Bless Whoever posted the apropos fix!!! I was recently bombarded by spyware, worms, and virii, and this was the last thing i couldn't fix! Now my computer is running better than ever!! Thank you to EVERYONE who takes the time out to help!! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:55 pm, Beerinator wrote: > >THIS ROCKS IT WORKED FOR ME TOO. > >I tried everything else and this little program rocked it! > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device manager, nothing so far has worked Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 12:55 pm Posted by Jay (1 messages posted) aproposfix worked great, didn't want to reformat , but I still can not figure out how it got on THANKS On Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 11:58 am, Brina wrote: >I had the same problem on a clients computer. I found a solution that actually worked >on Microsofts website. Here is the link- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 > > Now everything is showing up in device manager. Hope this helps! > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Re: AproposFix.exe... Thank You Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 3:38 pm Posted by astronke (1 messages posted) Step 1. ===== Download the file to remove Apropos to your Desktop. http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe Step 2. ===== Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. Step 3. ===== Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should be an account with Administor privledges. Step 4. ===== //For AproposFix.exe: Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer once you are prompted. //the syamntec cleaner doesn't do much a waste of time use a trial spy sweeper does the job. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Tried everything -- ANOTHER TWIST - WORKED FOR ME!!! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 4:09 pm Posted by scott (1 messages posted) Thanks for the idea.. I had the following symptoms - no devices listed in device manager. Could not restore to checkpoint. Finally I booted in safe mode and while in safe mode I WAS able to restore to a checkpoint. Finally after 10+ hours. On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 8:01 pm, Fred Paskiewicz wrote: >After going through almost every fix listed here, I just wanted to share with everyone >what finally did it for me. > >I was about to run the AproposFix when I thought I'd take another look into my registry, >particularly, the HKLM/Software. There I found, and forgive me for not writing it >down, but it's easy to spot, was a folder label, something to the effect of C9239djhkh. >Inside the folder it listed: > >Outpdate folder in C:\Programs >t2eiplus.exe Windows/System32 >sweparhm.sys Windows/System32 >Cmdodisc.dll Window/System32 > >So I booted in SAFE MODE, went into the KLM/Software Folder, deleted the files in >the directories it was referring too (including the folder in c:\programs\Outpdate\) >and then deleted the entire C9239djhkh (Not exact name) Folder in the registry. > >Rebooted, and everything was absolutely normal again. I regained my Devices and Network >windows. > >Hope it helps, >Fred > > > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Tried everything -- ANOTHER TWIST - WORKED FOR ME!!! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 4:43 pm Posted by Sian Jones (1 messages posted) ***************Please Read******************* I have now spent two days trying to fix my computer. I have trawled through what feels like hundred of forums and millions of tips. What happened was: Network connections folder was empty Device manager was empty Safely remove hardware and network connections have disappeared from next to my computer. What I did was use add/remove to delete ContextPlus from my system rebooted and everything was fine. This is quick and simple even for newbies and always a good place to start. I would like to thank MrCreosote http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1051715405 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!!GREAT!!! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 5:48 pm Posted by Rodney Maag (1 messages posted) Thank you very very much!!! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:56 pm, Gary wrote: >Please download AproposFix from here: > >>> swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe > >Save it to your desktop but do NOT run it yet. > >Reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following: >1) Restart your computer >2) After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon >appears, press F8. >3) Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear >4) Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode. > >Once in Safe Mode, please double-click aproposfix.exe and unzip it to the desktop. >Open the aproposfix folder on your desktop and run RunThis.bat. Follow the prompts. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!!GREAT!!! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:08 pm Posted by GP (2 messages posted) Genius, thank you very much for the help.......genius [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:20 pm Posted by robert240 (1 messages posted) I love you!!! Praise be to G-d! AproposFix worked on my partners laptop LIKE A CHARM!!! We tried everything else. I will worship you forever! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:35 pm, jreese wrote: >A very large thank you to whoever originally posted the link to the AproposFix. I >have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, >slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 >hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with >Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this crap. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager - fixed by removing apropos Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 8:01 pm Posted by julie (1 messages posted) THANKS to all who suggested apropos.fix. This worked for me also. One day I tried to connect to the internet using dial up and I got a no dial tone error. When I went to device manager to troubleshoot, I was shocked to find it empty (no system name--nothing!). I also had Trojan.crypt.t on my computer. Avast! Antivirus (free) took care of it. My log from Aproposfix.exe: Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Running from directory: C:\Documents and Settings\julie\Desktop\aproposfix ************ Registry entries found: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C0PgnAHmhUsD] "Device"="\\\\.\\NpftMgr" "DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\secnetbt.sys" "DriverName"="asc910u" "HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Sonnnect\\gputinit.exe" "HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\elstray2.dll" "ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" "LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" "PartnerId"="WB.OLD" "InstallationId"="{X1626cb7-dfe6-4a8d-d2ce-a4c64557793c}" "PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 "ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Sonnnect\\clbelnic.exe" "AutoUpdater"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\crydbg32.exe" "Version"="2.0.128" @="FXHskjZfggfgghg2UKY1LWfggfvigB\\2w3B7gXdXYJRmlgIWNaJWXgXJHSJYGYhXdX" "CrMnTmt"=dword:0036ee80 ************ Removing hidden service: Service asc910u removed. Removing hidden folder: Deletion of folder Sonnnect succeeded! Deleting files: Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\secnetbt.sys succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\crydbg32.exe succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\elstray2.dll succeeded! Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\C0PgnAHmhUsD] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\C0PgnAHmhUsD] Done! Finished! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 9:39 pm Posted by Diane (1 messages posted) After spending an hour with Dell support and a couple more with Microsoft with no results, I followed your instructions using AproposFix.exe. Thank you so very much! In less than a minute, the problem was fixed and device manager came back. I had tried the Symantec uninstaller earlier with the Microsoft tech but it did not fix the problem. Thanks again! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:35 pm, jreese wrote: >A very large thank you to whoever originally posted the link to the AproposFix. I >have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, >slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 >hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with >Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this crap. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button [Reply or follow-up to this message] Thank You Everyone!!!!!! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 10:55 pm Posted by Motown_Mike (1 messages posted) I have to thank everyone who took time and patients with all the tips tricks and suggestions finally fixed with apropros also learned a heckof alot along the way a true genuine thanx and Happy Holidays On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: still problematic.. even in safe mode Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 12:10 am Posted by bla bla (3 messages posted) hi... It's not ovet yet! plz try and help.... im STILL having this problem! tried everything and nothing helps.. even that last aporos fix.. just dont have that spyware on my computer... and the thing i see that everyone else doesn't have is that when i boot into SAFE MODE i still CAN'T see anything in device manager... its also messed up there.. so i guess that y every soulotion mentioned here didnt work for me (and for couple more guys).. im bagging for help... :P have this problem for almost 6 months.. thx ahead, Shai On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 10:55 pm, Motown_Mike wrote: > >I have to thank everyone who took time and patients with all the tips tricks and >suggestions finally fixed with apropros also learned a heckof alot along the way >a true genuine thanx and Happy Holidays > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] APROPOS WORKED Like a Charm!!! thumbs up!!! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 7:27 am Posted by malik (1 messages posted) apropos worked like a charm.. Thanks a lot for the help.!!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED 100%!! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 8:40 am Posted by Monie (1 messages posted) Yea i'm having the same trouble, its especially affected the wireless network etc. Is it likely to get addressed with any future windows update, or else if i used an XP-CD, how would i know what to re-install or fix, its all a bit beyond me at tbhis point, i've only managed the fix by your walk-through guide (ta very much btw:) On Friday, January 14, 2005 at 5:04 pm, Flo wrote: >Hi, I had the same problem for the last few days, but I've finally found the solution >to the problem. I think this is definitely a glitch in the Win XP OS because we all >came across the same problem through different actions. I wasn't installing any new >software, hardware, or was even on the internet, for that matter. All I did was scan >for adware and viruses and BAM! -- it happened. > > The root of the problem is that for some reason Win XP thinks it'd be funny to >disable all the services that make up the backbone of the OS, which is why Windows >XP suddenly has no ability to connect to any hardware or that it looks like Windows >2000 and not the sleek XP. And what's really annoying about this glitch is that it >erases all the system restore points you ever saved in the past, so there's no way >you can ever go back to normal. As some people mentioned in previous posts, yes, >Plug and Play was disabled, but you can't fix this problem through the BIOS Setup >Screen because Win XP has its own way of enabling P&P, for some stupid annoying reason. > > So how to fix this damn problem... Go to START --> RUN --> "services.msc" (sans >quotes). Here is a list of all the services that XP disabled on its own. Go through >it an enable all of them (some you can skip if you know you won't use it) and don't >forget to start them as well, or else they won't work. (right click on service-->"start") > > I have all of hardware back, including sound, and Win XP looks sleek and nice >again, but there are still problems here and there. First of all, you'll never get >those system restore points back because Win XP is a jackass. Second of all, I'm >having trouble starting my firewall or connecting to the internet (wi-fi, 56k), but >I don't know if that's because I'm not at my house where I have LAN, or if I need >to re-install some applications or services from my recovery disk. And finally, there >are still some services that after enabled cannot be started for some odd reason. >Windows error says that the device or service connected to the said service is not >enabled, but that doesn't make sense since I've enabled all of them, so there are >still glitches in the system. > >I hope this helped some, and if anyone can figure out the rest of the glitches, please >reply! Thanks. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Glad to see that apropos fix is working for so many! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 8:43 am Posted by John (2 messages posted) I originally posted in this thread about the apropos fix last Saturday after that fix solved my blank device manager issue, as well as get rid of all the annoying pop-up ads. My system also seems to be running faster after that apropos spyware was removed. I'm so glad to see that fix has also worked for many others. I had no idea this apropos spyware was so widespread. Whoever is responsible for apropos should be thrown in jail! Causing PC's to malfunction by deliberately corrupting the registry certainly sounds like a crime in my book. It's certainly created a lot of headaches and wasted hours trying to fix all the problems it caused. And now we have legitimate companies like Sony also messing with our registries and planting hidden rootkits just to prevent us from ripping music cd's we buy. That Sony rootkit reports back to Sony about the music we're playing on our PC's. And they have the nerve to say that isn't spyware? I'll definitely never be buying another Sony music cd again. Sorry for the rant.... :) Happy Thanksgiving everyone! On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED 100%!! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 9:03 am Posted by chris (1 messages posted) ok for everyone i have tried everything for an issue 2 make this work the ultimate fixer, go to start>control panel> add or remove> remve context plus for some reason this program is blocking your device manager fromworking but this will fix right off the top [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 2:05 pm Posted by David Sharp (1 messages posted) Aproposfix.exe worked for me: Log of AproposFix v1 ************ Running from directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Sharp\Desktop\aproposfix ************ Registry entries found: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CpTQ2AEsHQ99] @="NFCtt:5cddcdded4EUWJKFcddcsfd8y:t084dUaUVGOjidFTKXGTUdUYGWUDFeUaU" "Device"="\\\\.\\Scsuhid" "DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\sweusbd.sys" "DriverName"="ldaDDNT" "HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Lx_der 5\\cabesnpn.exe" "UninstallerPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mtxgrcoi.exe" "UninstallerRegKey"="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\\{FE938507-76F9-4DCA-A689-5B8E8FEAE0D6}" "UninstallerParams"="/CTUN" "HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\xol32_32.dll" "ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net" "LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html" "PartnerId"="CP.IST2" "InstallationId"="{X8da5bce-3b48-77f8-d9c7-795798d3e77a}" "PageFiltering"=dword:00000001 "CrMnTmt"=dword:0036ee80 ************ Removing hidden service: Service ldaDDNT removed. Removing hidden folder: Deleting files: Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\sweusbd.sys succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\lmrvcp70.exe succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\xol32_32.dll succeeded! Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\mtxgrcoi.exe succeeded! Backing up files: Done! Removing registry entries: REGEDIT4 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CpTQ2AEsHQ99] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CpTQ2AEsHQ99] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{FE938507-76F9-4DCA-A689-5B8E8FEAE0D6}] Done! Finished! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Glad to see that apropos fix is working for so many! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 2:28 pm Posted by Michael (2 messages posted) I am a normal computer person without great knowledge of how to get into the guts of a computer. I am also having problems with the empty device manager and no system restore capabilities. Will there be a patch or something put out by microsoft windows for the many people who don't know how to fix our own computers? I need to get back and running. I am on AOL 8.0 but my security AOL 9.0 won't work. What is going to happen with technical support - any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm Posted by Girsh (1 messages posted) Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 5:01 pm Posted by Michael (2 messages posted) It worked. Thanks so much. Michael On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm, Girsh wrote: >Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue >is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: FIXED MINE FINALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 7:37 pm Posted by richardk (4 messages posted) My AOL would not work after Monday. It kept saying I needed to add new software. After countless hours I found this website. Best advice was here. There is a real bad adware from adchannel out there. Went into safe mode went to regedit.exe and found this @ HKLM/Software: COTO7A3NKV89. I tried to delete it 3 times and no luck as each time it came back. Then I read in these threads to do a system restore in SAFE MODE. I went back to Oct. 1 and now my device manager is back. I deleted AOL, then reinstalled it and now I am back on the net. You need to be real carfeul out there! Good Luck, and thank you for this website! On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 11:55 am, MrCreosote wrote: >SAFE MODE: > Add/Remove: REMOVE THESE: > Contextplus > The Best Offers > > HiJackThis: couldn't see anything syspicious. > >REBOOT > >All Fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 10:27 pm Posted by Ron (1 messages posted) Girsh - Did as you said - DONE! All devices restored. Thank you, saved my holiday weekend! - Ron On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm, Girsh wrote: >Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue >is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Glad to see that apropos fix is working for so many! Friday, November 25, 2005 at 7:38 am Posted by elliot (1 messages posted) Just to note that I just solved the device mgr. problem through use of the apropos.fix. Also, this got my scanner to start working, which had been shown as not having a connection to the computer. Thank you to all involved in this process. On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 2:28 pm, Michael wrote: >I am a normal computer person without great knowledge of how to get into the guts >of a computer. I am also having problems with the empty device manager and no system >restore capabilities. > >Will there be a patch or something put out by microsoft windows for the many people >who don't know how to fix our own computers? I need to get back and running. I >am on AOL 8.0 but my security AOL 9.0 won't work. What is going to happen with technical >support - any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: context plus removal worked! thanks Friday, November 25, 2005 at 12:12 pm Posted by samantha (1 messages posted) hi guys, got the wonderful empty device manager yesterday, after not really doing anything at all to trigger it off. all hardware was non-existant, but suprisingly the sound was still going. anyway, i found this awesome forum and after trying everything from tampering with the registry, to removing the kb905749 update, nothing worked. it turns out all i needed to do was delete contextplus!! i dont know why this did it, as it had been in my system for a while but nothing had happened. so THANK YOU for all the help, and thanks especially to grish for supplying the answer. ..... and once again my favourite oxymoron comes to fruition: MICROSOFT WORKS!!!! bloody microsoft, picking on defenceless 16yo computer nerds. cheers! = ) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: APROPOS fix worked fine for me!!! Details inside..... Friday, November 25, 2005 at 2:40 pm Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) This didnt work for me. I also have the scanner problem with this computer. The scanner works with another computer. The lag when I open "my computer" and IE goes away if I disable the WIA service. My device Manager is still blank. Tried everything thats mentioned here, even the Aproposfix. I dont really want to rebuild. Any other ideas? guys? On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:55 pm, Beerinator wrote: > >THIS ROCKS IT WORKED FOR ME TOO. > >I tried everything else and this little program rocked it! > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager & no LAN or Highspeed Connections displayed anymore in the Network Connections Friday, November 25, 2005 at 3:09 pm Posted by G Will (1 messages posted) The following forum solved my problem. http://forums.techguy.org/history/t-418251.html On Monday, November 21, 2005 at 11:55 pm, Aistis wrote: >guys > >also try to go to add/remove programs and check suspiciuos programs that are used >rarely and uninstall it...........i think that hepled me out [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out Friday, November 25, 2005 at 4:46 pm Posted by David (1 messages posted) Thanks - that nailed it! Looks like this is a new solution. Context Plus is crapware anyway. Thanks! On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm, Girsh wrote: >Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue >is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Re: AproposFix.exe... Thank You Friday, November 25, 2005 at 5:20 pm Posted by Marty (1 messages posted) wow.. After days of a slow, laggy computer without device manager or network connections showing, with it cutting off all the time, and with no solution tried that works, I found this one.. And it does indeed work.. I noticed my system was much faster and acted normal. The missing files all returned and it simply works. How weird is it that a little file fixes something Norton, Adaware, Spy Sweeper and a bunch of others don't fix.. Whoever wrote the fix should apply for a job at one of the software companies who are supposed to be protecting us.! And we really need someone who can figure out where this stuff comes from? So we can sue the bastards who make this stuff and put a stop to them.. Marty On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 3:38 pm, astronke wrote: > >Step 1. >===== >Download the file to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//the syamntec cleaner doesn't do much a waste of time use a trial spy sweeper does >the job. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, November 25, 2005 at 6:39 pm Posted by Andrew (2 messages posted) Did you get a resolution to this? I am in the exact same situation, IPOD recognized by computer, I can surf the IPOD through explorer and see the photos on it, etc... but itunes doesn't recognize it. Apple says it is due to empty Device Manager. I've got the exact same situation you mention below about PNP already running, in auto mode... and re-setting permissions. For me, when I try to check the second box on the advanced tab, it tells me that you can't set permisions for all children or something to that effect. On Monday, November 21, 2005 at 6:11 am, ananth wrote: >I attempted all these options. >the plug & play is automatic & running. >i changed the permissions in registry for ENUM (but i got msg saying that all children >under ENUM are not set) > >still i couldnt find any device. > >The problem is windows is identifying my iPOD thro USB but itunes is NOT identifying. >In windows i could open iPOD in disk mode but itunes says 'ipod is not connected' >can anybody resolve this problem. > >Thanks a lot, >Ananth > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Friday, November 25, 2005 at 9:09 pm Posted by Andrew (2 messages posted) Ditto!!!! After several hours of playing with PNP settings, playing with regedit and permissions on HKLM ENUM, finally tried this and found that it was APROPOS all along! For those people that have posted that they would like to bestow violence upon Bill Gates, forget that, get me the person that wrote and released the Apropos virus and to quote Pulp Fiction, "I'll get Medieval on his ass!". Thanks everyone for the posting and solution. On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:35 pm, jreese wrote: >A very large thank you to whoever originally posted the link to the AproposFix. I >have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, >slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 >hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with >Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this crap. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 5:23 am Posted by Tim (1 messages posted) Just a quick thanks...Ive tried everything I could but nothing worked. I had 2 customers this week with this same problem. AproposFix did the jod. Thx bro !!!! Great contribution On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:20 pm, robert240 wrote: >I love you!!! Praise be to G-d! AproposFix worked on my partners laptop LIKE A >CHARM!!! We tried everything else. I will worship you forever! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Apropos modem problem Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 7:57 am Posted by Jess (1 messages posted) The apropos fix worked great for me. I have everything back in device manager. I can see my modem but when I try to connect it does not dial. It is on com 3 but in device manager in the ports section there is only com 1 and lpt listed. I have uninstalled, reinstalled and the computer finds it right off the bat. I am at a loss of what to try next. Any help would certainly be appreciated. [Reply or follow-up to this message] device manager problem Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 8:58 am Posted by Karthik (1 messages posted) hi everyone i am working with microsoft as a tech support person and need to have some information from you all in order to get a complete fix for this problem can you all tell wheather you are using any version of aol browser especially version 9.0 the security edition as many of the customers are having problems with deviec manager and we doing a great research on this issue and your information will be of a great help [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Sunday, November 27, 2005 at 9:16 pm Posted by charliezim (1 messages posted) Robert240 - you are a legend, Thankyou for putting the AproposFix onto your server, manage to download and fix the problem on my Laptop. You all are awsome - Thank you All Charlie On Wednesday, November 23, 2005 at 7:20 pm, robert240 wrote: >I love you!!! Praise be to G-d! AproposFix worked on my partners laptop LIKE A >CHARM!!! We tried everything else. I will worship you forever! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] HELP! I still have no icon for my high speed internet connection Monday, November 28, 2005 at 5:16 am Posted by Andrea C (5 messages posted) The apropos fix almost everything for me, too, and I am very grateful to you John for all your help. I was wondering if anyone is still having trouble with their network connections/places folder still? I see the basic stuff is back there, but my high speed internet access from Com.net is no longer there. Yet I am connecting just fine and it is working perfectly. I used to have an icon in the network folder for my high speed connection and I could right click on it, and see "status", and "repair", etc.. and that came in handy for me to be able to check the status of the connection. Any ideas? I've already reinstalled the software like a thousand times! The Motorola Cable Modem IS showing up in device manager also. Thanks everyone. Huge hugs and mega thanks, Andrea C in RI Connors21atcox.net [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 28, 2005 at 2:33 pm Posted by Mark (1 messages posted) I had a friend who had lost the ability to connect to the 'net via dialup. On investigation their device manager appeared empty. Booting in safe mode showed it to be populated. A couple of conflicts, nothing major. Everything that was tried including removing recent security updates failed to resolve the problem. I installed Spyware Doctor and scanned in safe mode. This found all kinds of things the MS spyware beta and Norton Anti-Virus missed. After removing the offending nasties, the pc was rebooted, they were able to connect to the 'net and I got a free dinner! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, November 28, 2005 at 5:52 pm Posted by mattyb (1 messages posted) Spyware seems to be the issue for a large number of people, including myself with a now fine system. Just posted this where I found the fix on annoyances.org so I would try this if you are having the problems. I have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person that goes through this ****. Step 1. ===== Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe Step 2. ===== Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. Step 3. ===== Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should be an account with Administor privledges. Step 4. ===== //For AproposFix.exe: Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer once you are prompted. //For AproposUninstaller.exe: Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal tool. Step 5. ===== Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware to help you stay protected against spyware. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyI...a9671&displaylang=en You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. http://www.safer-networking.org/ http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69...bj=dlpage&tag=button On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at 2:41 am Posted by Bob (7 messages posted) I've tried AproposFix as recommended in the forum following the instructions carefully. However when I activate the Run This.bat I get a registry Editor message: "Cannot export software.txt: error writing the file. There may be a disk or file system error" I've got no idea what this means or what to do about it. Any suggestions? Also, how do I uninstall KB905749? (Step by step instruction please) On Monday, November 28, 2005 at 5:52 pm, mattyb wrote: >Spyware seems to be the issue for a large number of people, including myself with >a now fine system. Just posted this where I found the fix on annoyances.org so I >would try this if you are having the problems. I have worked on this problem of a >corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, slow response times from Windows >Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 hours and this has finally fixed >the issue. I previously scanned the system with Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and >Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this ****. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyI...a9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69...bj=dlpage&tag=button > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at 3:49 am Posted by Bob (7 messages posted) Disregard my previous. I managed to muddle through uninstall of KB905749 update and I now have my Device Manager filled with wonderous info. On Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at 2:41 am, Bob wrote: >I've tried AproposFix as recommended in the forum following the instructions carefully. >However when I activate the Run This.bat I get a registry Editor message: > >"Cannot export software.txt: error writing the file. There may be a disk or file >system error" > >I've got no idea what this means or what to do about it. > >Any suggestions? > >Also, how do I uninstall KB905749? (Step by step instruction please) > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solved The Device Manager Crap In A Sec Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at 4:59 pm Posted by David (2 messages posted) This Is Soo damn crappy! i bloody wasted days n hours n brainwashed my head thinking how to get my device manager back, searched the whole internet database, came to this forum tried every damn solution posted in here, NOTHING WORKED! thanks to the 'SPYWARE' postings that rang up an idea in my head, i disabled norton, i closed Microsoft Anti-Spyware, i shutdown ZONE ALARM! and then i right-clicked my computer--> clicked properties--->Hardware--->Device manager, & VOILA! THERE IT WAS !! then i enabled norton, device manager was still working, then i opened MS Antispyware, it still worked, n when i started ZONE ALARM, device manager disappeared again, & THATS WHEN I FOUND WHERE THE SHIT WAS LYING ! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solved The Device Manager Crap In A Sec Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at 9:19 pm Posted by meakin (2 messages posted) my pc was recently under a virus attack ,now it is cleaned but plug andplay services are not starting up, it says "the path cannot be found" please help me on this issue On Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at 4:59 pm, David wrote: >This Is Soo damn crappy! i bloody wasted days n hours n brainwashed my head thinking >how to get my device manager back, searched the whole internet database, came to >this forum tried every damn solution posted in here, NOTHING WORKED! thanks to the >'SPYWARE' postings that rang up an idea in my head, i disabled norton, i closed Microsoft >Anti-Spyware, i shutdown ZONE ALARM! and then i right-clicked my computer--> clicked >properties--->Hardware--->Device manager, & VOILA! THERE IT WAS !! then i enabled >norton, device manager was still working, then i opened MS Antispyware, it still >worked, n when i started ZONE ALARM, device manager disappeared again, & THATS WHEN >I FOUND WHERE THE SHIT WAS LYING ! [Reply or follow-up to this message] Using APROPOS fix question Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 12:08 am Posted by Roy Heyes (1 messages posted) Can anyone please advise. At the end of running APSOPOS an instructions says POST THE CONTENTS OF LOG.TXT ALONG WITH A NEW HIJACKTHIS LOG. What in simple language does this mean [Reply or follow-up to this message] Registry Scrubbers For the Win. Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 12:59 pm Posted by George (1 messages posted) Using a registry cleaning program (Such as Clean My PC Registry Cleaner, which is not free, I will point out) did a bang up job on cleaning it out. It seems like there are two problem groups here. An error caused by the Microsoft KB fix, and another caused by Apropos and/or some other nasty adware bugs. I got this on a computer that had some real nasty ones but couldn't figure out why. Finally just used a registry scrubber to see what it did, low and behold, it removed the entries, and now I can access the internet on said laptop so I can download updates for the spyware cleanup tools. If you don't have the KB in question installed, and you're lacking network connections and such, I strongly suggest trying a registry scrubber. It may not work after reboot, but it will at least give you a chance. RegScrubXP should be free and might work. Anyways, thanks to all of you who helped me figure out where to aim my death rays on this one. [Reply or follow-up to this message] The Ultimate Answer: Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 1:17 pm Posted by Miles Prower (2 messages posted) The Ultimate Answer: .. wipe the pc and stick linux on it. Problem Solved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 6:50 pm Posted by Jennifer (3 messages posted) If you still cannot get your device manager after following all the steps provided by others, i would suggest you better reset your computer to factory setting, which means reformat the whole PC again. Please bear in mind to backup whatever you have in your drive before reformatting everything. If not after reformatting, you will never get to see your file again. Then don't blame me for not reminding you to backup your important files.Need anymore help, reply my message and send me your e-mail address so that i can reply you as soon as possible. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 8:00 pm Posted by meakin (2 messages posted) thanx but no thanks jennifer, formatting is a job for a layman not for an engineer, i have found a solution by modifying the registry values meakin On Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 6:50 pm, Jennifer wrote: > > >If you still cannot get your device manager after following all the steps provided >by others, i would suggest you better reset your computer to factory setting, which >means reformat the whole PC again. Please bear in mind to backup whatever you have >in your drive before reformatting everything. If not after reformatting, you will >never get to see your file again. Then don't blame me for not reminding you to backup >your important files.Need anymore help, reply my message and send me your e-mail >address so that i can reply you as soon as possible. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749(Interesting Update) Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 8:08 pm Posted by Kenneth Hedges (1 messages posted) After I tried every spyware/adware remover, ENUM permissions, and regsvr32 dmocx.dll, removing KB905749 worked for me also! However, for goofs, I reinstalled it when MS autoupdate insisted on it and it broke Device Manager again. Re-removed it and Device Manager was OK. This is definitley something people who can't get anything else to work need to try! Thanks to all who helped by providing input here and on other sites! On Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 7:37 pm, Pete wrote: >Finally after nearly a whole day I fixed this problem by removing said update. Just >for fun I reinstalled it & everything was STILL OK. What gives? Possibly a virus >or spyware I have prevoulsy deleted. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, December 2, 2005 at 6:33 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) So what's your solution then ???????? what values did you change? On Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 8:00 pm, meakin wrote: > >thanx but no thanks jennifer, formatting is a job for a layman not for an engineer, >i have found a solution by modifying the registry values >meakin > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, December 2, 2005 at 5:30 pm Posted by Jennifer (3 messages posted) Hi, F15hii Why i request formatting the whole system is because i had used all available resources on my notebook already and it seemed that there is no changes at all. I tried using msconfig and also regedit and nothing seemed to helped me get back my device manager. My problem might be different from others. When you plug a thumb drive into your computer and when you wanted to remove it, you need to click on the small little green thing at the bottom right side of the taskbar right? But mine notebook don't have this little device. It seemed to disappear and when i check my other devices, the device manager shows nothing at all, juz a blank page. So i called IBM and they instruct me to reformat everything because i had used all alternative means. Anyway are you trying to insult all engineers? I am a networking engineer. And due to using up all alternative means and ways, the final way to get your device manager back is to reset to factory setting. On Friday, December 2, 2005 at 6:33 am, F15hii wrote: > >So what's your solution then ???????? what values did you change? > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, December 4, 2005 at 5:33 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) Jennifer, I was questioning the response from "meakin" who said "formattimng was for layman and not for engineers". It seems that he fixed his problem by tweaking the registry. My question to him was which value did he changed. You misinterpret my response to be an insult to your engineering skills or certification. If you felt insulted or have a loss of confidence and security I apologize. If you have to feel upset, you should blame "meakin" for calling you a layman because you formatted your system. Have a good day On Friday, December 2, 2005 at 5:30 pm, Jennifer wrote: > >Hi, F15hii >Why i request formatting the whole system is because i had used all available resources >on my notebook already and it seemed that there is no changes at all. I tried using >msconfig and also regedit and nothing seemed to helped me get back my device manager. >My problem might be different from others. When you plug a thumb drive into your >computer and when you wanted to remove it, you need to click on the small little >green thing at the bottom right side of the taskbar right? But mine notebook don't >have this little device. It seemed to disappear and when i check my other devices, >the device manager shows nothing at all, juz a blank page. So i called IBM and they >instruct me to reformat everything because i had used all alternative means. Anyway >are you trying to insult all engineers? I am a networking engineer. And due to using >up all alternative means and ways, the final way to get your device manager back >is to reset to factory setting. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, December 4, 2005 at 1:30 pm Posted by George Lawniczak (1 messages posted) I went into USB as Jaz indicated and deleted all folders/files that started with the strange characters...including all Vid folders that contained the junk...recovered everything...thanks to all.. ************ On Friday, October 21, 2005 at 11:36 pm, Jaz wrote: >I'm putting this in here even though it's an old thread. I just ran into this, and >found no solution anywhere. I tried all the suggestions and none worked. This is >what worked for me. > >I ran regedt32.exe. Under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\ROOT_HUB I had >a large number of garbled entries. I deleted them all manually. Yeah, it was crazy >punching the "delete" then "enter" keys alternately and rapidly, because there are >a lot of entries to delete. You can tell the garbled ones because the normal entries >have a certain pattern, such as Vid_0ea0&Pid_2168 and so on. That's not garbled, >it's just standard MicrosoftRegSpeak. The bad ones just have a bunch of % and $ >and stuff, and seem repeated over and over, getting longer all the time. I deleted >the ones under CurrentControlSet001 and 002 as well. _Then_ I could see my devices >again! [Reply or follow-up to this message] !!Alternate Solution!! Sunday, December 4, 2005 at 2:52 pm Posted by Ron Pierce (1 messages posted) For those who cannot get the other fixes to work try this. Install SpySweeper v.4.5 Go into options, then the sweep options tab enable sweeping for rootkits run a full scan if you get any "potentially rootkit masked files" check them and remove them. One of them will probably be a .sys file. Do a search in the registry for that file, backup the key just in case and then remove the whole key. SpySweeper will need to reboot to finish cleaning. Worked for me, the main file I believe was hidetui1.exe and ftd1mdxx.sys. Hope this helps. [Reply or follow-up to this message] thank you everbody Sunday, December 4, 2005 at 7:19 pm Posted by mike e (1 messages posted) After aol and hp tech support were fustratingly useless, I searched my empty device driver problem on yahoo and found this wonderful forum. I did manage to wrangle a free month of aol service since they know nothing and were clueless, but that did not get me online. You guys did - thank you. I printed 93 pages of this thread at work and just started trying everything on my home computer. The insidious apropos problem was the culprit. In safe-mode I did two things: I removed/deleted Contextplus from programs, then I text searched apropos in the registry as Lou Kurrelmeyer mentioned, found a "search assistant" folder that has apropos in it and deleted it. Not being a technical computer expert, I probably shouldn't be fooling with the registry, but I was desperate. It was like magic. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, December 5, 2005 at 10:29 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) Did you get your Device Manager populated yet? If not, what have you tried so far to fix it, and do you get any on-screen message when you to to open it? On Friday, December 2, 2005 at 6:33 am, F15hii wrote: > >So what's your solution then ???????? what values did you change? > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, December 5, 2005 at 10:45 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) No, I didnt get it working yet. I have tried just about everything in this forum short of reinstalling Windows. I had to disable WIA in order to get rid of the lag when opening IE and "my computer". The device manager displays fine in safe mode. Also the scanner does not work in this computer, it does in my other puter. This is a strange problem. On Monday, December 5, 2005 at 10:29 am, jcw wrote: >Did you get your Device Manager populated yet? > If not, what have you tried so far to fix it, and do you get any on-screen message >when you to to open it? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, December 5, 2005 at 1:32 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) If as you say, your device manager displays fine in safe mode, but not at all in normal mode, it likely is a result of malware, probably Apropos.  Have you tried the fix for that outlined at: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1132724135 ? Btw, if the link provided in that post for the AproposFix.exe tool (not the AproposUninstaller.exe) doesn't work, use this URL to download AproposFix.exe: -->   http://swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe On Monday, December 5, 2005 at 10:45 am, F15hii wrote: >No, I didnt get it working yet. I have tried just about everything in this forum >short of reinstalling Windows. I had to disable WIA in order to get rid of the lag >when opening IE and "my computer". The device manager displays fine in safe mode. >Also the scanner does not work in this computer, it does in my other puter. This >is a strange problem. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Apropos malware removal... Monday, December 5, 2005 at 2:14 pm Posted by Ms. Eagle (33507 messages posted) It's really something how all these posts are getting tacked on to this old thread. Funny thing about it, is there was no such malware this long ago! Btw, here's another link for removal of Apropos malware.... No devices are listed in Device Manager http://www.5starsupport.com/xp-faq/1-85.htm#1-85 Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Monday, December 5, 2005 at 2:57 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) Saw that one already. I have worked up a compilation of "fixes" for this problem in XP, so that folks can avoid this long thread (one poster said he/she printed out the entire thread to read - took over 90 pages). So now we wait for another "victim" to post a new message thread, so I can post the compilation as a reply. Also thought of just posting it - starting a new thread. The idea is to get it online somehow. Readers could book-mark it for future reference. Any thoughts? On Monday, December 5, 2005 at 2:14 pm, Carol J wrote: > >It's really something how all these posts are getting tacked on to this old thread. >Funny thing about it, is there was no such malware this long ago! > >Btw, here's another link for removal of Apropos malware.... > >No devices are listed in Device Manager >http://www.5starsupport.com/xp-faq/1-85.htm#1-85 > > > >color="006699">Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Monday, December 5, 2005 at 3:49 pm Posted by Ms. Eagle (33507 messages posted) It's up to you, but I don't know whether starting a new thread on the topic will make much difference. Same as posting solutions to other problems in advance. It's not likely many of those who need the fix will see it. But like you said, others can bookmark it. When you think about it, there's sufficient information in this 'old' thread, if they take the time to read the posts. If not, they can post a new message or go on the another source, or search result. I generally don't bother responding in these old threads, because they go on forever and get so confusing. If people would pay attention, they'd see this thread is ancient. Annoyances should archive these and make them read only. Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Monday, December 5, 2005 at 4:42 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) "It's not likely many of those who need the fix will see it." Well, they get it by searching. That's how all these posters are coming to this old thread, which as you noted, started out with a problem due to reasons that were not malware, and has now morphed into something of an anti-malware thread. The compilation I mentioned I've worked up has 9 possible solutions to the blank device manager problem; in time, it would be picked up by search engines regardless of how posted (as a new thread, or in reply to a ccomplaint). And I guess that's why the forum doesn't close and archive a thread like this, especially when people currently are posting to it. If closed, there wouldn't be the benefit of one continuous thread to review (which while long, still is better than multitudinous threads dealing with various aspects of the problem). "When you think about it, there's sufficient information in this 'old' thread, if they take the time to read the posts." But as you know, they don't always, and frankly with a thread as long as this one, I don't blame readers for being reluctant to plow through each post. Just for this thread to load, or to move to another posted message, is a wait. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Monday, December 5, 2005 at 5:32 pm Posted by Ms. Eagle (33507 messages posted) Since you've gone through the trouble and feel to do it, go for it. It's something beneficial, so it's all good. The reason they quit archiving old threads 'was' it has/had an affect on the site's performance. Don't ask me how. I would think the opposite were true. I recall the webmaster saying something about it a few years ago, when performance was at it's worst! Information and solutions become outdated, and often there are new and/or better ways to resolve things. The new posts added to this are unrelated to the original problem, and like you said, they need to plow through dozens of posts. It would surely be better to have newer threads with issues that are relevant to more current problems and possible causes for the problems, I think. That's why I think after a thread gets so long, it's pointless for anyone to be able to add to it. If it's Read Only, they can still benefit from what's already there. If not, it may encourage them to post a new message. I quit worrying about it along time ago. Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 8:10 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) jcw, thanks for your suggestions. I have treid the aproposfix several times along with the aproposunistaller from Symantec.No luck. I tried all the suggestions from this thread, still no luck. Any other suggestions? On Monday, December 5, 2005 at 1:32 pm, jcw wrote: >If as you say, your device manager displays fine in safe mode, but not at all in >normal mode, it likely is a result of malware, probably Apropos.  Have you tried >the fix for that outlined at: > http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1132724135 > ? > Btw, if the link provided in that post for the AproposFix.exe tool (not the AproposUninstaller.exe) >doesn't work, use this URL to download AproposFix.exe: > -->   http://swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 10:49 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) I assume you have also run full system scans with up-to-date AV and anti-malware tools, in safe mode to the extent possible, using procedures such as at this webpage: -->  http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1113091578 Otherwise it may take a manual examination of the registry entires at and within: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum plus a manual search for suspect files and folders identified at sites such as these (especially the 2nd one): -->  http://www.norton.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.html -->  http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html I don't know everything you have done, so I'm hesitant to post more detail as I don't want to waste time, but if you want more detail than what I just gave, post back. On Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 8:10 am, F15hii wrote: >jcw, thanks for your suggestions. I have treid the aproposfix several times along >with the aproposunistaller from Symantec.No luck. I tried all the suggestions from >this thread, still no luck. >Any other suggestions? > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 4:43 pm Posted by Ms. Eagle (33507 messages posted) jcw, after checking out some Apropos infections on a couple forums, it seems there may quite a bit of other malwares on a system, in addition. Users really should get help on a specialty forum, if the Apropos Fix doesn't do it. Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 5:42 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) From my reading, there are - not unsurprisingly - variations of Apropos, and the one that "AproposFix" (authored by "swandog46") supposedly handles, at least to get Device Manager showing devices, is a beast, using rootkit techniques. I suspect that we may not have seen the end of it either - more variations on the horizon? One post down from yours in this thread, you'll see that poster "F15hii" has run AproposFix and still has no operative device manager. I've held off posting the compilation I mentioned, as I want to see what comes of F15hii's situation. Not encouraging. On Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 4:43 pm, Carol J wrote: > >jcw, after checking out some Apropos infections on a couple forums, it seems there >may quite a bit of other malwares on a system, in addition. Users really should get >help on a specialty forum, if the Apropos Fix doesn't do it. > > > > >color="006699">Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 5:52 pm Posted by Ms. Eagle (33507 messages posted) That's what I found out yesterday, that it's a Rookit, shortly after we had a discussion here. Rootkits are going to be used a lot more to infect systems, because they're near impossible to detect and remove. You must have missed this thread posted shortly afterward. I did some checking on it. http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1133838937 Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Apropos malware removal... Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 6:18 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) For your reading if not seen before: http://www.norton.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.html http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html Appear to be 2 different versions, the 2nd far more serious and stealthy than the first (which I believe is the "context plus" or "ad channel" version - a "run of the mill" spyware). I do not believe Semantec's removal tool at the fist URL is the same thing as swandog46's AproposFix. See also: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 (which really is what started alot of these posts) with particular focus on what was found in the purported uninstaller. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 11:03 pm Posted by dave (3 messages posted) hi i tried every method as descripted above but none of them do help. i could disable or enable the service "plug and plug" but i could not click "start" nor "stop" which appear grey. And also i have tried setting SYSTEM privilige without success. the device manager still appear as empty even login to safe mode. it would b very appreciated if anyone can help me out thx! On Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 10:49 am, jcw wrote: >I assume you have also run full system scans with up-to-date AV and anti-malware >tools, in safe mode to the extent possible, using procedures such as at this webpage: > -->  http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1113091578 > Otherwise it may take a manual examination of the registry entires at and within: > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum > plus a manual search for suspect files and folders identified at sites such as >these (especially the 2nd one): > -->  http://www.norton.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.html > -->  http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html > I don't know everything you have done, so I'm hesitant to post more detail as >I don't want to waste time, but if you want more detail than what I just gave, post >back. > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 6:15 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) Yes, I have ran them before and did again last night using info from your 2 urls. No virus found. Some adware were found and removed....still no luck. I have tried the permissions check in the registry as well as the q905749 update removal. All the correct services are running. I manually searched for the spyware files you suggested, none were found. I also looked for the specific values in the registry for the apropos items, nothing found ( done in safe modse). Any other ideas? On Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 10:49 am, jcw wrote: >I assume you have also run full system scans with up-to-date AV and anti-malware >tools, in safe mode to the extent possible, using procedures such as at this webpage: > -->  http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1113091578 > Otherwise it may take a manual examination of the registry entires at and within: > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum > plus a manual search for suspect files and folders identified at sites such as >these (especially the 2nd one): > -->  http://www.norton.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.html > -->  http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/spyware.apropos.c.html > I don't know everything you have done, so I'm hesitant to post more detail as >I don't want to waste time, but if you want more detail than what I just gave, post >back. > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 9:08 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) I continue to believe that you have Apropos or some variant thereof which is causing your problem, largely because the scans you have run aren't detecting it, and the fact that your device manager correctly displays devices in safe mode but not in normal mode. By this time, you most likely have read that Apropos.C uses rootkit techniques, discussed at: http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/rootkitrevealer.html I suggest we see if some others may not have some idea how to detect and remove this thing. Why not try posting your problem at one of the forums noted below.  In doing so, be sure to explain all things you have tried, the removal tools and fixes you have downloaded and run, etc., and tell them that your device manager shows devices in safe mode but not in normal mode. The other forums that may be helpful are: -->   http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 -->   http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?p=2814 You probably should start a new thread in posting there.  Follow their instructions and rules in posting messages. I for one would be interested in hearing how you make out, and what ultimately (hopefully something) works for you.  It's discouraging to hear that the AproposFix from the "swandog46" URL didn't work in your case, if in fact your problem is Apropos related. On Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 6:15 am, F15hii wrote: >Yes, I have ran them before and did again last night using info from your 2 urls. >No virus found. Some adware were found and removed....still no luck. >I have tried the permissions check in the registry as well as the q905749 update >removal. All the correct services are running. I manually searched for the spyware >files you suggested, none were found. I also looked for the specific values in the >registry for the apropos items, nothing found ( done in safe modse). >Any other ideas? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 9:35 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) 1) The greyed-out buttons for the Plug & Play service are typical.  I assume that service is started and set for automatic startup type on your computer? 2) I assume you don't get any on-screen error message when you open the device manager? 3) Did you investigate the started and startup status of your other Windows services, as mentioned in the thread?  If need more detail, post back. 4) Does your device manager window show the computer icon and name, but no devices, or is the window completely blank (showing not even the computer icon and name)? 5) To confirm:  do the security permissions for your registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum meet these requirements? -- the group "Everyone" should be listed and have just "Read" permissions. -- the user "SYSTEM" should be listed and have "Full Control" and "Read" permissions. 6) Have you looked for corruption in:  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum ? If you need more detail on this, post back. 7) Have you checked (in Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs) if you have MS Win Update 905749, and if so, removed it?   Ditto for Context Plus? 8) Did you try the Apropos removal fix mentioned?  Again, post back if need more detail. On Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 11:03 pm, dave wrote: >hi i tried every method as descripted above but none of them do help. i could disable >or enable the service "plug and plug" but i could not click "start" nor "stop" which >appear grey. And also i have tried setting SYSTEM privilige without success. the >device manager still appear as empty even login to safe mode. it would b very appreciated >if anyone can help me out thx! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 10:29 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) I FINALLY SOLVED IT!!!!! First of all thank you jcw for sticking with me, and your suggestions, I was about to give up. I also found out that if I did properties on "my network" i couldnt see my lan connection even though my network is working fine. Strangely enough it was the registry that was causing it. After running regedt32 I manually scanned for suspicious looking entries and look at the keys and values. It took a long time. I found 2 entries that were corrupted. I couldnt open them to read them, I was getting an error message "can open to read" or something like that, so I cant delete them also. I remembered awhile back that I had downloaded a "registry fix" when unzipped the files were regfix1 and regfix2. I ran those and looked at the corrupted keys again. The keys were now fixed. I was able to read both of them. I rebooted and checked the device manager which now is populated with all the devices. I turned on the WIA service which I had disabled earlier and installed the 905749 patch , rebooted, and all is well again. the 2 registry entries that were the culprits are HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\enum\root\LEGACY_NWLRVDM and HKLM\Software\CpXuFABmcW95 Now I have to look for some hair formula to get my hair back afyer weeks of pulling them out trying to fix this problem :) Thanks to all in this forum, I have learned a lot. On Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 9:08 am, jcw wrote: >I continue to believe that you have Apropos or some variant thereof which is causing >your problem, largely because the scans you have run aren't detecting it, and the >fact that your device manager correctly displays devices in safe mode but not in >normal mode. By this time, you most likely have read that Apropos.C uses rootkit >techniques, discussed at: > http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/rootkitrevealer.html > I suggest we see if some others may not have some idea how to detect and remove >this thing. > Why not try posting your problem at one of the forums noted below.  In doing >so, be sure to explain all things you have tried, the removal tools and fixes you >have downloaded and run, etc., and tell them that your device manager shows devices >in safe mode but not in normal mode. > The other forums that may be helpful are: > -->   http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 > -->   http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?p=2814 > You probably should start a new thread in posting there.  Follow their instructions >and rules in posting messages. > I for one would be interested in hearing how you make out, and what ultimately >(hopefully something) works for you.  It's discouraging to hear that the AproposFix >from the "swandog46" URL didn't work in your case, if in fact your problem is Apropos >related. > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 12:20 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) Thank you for posting what you found. I'm a bit surprised it wasn't malware, but glad you found it, in this case, by combing through the registry. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Thanks!!!!!! This fix worked for me. Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 4:13 pm Posted by Robert (1 messages posted) I tried all of the other well meaning fixes in this forum and this one is what did it for me. Thanks. On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 12:56 pm, Gary wrote: >Please download AproposFix from here: > >>> swandog46.geekstogo.com/aproposfix.exe > >Save it to your desktop but do NOT run it yet. > >Reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following: >1) Restart your computer >2) After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon >appears, press F8. >3) Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear >4) Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode. > >Once in Safe Mode, please double-click aproposfix.exe and unzip it to the desktop. >Open the aproposfix folder on your desktop and run RunThis.bat. Follow the prompts. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 8:11 pm Posted by dave (3 messages posted) hi thanks a bunch for your reply, here is some info i missed before: 1)"plug n play" has started and set for automatic startup type. 2)i did not get any error message when open the device manager 3)sorry i didnt investigate any other service than plug n play, but the thread you metioned which is? 4)the device manager window is completely blank (not even showing the computer icon and name) 5)security permissions for registry key confirmed, everything is exactly the same. 6)please give me further information about how to look up corrupted registry in enum. 7)yes i have win update 905749 installed on the same date(5th dec) my device manager disappeared. the problem is still there when uninstalled patch. 8)i have used apropos to fix without success. thanks again for your help and look forward. On Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 9:35 am, jcw wrote: >1) The greyed-out buttons for the Plug & Play service are typical.  I assume that >service is started and set for automatic startup type on your computer? > 2) I assume you don't get any on-screen error message when you open the device >manager? > 3) Did you investigate the started and startup status of your other Windows services, >as mentioned in the thread?  If need more detail, post back. > 4) Does your device manager window show the computer icon and name, but no devices, >or is the window completely blank (showing not even the computer icon and name)? > 5) To confirm:  do the security permissions for your registry key: > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum > meet these requirements? > -- the group "Everyone" should be listed and have just "Read" permissions. > -- the user "SYSTEM" should be listed and have "Full Control" and "Read" permissions. > 6) Have you looked for corruption in:  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum >? > If you need more detail on this, post back. > 7) Have you checked (in Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs) if you have MS >Win Update 905749, and if so, removed it?   Ditto for Context Plus? > 8) Did you try the Apropos removal fix mentioned?  Again, post back if need more >detail. > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 10:55 pm Posted by dave (3 messages posted) hi i just installed the update 905749 when i was informed by windows update again and restarted computer by uninstalling it and then restarted twice, device manager back to work as normal!!!! thank you again, im really appriciated to your help! On Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 8:11 pm, dave wrote: >hi thanks a bunch for your reply, here is some info i missed before: > >1)"plug n play" has started and set for automatic startup type. > >2)i did not get any error message when open the device manager > >3)sorry i didnt investigate any other service than plug n play, but the thread you >metioned which is? > >4)the device manager window is completely blank (not even showing the computer icon >and name) > >5)security permissions for registry key confirmed, everything is exactly the same. > >6)please give me further information about how to look up corrupted registry in enum. > >7)yes i have win update 905749 installed on the same date(5th dec) my device manager >disappeared. the problem is still there when uninstalled patch. > >8)i have used apropos to fix without success. > >thanks again for your help and look forward. > > > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Compilation of Solutions for Blank or Empty Device Manager in Windows XP Friday, December 9, 2005 at 8:37 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) A compilation of solutions provided previously either in this forum thread or elsewhere has been prepared, and is available at: »   www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 12:26 pm Posted by bla bla (3 messages posted) hello f15hii (hope this is the name..) i need ur help i think that ur soulution will be the same as in my case cause i still have this problen un the registry i didnt find thos to problematic keys u had.. so i guess i need t look at my self in there.. i just wanted to know : what am i looking for excectly in the registry? i mean how can i know if a key is bad or warong...? thx ahead.... On Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 12:20 pm, jcw wrote: >Thank you for posting what you found. I'm a bit surprised it wasn't malware, but >glad you found it, in this case, by combing through the registry. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 4:15 pm Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) Did you look at: -->   http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Solution seems to be AproposFix.exe... Monday, December 12, 2005 at 10:12 am Posted by Sven2000XP (1 messages posted) Thanks a lot to the "creator" of aproposfix.exe! It took over eight hours for me to find this hint. I have made the same procedure... registry rights (ENUM, etc.); plug and play services and so on... nothing worked! But this small tool saved further 20 hours of a new installation! Thanks again!! Sven On Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 9:35 pm, jreese wrote: >A very large thank you to whoever originally posted the link to the AproposFix. I >have worked on this problem of a corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, >slow response times from Windows Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 >hours and this has finally fixed the issue. I previously scanned the system with >Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this crap. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 1:25 am Posted by shai (1 messages posted) hi.. im bla bla... yes i tried all of the soulutions.. none helped.. :( i must say that even in safe mode i cant c device manager items..... what can i search in the registry? On Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 4:15 pm, jcw wrote: >Did you look at: > -->   http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 4:32 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) In the registry the keys were unreadable and cannot be opened. This was a very long process in going over the registry. Did you replace your registry with a working backup copy? In my case it was a bit different as I can see my devices when in safe mode. In your case since you cant see the devices in safe mode I would also suspect your PnP service. Besides checking your PnP service you may want to reinstall your drivers. good luck. On Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 12:26 pm, bla bla wrote: >hello f15hii (hope this is the name..) >i need ur help >i think that ur soulution will be the same as in my case cause i still have this >problen >un the registry i didnt find thos to problematic keys u had.. >so i guess i need t look at my self in there.. >i just wanted to know : what am i looking for excectly in the registry? >i mean how can i know if a key is bad or warong...? >thx ahead.... > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Compilation of Solutions for Blank or Empty Device Manager in Windows XP Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 4:48 am Posted by F15hii (9 messages posted) jcw, an excellent compilation of solutions. I am sure many people appreciate your time and effort. THANK YOU! On Friday, December 9, 2005 at 8:37 am, jcw wrote: >A compilation of solutions provided previously either in this forum thread or elsewhere >has been prepared, and is available at: > »   >www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 8:19 am Posted by jcw (5100 messages posted) Did you look at: -->   http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1133980151 Have you done full system scans for malware and vires, using a procedural list such as at: -->   http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1113091578 On Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 1:25 am, shai wrote: > >hi.. im bla bla... >yes i tried all of the soulutions.. none helped.. :( > >i must say that even in safe mode i cant c device manager items..... >what can i search in the registry? > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out --- WORKS!!!! Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 5:06 pm Posted by JW (1 messages posted) This worked for me, try it! Finally, thanks Girsh! On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm, Girsh wrote: >Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue >is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out --- WORKS!!!! Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 11:26 pm Posted by D.E.Bates (1 messages posted) Yeah!!! After trying ALL the other tips, THIS one works. Thanks a bunch to all who care!!! Now can tweak my mom and pops hp laptop.. On Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 5:06 pm, JW wrote: >This worked for me, try it! Finally, thanks Girsh! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, December 19, 2005 at 7:08 am Posted by kenny (1 messages posted) This seemed to have worked! Amazing! A MILLION thanks! On Wednesday, September 17, 2003 at 10:46 pm, pradeep kumar moses wrote: >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 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - ULTIMATE SOLUTION Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 12:11 pm Posted by Miles Prower (2 messages posted) The Ultimate Answer: .. wipe the pc and stick linux on it. Problem Solved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - ULTIMATE SOLUTION Sunday, December 25, 2005 at 9:42 am Posted by gordon (1 messages posted) Have no knowledge of linux but wiping disk and reinstalling windows will work. However I had a lot of installed software and 3 computers which after installing SP2 had following problems: No PCI irq's shown in Device Manger, network card not shown and plug and play did not work. Solution was one of those mentioned in thread, lots of garbage entries under enum pci in registry, dozens of them. After trying to delete them one by one I tried to delete the PCI key and was refused permission. However, all the garbage entries disappeared in the process and the genuine entries remained. Looks like the nothing in the device manger is a situation where enough gargage entries in one part of the registry would allow no genuine entries to show just as my genuine pci irq enties did not show becasue they were crowded out by garbage entries. When I tried to delete the key the garbage enties were deleted but as soon as the system reached a genuine entry it stopped. Conclusions. Dont be scared to delete enties that look dodgy. Must of them seem to start with $ sign (no offence to USA On Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 12:11 pm, Miles Prower wrote: > >The Ultimate Answer: .. wipe the pc and stick linux on it. Problem Solved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Permanent Solution!!!! Try it out Tuesday, January 3, 2006 at 12:28 pm Posted by Tony (1 messages posted) You're great just found this problem on my system, after trying all of the other registry suggestions , yours fixed ThankX On Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm, Girsh wrote: >Go to Add-Remove programs and remove Contexet Plus from it. Restart and the issue >is resolved. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager - FIXED AT LAST! But PC still slow???? Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 9:35 am Posted by Lovepeaceguru (5 messages posted) I have a partial resolution to my problem! Thanks to everyone who offered help. First option was check that PuNP was started - OK. Later I discovered that Universal PuNP must NOT be started! Second option was Aproposfix which I assume is to get rid of some specific spyware/adware/malware. Third was I tried editing some permissions in the registry but I didn't really understand what I was doing. Fourth was I ran sfc/scannow - whatever that is! Also system was hanging on startups and shutdowns, sometimes needing the big switch to get out of it. Now you can click on IE or My Computer or Control Panel and it takes ages for them to load. Usually I find myself with about five instances of each all loading at once. Frequently web links won't work. The only thing I can do is avoid a left click - use right clicks to save shortcut and then paste it into address bar. I have tpo switch back and forth betwen web browsers using teh Task Manager. OIften the Task Manager itself freezes with the button still "pressed down". I've also been using my SpeedUpMyPC utility which allows you to give CPU priority to a particular window. A combination of this, Task Manager and a hell of a lot of patience just about keeps me going Oh, and I updated all my chipset drivers along the way. MY DEVICE MANAGER WINDOW IS NOW FULLY POPULATED!!!!! Oh joy! The printer is working too. The solution? It was to do with permissions. I had to spend a lot more time and give a lot more thought to it. (I still don't understand it properly). It's in HKEY Local Machine "Enum" whatever that means? So many thanks to the Annoyances.org forum which first gave me the idea for that fix. BUT!! Some things are better like loading IE or My Computer or Control Panel. They're still slow though and I can still find myself with loads more browser windows open that I need. On IE though browsing still suffers froim the same problem. Links won't work. I have to copy shortcut and paste into another window. Java linlks often don't wprk eiuther. I uninstalled and re-installed Java. Maybe there's some slightimprovement but browsing is still a pain. So now it comes down to a performance problem, mainly in IE. Shall I uninstall and reinstall IE? Why has this happened. Could Malware/spyware viruses be reponsible? Any help gratefully received and because it's only fair, I'll make sure every forum gets a full report when it's all fixed (It will be won't it?) System Description INTEL P4 3.4GHz, socket 775 ASUS P5GD1-VM motherboard, onboard LAN (Intel Pro 100), onboard graphics and audio disabled American Megatrends BIOS version 1010.005 2 x 512MB PC3200 400MHz DDR 200GB Maxtor serial ATA drive - C 500GB Seagate serial ATA drive - D Samsung/Toshiba DVD writer - E Sony Q28A DVD writer - F Sony DRX-810UL external DVD writer on USB - G ATI All in Wonder X800XL graphics card Creative Soundblaster XFi Xtreme Music sound card Logitech Dinovo Media keyboard, seperate keyboard and numeric panel/remote with mouse on powered USB hub Logitech Communicate STX webcam I run Windows XP Home Service Pack, fully updated. I defragment with Perfect Disk at least once per week. I use the following security software: Norton Internet Security 2006 Ad-Aware SE Spyware Doctor Spy Bot Microsoft Antispyware Spyware Blaster Spy Sweeper All are updated regularly and full scans performed at least every other day. I also use Registry Mechanic at least once per day. And this episode has added about a dozen other utilities to my amoury. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:10 am, Tye wrote: >PLZ PLZ RESCUE ME. >My computer has a Windows XP OS and the Device Manager is empty. >The modem is there on com port 3 but the only com port available is com port1. >So I am unable to load the modem driver and re-install the modem so I can get connection >to the internet. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED AT LAST! But PC still slow???? Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at 3:28 am Posted by Steve Hampshire (1 messages posted) The quickest way to resolve an empty Device Manager, and the most drastic (I've done it on four machines and they all survived!) is log on as Administrator open REGEDIT and go to Local Machine, System, CurrentControlSet. Right click Enum and take ownership and ensure Administrator has full rights. Now the scary bit. Delete the entire Enum tree! Under CurrentControlSet create a new key called Enum. Close the registry and reboot your PC - and cross your fingers! When the PC boots up, PnP kicks in a repopulates the Device Manager. All I can say is it works for me, but no promises anyone! On Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 9:35 am, Lovepeaceguru wrote: >I have a partial resolution to my problem! > >Thanks to everyone who offered help. > >First option was check that PuNP was started - OK. Later I discovered that Universal >PuNP must NOT be started! > >Second option was Aproposfix which I assume is to get rid of some specific spyware/adware/malware. > >Third was I tried editing some permissions in the registry but I didn't really understand >what I was doing. > >Fourth was I ran sfc/scannow - whatever that is! > >Also system was hanging on startups and shutdowns, sometimes needing the big switch >to get out of it. Now you can click on IE or My Computer or Control Panel and it >takes ages for them to load. Usually I find myself with about five instances of each >all loading at once. > >Frequently web links won't work. The only thing I can do is avoid a left click - >use right clicks to save shortcut and then paste it into address bar. I have tpo >switch back and forth betwen web browsers using teh Task Manager. OIften the Task >Manager itself freezes with the button still "pressed down". > >I've also been using my SpeedUpMyPC utility which allows you to give CPU priority >to a particular window. A combination of this, Task Manager and a hell of a lot >of patience just about keeps me going > >Oh, and I updated all my chipset drivers along the way. > >MY DEVICE MANAGER WINDOW IS NOW FULLY POPULATED!!!!! > >Oh joy! The printer is working too. The solution? It was to do with permissions. > I had to spend a lot more time and give a lot more thought to it. (I still don't >understand it properly). It's in HKEY Local Machine "Enum" >whatever that means? > >So many thanks to the Annoyances.org forum which first gave me the idea for that >fix. > >BUT!! > >Some things are better like loading IE or My Computer or Control Panel. They're >still slow though and I can still find myself with loads more browser windows open >that I need. On IE though browsing still suffers froim the same problem. Links won't >work. I have to copy shortcut and paste into another window. > >Java linlks often don't wprk eiuther. I uninstalled and re-installed Java. Maybe >there's some slightimprovement but browsing is still a pain. > >So now it comes down to a performance problem, mainly in IE. > >Shall I uninstall and reinstall IE? > >Why has this happened. Could Malware/spyware viruses be reponsible? > >Any help gratefully received and because it's only fair, I'll make sure every forum >gets a full report when it's all fixed (It will be won't it?) > >System Description > >INTEL P4 3.4GHz, socket 775 >ASUS P5GD1-VM motherboard, onboard LAN (Intel Pro 100), onboard graphics and audio >disabled >American Megatrends BIOS version 1010.005 >2 x 512MB PC3200 400MHz DDR >200GB Maxtor serial ATA drive - C >500GB Seagate serial ATA drive - D >Samsung/Toshiba DVD writer - E >Sony Q28A DVD writer - F >Sony DRX-810UL external DVD writer on USB - G >ATI All in Wonder X800XL graphics card >Creative Soundblaster XFi Xtreme Music sound card >Logitech Dinovo Media keyboard, seperate keyboard and numeric panel/remote with mouse >on powered USB hub >Logitech Communicate STX webcam > >I run Windows XP Home Service Pack, fully updated. I defragment with Perfect Disk >at least once per week. > >I use the following security software: > >Norton Internet Security 2006 >Ad-Aware SE >Spyware Doctor >Spy Bot >Microsoft Antispyware >Spyware Blaster >Spy Sweeper > >All are updated regularly and full scans performed at least every other day. > >I also use Registry Mechanic at least once per day. And this episode has added about >a dozen other utilities to my amoury. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 1:16 pm Posted by Dylan E. Munson (1 messages posted) Am a computer repair professional and had a unit in the shop without device manager/network devices showing in standard mode...Not Plug and Play...Not Registry Security Rights...WAS APROPOS!! Got the apropos fix and presto..all was normal again. Sneaky bastard apropos had a service running undetected, a few registry entries and some files associated. What a relief to get this one right. Thanks for your help. On Saturday, November 19, 2005 at 4:59 pm, John wrote: >I just had this problem with my XP Device Manager being blank. Removing KB05749 >didn't do the trick for me. The culprit in my case was a nasty adware that was installed >on my system. It's called apropos. Not sure how I got it. Probably some shareware >I installed had this adware included in the installation. Sneaky! It was constantly >popping up ads when I'd surf the net with IE. It drove me nuts! Adware and Seek >& Destroy couldn't see it. I finally found it was on my system using a trial version >of Spy Sweeper. I'd have Spy Sweeper remove it, but the darn thing would be back >again after the next reboot! I finally found a utility that removes apropos once >and for all at DSLReports.com, in this thread... > >http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14678998 > >see the message by CalamityJane. It has the link to download the AproposFix and >installation instructions. The fix must be run in XP Safe Mode as apropos has registry >settings that allows itself to be reinstalled upon reboot. I think it evens runs >as a service. The fix worked great. Apropos is gone finally. And guess what? >My device manager is now showing everything again. >Before you run this apropos fix, I suggest downloading the trial version of Spy Sweeper >from www.webroot.com Do the system scan and it'll tell you if you have apropos >on your system. If you do, download and run that Aproposfix. > >Hope this helps... [Reply or follow-up to this message] Thanks, but the thread is already OVERLOADED Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 1:55 pm Posted by Kiwi (2207 messages posted) The thread is really too long (246 replies before you added another), and should be locked, but Annoyances' software doesn't include that capability at present. Anyone reading this huge thread should search for a newer, and most certainly SHORTER one (there are many of them), if you need to write a comment of some kind. Thanks, anyway. . Kiwi ** On Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 1:16 pm, Dylan E. Munson wrote: >Am a computer repair professional and had a unit in the shop without device manager/network >devices showing in standard mode...Not Plug and Play...Not Registry Security Rights...WAS >APROPOS!! Got the apropos fix and presto..all was normal again. Sneaky bastard >apropos had a service running undetected, a few registry entries and some files associated. > What a relief to get this one right. Thanks for your help. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED AT LAST! But PC still slow???? Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 3:02 pm Posted by MsMerry (1 messages posted) I just wanted to pop in to thank you all. I "had" the same problem, but with the step by step instructions, I was able to go in to the registry and change the Enum setting. Another problem I had was the printer was not working, well, I am happy to say that that is fixed too. I found this group in Google by doing search for the device manager problem. I am a happy camper... :) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED AT LAST! But PC still slow???? Monday, March 13, 2006 at 4:31 am Posted by TX_TRINITy (2 messages posted) FOR THOSE WHO NONE OF THE ABOVE WORKED. READ ON. I had checked all my enum permissions, checked all my dcom, pnp components were all fine but I checked the event log and found that I had HID-USB device failures module not found. I tried everything EXCEPT searching for those random strings. --==>DO NOT ATTEMPT IF YOUR NOT EXPERIENCED IN REGISTRY EDITTING<==-- I advise before you start to export HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM to a safe place in case you have to restore it after screwing up. If your careful you won't need it but, take your time with this. --==>DO NOT ATTEMPT IF YOUR NOT EXPERIENCED IN REGISTRY EDITTING<==-- 1. Open registry at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ 2. Search for: $%&'()*+, 3. Once found export the "parent" key that contains it to a folder on desktop Duff 1.reg (averaging in size to about 99 to 108kb) 4. Delete the "parent" key that holds all the $%&'()*+,01234567890 garbage ONLY ONCE YOU HAVE SEEN IT SAVED OK INTO YOUR D'top FOLDER!. 5. Edit the exported key. to remove any lines that contain $%&'()*+, Shift select ctrl end to goto last entry, delete and save. 6. double click the repaired 1k - 3k reg file to reimport the important data back into the registry. After you click OK you should see the parent folder re-appear just where you deleted it from WITHOUT all that crap! I have cleaned out all the entries this way and saved the thousands of manual deletions and time. Device manager came right back as soon as they were gone. Seems like some flood overflow attempt, but I had installed SP2 while using (CURSE) nortons internet security 2005. All well now, two unknown devices but hey, I must have screwed up something (slightly) I did try that trialware recommended as above, i didn't remove all these garbage entries, just made my PC boot quicker into Failing DEvice Manager. Best of Luck! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing KB905749 -- FINALLY, SUCCESS!! Monday, March 13, 2006 at 10:45 am Posted by Cliff (1 messages posted) After trying every tip posted on this thread thus far in the list, you provided the answer. I'm an old fart who's never participated on a forum before, but... I had do do it, just to say a big THANK YOU!!! On Monday, November 14, 2005 at 6:14 pm, Monte wrote: >Removing that Knowledge Base update is fairly straight-forward. > >Open the Control Panel > >Open "Add or Remove Programs" > >Place a tick mark in the box at the top that says "Show Updates" > >Scroll down the list of programs and updates until you find KB905749. Double check >you have selected ONLY this update to uninstall. > >Click "uninstall" and follow the prompts. You will most likely get a serious looking >screen saying that most of your programs and system resources will not work if you >continue with the uninstall. There will be a list of those programs. Click through >this, authorizing the uninstall process to continue. > >Reboot when prompted. > >If you cannot find KB905749 in the list to uninstall, then you haven't got that update >in your system and the answer to your problems do not lie within this particular >fix. :( > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 10:40 am Posted by shiver (1 messages posted) Great tip thanx problem solved On Monday, November 14, 2005 at 5:56 pm, Cpt CryBaby wrote: >Please Help Me! I've been on this all day with agonizingly slow progress. > >I want to remove this offending security update: KB905749. Provided, of course, >that I even have it on my system. I have absolutely no idea how to even begin this >process. Can someone please give a step-by-step on how to determine if I received >this file and, if so, how to remove it? > >I contacted Dell support who informed me this would require a restore. Unfortunately, >one of the byproducts of this same problem is that all of my restore points were >destroyed. > >I've tried every single fix suggested on this thread with no solution to my problem. > No matter what I set my plug and play or permissions to, my Device Manager remains >blank and I get absolutely no sound at any time. > >Also, I can not deal directly with MS since my software was pre-installed on my computer >so I can't get my hands on the hotfix fixccs.exe. Does anybody have this file? >Can anybody get it and make it available? If someone would care to track it down >and send it to me, i'd gladly post it to my site and link here for all to use. > >Hope someone can help. > >Thanks > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749 Friday, March 24, 2006 at 6:34 am Posted by TX_TRINITy (2 messages posted) If you have KB905749. installed but cannot remove it then you should inspect the registry as above. I do have some qualms about removing hotfixes like this since they are meant to stop exploits etc being run on your system. Whats to say that all this garbage in the registry is not part of the PNP buffer overflow exploit? remove the hotfix and the exploit may well run. I'd say removing a hotfix is a defo last resort. But inspect your enum registry entries (at least checking to inside the USB devices entries and below) On Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 10:40 am, shiver wrote: >Great tip thanx problem solved > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] For crying out loud! The thread is three years old and already huge enough Friday, March 24, 2006 at 7:20 am Posted by Kiwi (2207 messages posted) If there is any reason at all to pursue this, why bury the new remarks in an antique, complicated, slow-loading turkey of a thread like this? Should there be anything truly pertinent that can't be handled in a shorter, newer thread, then include a LINK, but only to a specific message out of this awful old jumble, not to the OP of the thing. Does that make sense? Or is it just too rational? . Kiwi ** On Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 10:40 am, shiver wrote: >>Great tip, thanx; problem solved > To which this next was added: > >Friday, March 24, 2006 at 6:34 am Posted by TX_TRINITy (2 messages posted) >If you have KB905749 installed, but cannot remove it, then you should >inspect the registry as above. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, April 2, 2006 at 12:11 pm Posted by Pepin Marshall (1 messages posted) Dan you are a genius. Thanks very much! On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, May 1, 2006 at 4:38 am Posted by david (1 messages posted) i used the registry solution my devise manager is back which is graet but not my cd/dvd drive i tried everything to get it back. please help On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 9:19 pm, Dave D wrote: >I have had a look around and it doesnt seem that this could have been caused by the >rpc patches because alot of people have been experiencing it well before the patches >were released. I am sure Microsoft will actually have soem usefull troubleshooting >for this sometime just after people have stopped using XP and moved to longhorn or >whatever it ends up being called. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Uninstalling KB905749 worked for me Monday, May 15, 2006 at 4:52 pm Posted by Julie (1 messages posted) Uninstalling Windows Security Update KB905749 through Add/Remove Programs worked for me! After a reboot, the Device Manager repopulated itself and the computer was able to detect a USB flash drive. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this post!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: ENUM Permission fix does NOT work! Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 11:14 am Posted by gordon mackay (3 messages posted) My 'Add Remove software window says this update "Cannot be removed" - how did you delete it please? On Sunday, November 6, 2005 at 2:54 pm, andy wrote: >Many many thanks Mark, after deleting security update KB905749, device manager lists >everything fine and also the slow "my computer/windows explorer searching for hardware" >no longer happens. However after rebooting, xp was downloading an update, i assume >its redownloading the same update, but hopefully as long as i dont allow it to install >i'll be OK? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 11:11 am Posted by Chad (1 messages posted) I just wanted to add another post to explain how I got here and what worked for me. I arrived here because I lost my ability to detect my iPod after updating to Service Pack 2 on my work computer. I ran the SP2 update and then iTunes would not detect my iPod. Apple's website suggested that I look to a Microsoft KB article for a fix. The Microsoft KB article suggested that I contact Microsoft support for a Quick Fix. I have NEVER contacted Microsoft Support, and I don't intend to start now. I wasn't able to locate the Quick Fix file online, but I did find these forums. I tried the apropos fix in Safe Mode, but that did not restore my iPod or my missing Device Manager items. The corrupt registry key fix listed here did the job. In my case there were literally hundreds of entries containing "$%^&*()01234" or repetitions thereof. The solution is to 1) access your registry via Run>regedt32.exe 2) Search for keys containing "$%^&*()01234" or longer repeating strings of the same characters. 3) Make sure you have Full Control permissions on the root that contains those keys. Highlight, right-click, Permissions. 4) Delete all of those keys. It takes a long time. Keep searching and destroying until there aren't any more remaining. 5) Reboot 6) Jump for joy that your iPod is back. 7) Scratch your head as to why Apple couldn't have provided a more direct link, or why MS created such a heinous bug in the first place...or why they couldn't have at least told us in plain english how to clean up their mess. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 8:11 pm Posted by Graham (2 messages posted) Hello I did have this problem that is I had no items showing in Device Manager or Services. I think it was cursed by a driver update I tried all the above with out success but what did work for me was to do a system file check. Go to run and type sfc/scannow put in your windows cd and it will replace any damaged system files. It worked for me hope it works for you. Regards Graham [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Wednesday, August 16, 2006 at 4:31 am Posted by Darren Madden (1 messages posted) Thanks for the fix, worked a treat! On Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 7:42 am, Chris Koloszar wrote: >Wayne, >Thanks for the tip it now works, I don't know how this happened, but have my suspicions >when I was loading some Sony software.. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Uninstalling KB905749 worked for me Friday, September 1, 2006 at 6:59 pm Posted by Tim Terry (4 messages posted) I had the same problem and this worked for me also. Glad this forum exists or otherwise I think we might end up slashing our wrist with some of these stupid problems! Thanks to all. On Monday, May 15, 2006 at 4:52 pm, Julie wrote: >Uninstalling Windows Security Update KB905749 through Add/Remove Programs worked >for me! After a reboot, the Device Manager repopulated itself and the computer was >able to detect a USB flash drive. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this >post!!! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: [SOLVED] by removing: Microsoft Security Update KB905749(Interesting Update) Thursday, September 21, 2006 at 8:51 am Posted by Nathan (1 messages posted) Okay im trying to remove the security update in add remove programs, but when i click the update it says "This update cannot be removed". is there a way around this? If so any info would be much appreciated :) On Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 8:08 pm, Kenneth Hedges wrote: >After I tried every spyware/adware remover, ENUM permissions, and regsvr32 dmocx.dll, >removing KB905749 worked for me also! However, for goofs, I reinstalled it when MS >autoupdate insisted on it and it broke Device Manager again. Re-removed it and Device >Manager was OK. This is definitley something people who can't get anything else to >work need to try! Thanks to all who helped by providing input here and on other sites! > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, October 1, 2006 at 2:43 pm Posted by Rene Fennet (1 messages posted) p&p was running, adding system to enum properties did not help sfc /scannow saved the day, get yourself a drink Graham now off sueing logitech for their crappy software :-) On Tuesday, June 27, 2006 at 8:11 pm, Graham wrote: >Hello > I did have this problem that is I had no items showing in Device Manager or >Services. >I think it was cursed by a driver update I tried all the above with out success but >what did work for me was to do a system file check. > >Go to run and type sfc/scannow put in your windows cd and it will replace any damaged >system files. >It worked for me hope it works for you. >Regards Graham [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED AT LAST! But PC still slow???? Monday, November 13, 2006 at 12:13 pm Posted by blackcapsteve (5 messages posted) Thank you VERY much. I tried all of the above, and your solution (remove enum tree etc. ) worked for me. It was a bit scary, but I knew all the drivers I needed we in there somewhere. All devices were refound and sorted. Thanks again. I found this place from a google search, and will now have it on my list of favourites Steve On Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at 3:28 am, Steve Hampshire wrote: >The quickest way to resolve an empty Device Manager, and the most drastic (I've done >it on four machines and they all survived!) is log on as Administrator open REGEDIT >and go to Local Machine, System, CurrentControlSet. Right click Enum and take >ownership and ensure Administrator has full rights. Now the scary bit. Delete the >entire Enum tree! Under CurrentControlSet create a new key called Enum. Close the >registry and reboot your PC - and cross your fingers! When the PC boots up, PnP >kicks in a repopulates the Device Manager. All I can say is it works for me, but >no promises anyone! > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager fixed at last! Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 8:02 pm Posted by Jessie (1 messages posted) Hi, I've been pretty much a lerker here after experiencing problems of a slow loading up of the my computer window, device manager not showing anything, network cards disappearing and also missing a regedit.exe file. I tried absolutely everything and nothing worked because my regedit file was missing. So I had to download someone elses copy of their regedit.exe file. Once I had done that, all it took was changing the permissions setting in the enum folder of the registry for everything to work again! Just want to thank everyone for the advice and support. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Uninstalling KB905749 worked for me Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 1:19 pm Posted by Bronygraig (1 messages posted) My PC stopped starting up, I finally got it going by going into msconfig and starting up with the minimum start up files & un checking the plug and play tick box, the machine would work well enough but no peripherals would, then I found this thread!! Removing security update Kb KB905749 then rebooting, go to msconfig and re-activating ‘plug & play’ and the device manager is working again. Many thanks, my PC has been poorly for months! On Friday, September 1, 2006 at 6:59 pm, Tim Terry wrote: >I had the same problem and this worked for me also. Glad this forum exists or otherwise >I think we might end up slashing our wrist with some of these stupid problems! Thanks >to all. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 9:53 pm Posted by Cynthia (1 messages posted) JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO SAYATAN! After looking through many forums & hundreds of replies, your instructions couldn't be more clear or fix the problem any better. On Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm, Sayantan Datta wrote: >Solution > >Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG > >To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform >the following steps: > >Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click >OK. >The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. >Click the Services tab. >Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck >it. >Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. >Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. > >NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status >displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable >the Plug and Play service. >Enable the Plug and Play Service > >To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the >following steps: > >Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. >The Computer Management window appears. >Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. >Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. >Double-click Plug and Play. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > >The Plug and Play Properties window appears. >Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > > >Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the >Start button. >This will start the Plug and Play service. >Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. >You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 9:04 am Posted by marc (1 messages posted) NO NO NO NO - NONE OF YOU HAVE SOLVED THIS ISSUE. I'VE TRIED ALL YOUR IDEAS BUT STILL NO DEVICE LIST HENCE NO ABILITY TO RELOAD DRIVERS PROPERLY. IT STOPS ME PLAYING CERTAIN GAMES - THEY CRASH ON STARTUP (CODE 10 CRAP) AND THIS IS REALLY MAKING ME WANT TO SMASH UP MY PC NOW AND GO BUT A MAC. I HAVE PHONED MICROSOFT ABOUT THIS - THERE IS A HOTFIX FILE CALLED fixccs.exe BUT THERE IS NOWHERE ON THE WEB TO GET IT WHICH SUCKS BIGTIME. SOMEONE PLEASE POST THIS HOTFIX FILE AS YOU CANNOT GET IT UNLESS YOU HAVE PAID THE CRAZY PRICE FOR A GENUINE WINDOWS XP. AN EMPTY DEVICE MANAGER IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF INSTALLING XP SP2 WHICH OF COURSE IS MADE BY THE DIRTY HO THAT IS MICROSOF. SOMEONE PLEASE POST fixcss.exe ?????? On Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 9:53 pm, Cynthia wrote: >JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO SAYATAN! After looking through many forums & hundreds >of replies, your instructions couldn't be more clear or fix the problem any better. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 2:37 pm Posted by SavedByRegedt32 (1 messages posted) My laptop was running XP Professional with SP2 and all the latest patches when I lost the Device Mgr view, and still is after the fix! The regedt32 solution worked for me, since my device manager wasn't showing even the hostname of the machine! Plug and Play was enabled; everything in MSCONFIG that was suppose to be on, was on; Ran several SpyWare programs to make sure no spyware had affected the Device Mgr; etc.. But after editing the suggested key(s), my registry showed two;..ControlSet001\Enum & ControlSet002\Enum In the permissions for Enum, I just added System (Full Control) and Everyone (Read Only) since these were missing to begin with. Restarted the laptop, and my Device Mgr view is back and everthing is working! On Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 9:04 am, marc wrote: >NO NO NO NO - NONE OF YOU HAVE SOLVED THIS ISSUE. I'VE TRIED ALL YOUR IDEAS BUT STILL >NO DEVICE LIST HENCE NO ABILITY TO RELOAD DRIVERS PROPERLY. IT STOPS ME PLAYING CERTAIN >GAMES - THEY CRASH ON STARTUP (CODE 10 CRAP) AND THIS IS REALLY MAKING ME WANT TO >SMASH UP MY PC NOW AND GO BUT A MAC. I HAVE PHONED MICROSOFT ABOUT THIS - THERE IS >A HOTFIX FILE CALLED fixccs.exe BUT THERE IS NOWHERE ON THE WEB TO GET IT WHICH SUCKS >BIGTIME. SOMEONE PLEASE POST THIS HOTFIX FILE AS YOU CANNOT GET IT UNLESS YOU HAVE >PAID THE CRAZY PRICE FOR A GENUINE WINDOWS XP. AN EMPTY DEVICE MANAGER IS THE DIRECT >RESULT OF INSTALLING XP SP2 WHICH OF COURSE IS MADE BY THE DIRTY HO THAT IS MICROSOF. >SOMEONE PLEASE POST fixcss.exe ?????? > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 12:57 pm Posted by Tony Cox (1 messages posted) I had this problem arise suddenly in late 2006, and tried all the solutions in the compendium at the end of this thread, and some proposed elsewhere, with no success, but this one worked immediately. Thanks! On Friday, November 19, 2004 at 7:55 pm, Wayne Smith wrote: >No, nothing to do with Plug and Play. Need to change permission settings in the >registry. > >Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum. > >Add full permissions to Everyone. Click on Advanced button. Put a tick in both >options at the bottom (Inherit from parent the permission entries... and Replace >permission entries on all child or objects...). > >Exit and reboot - Device Manager no longer empty. > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Thursday, February 15, 2007 at 11:11 am Posted by Gary Stevens (1 messages posted) I have the same problem of the blank device manager after I tried installing a new GeForce video card. When I went to click the two boxes that say "Replace permission entrie an all child objects..." and try to apply it, it says "Registry Editor could not set security in the key currently selected, or some of it's subkeys." I have been looking around on the net for about an hour, and tried the services solution and this one to no avail. Any thoughts, guys? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Uninstalling KB905749 worked for me Friday, February 16, 2007 at 7:02 pm Posted by ed (1 messages posted) I tried uninstalling the fix and now I now Windows will not start. What gives? On Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 1:19 pm, Bronygraig wrote: >My PC stopped starting up, I finally got it going by going into msconfig and starting >up with the minimum start up files & un checking the plug and play tick box, the >machine would work well enough but no peripherals would, then I found this thread!! >Removing security update Kb KB905749 then rebooting, go to msconfig and re-activating >‘plug & play’ and the device manager is working again. Many thanks, my PC has been >poorly for months! > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 4:53 pm Posted by JB (1 messages posted) I did exactly per suggestion - it did not help. Device manager is still empty. On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: General Solution Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 5:29 pm Posted by Robert Patrick (1 messages posted) A general solution to most of these problems could be to re-permission the entire registry tree, be aware that there are subtle implications to this and this should only be performed if the exact cause cannot be ascertained. See http://winonline.blogspot.com/2005/11/reset-entire-registry-permissions-to.html Robert [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, March 30, 2007 at 11:33 am Posted by Gary Lee (1 messages posted) After reading through this list while trying to fix the same problem (no devices displayed in device manager) I wanted to post an interesting secondary consequence of the problem, in case it happens to anyone else. The problem I ran into was that not only did I have no devices displayed, but I could not use an IPSEC vpn connection to a Cisco VPN device using the Cisco VPN client. The device at the far end would respond, set up the connection, and then immediately drop it. Fixing the no devices displayed problem also fixed the VPN problem. Hopefully if anyone else is having that VPN problem because of the device manager problem they will now be able to find this thread on a search. And of course, thanks to those who posted advice which successfully fixed both of my problems without having to wait while prying a hotfix for the DEVMGR problem out of Microsoft support. On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:16 am, Steve wrote: >Turn Plug and play back on...:) >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Friday, April 20, 2007 at 6:10 am Posted by Jose Almeida (1 messages posted) You must have everyone full access on "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum" key and all chid subkeys. Then you must execute the following VBScipt: " ' Fix Device Manager empty. Developed by J.Almeida Dim WshShell,objReg,strKeyPath,strComputer,objFSO Dim result_exist,counter Dim del() counter=0 Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002 strComputer = "." Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") Set objReg = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv") Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") strKeyPath = "System\CurrentControlSet\Enum" 'Chave para verificar result_exist_value=existvalue(strKeyPath) List Function existvalue(strKeyPath) On Error Resume next Dim Key objReg.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, arrSubKeys For Each subkey In arrSubKeys If Right("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\" & strKeyPath & "\" & subkey,1)<>"\" then existvalue(strKeyPath & "\" & subkey) End If counter=counter+1 ReDim Preserve del(counter) del(counter-1)=strKeyPath Next On Error GoTo 0 End Function Sub List() On Error Resume next For Each x In del If InStr(x,"\$") then objReg.DeleteKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, x End if Next On Error GoTo 0 End Sub " (quotes not included) The problem must be solved. On Friday, March 30, 2007 at 10:33 am, Gary Lee wrote: >After reading through this list while trying to fix the same problem (no devices >displayed in device manager) I wanted to post an interesting secondary consequence >of the problem, in case it happens to anyone else. The problem I ran into was that >not only did I have no devices displayed, but I could not use an IPSEC vpn connection >to a Cisco VPN device using the Cisco VPN client. The device at the far end would >respond, set up the connection, and then immediately drop it. Fixing the no devices >displayed problem also fixed the VPN problem. Hopefully if anyone else is having >that VPN problem because of the device manager problem they will now be able to find >this thread on a search. And of course, thanks to those who posted advice which >successfully fixed both of my problems without having to wait while prying a hotfix >for the DEVMGR problem out of Microsoft support. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: The Best of every solution!!!!!! Saturday, June 30, 2007 at 3:12 am Posted by pepkin88 (1 messages posted) Because all of solutions didn't work for me I show my solution: You just must type in Recovery Console this: md C:\backup copy C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\backup copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config (file replacement can do in linux, or other computer (if you didn't make password)) And that's it. After restart Windows will reinstall every device, but if you have drivers this isn't a problem. Bad side: Screen resolution may change and some settings may reset. However effect is very payable. But if you want return to previous state, use backup file in C:\backup Moreover this solution can work on other problems. Try it! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: The Best of every solution!!!!!! Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 9:49 pm Posted by Shlomo (1 messages posted) Did anybody experience this: All items are showing under Device Manager, *except* the COM port (Faxmodem cannot connect). I have tried the different fixes mentioned here and they didn't work... On Saturday, June 30, 2007 at 3:12 am, pepkin88 wrote: >Because all of solutions didn't work for me I show my solution: > >You just must type in Recovery Console this: >md C:\backup >copy C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\backup >copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config >(file replacement can do in linux, or other computer (if you didn't make password)) > >And that's it. After restart Windows will reinstall every device, but if you have >drivers this isn't a problem. >Bad side: >Screen resolution may change and some settings may reset. >However effect is very payable. >But if you want return to previous state, use backup file in C:\backup > >Moreover this solution can work on other problems. Try it! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 4:10 pm Posted by Peter (1 messages posted) Dan thanks a Astin Martin Vanquish for your post..It really saved my bacon.I cant tell you for how many days I've been weeding through threads to find a solution.Good one on you and thanks again.And thank you to all who support this excellent site it's much appreciated. On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > :) [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 12:23 am Posted by charlie romarez (1 messages posted) August 19,2007..i have a problem cause my device manager is empty.. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Saturday, August 25, 2007 at 7:20 pm Posted by Nita in Philly (1 messages posted) I know this reply is 4+ y.o., but this was my prob and unfortunately, it took me WEEKS to find this forum by chance and walla! - prob solved! Thanks so much to the die hard software geniuses out there! On Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 8:16 am, Steve wrote: >Turn Plug and play back on...:) >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 15, 2007 at 1:44 pm Posted by vardhan (1 messages posted) of all steps mentioned above if u r still not able to get then u can try this 1. go to control panel, add or remove programs there sort by date last used. there check if there is any update frm windows media player it will be in the name "windows media format 9 series runtime setup" uninstall this application. restart system and vola ur device manager is full and all devices rocking. On Monday, November 8, 2004 at 8:42 am, > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Empty Device Manager Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 2:24 am Posted by chawal (1 messages posted) thank you everyone .I follow the step and it work . now I see device manager . and especially thanks for re: Empty Device Manager Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:58 pm Posted by Sayantan Datta (12 messages posted) Solution Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform the following steps: Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click OK. The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. Click the Services tab. Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck it. Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable the Plug and Play service. Enable the Plug and Play Service To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the following steps: Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. The Computer Management window appears. Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. Double-click Plug and Play. NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. The Plug and Play Properties window appears. Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the Start button. This will start the Plug and Play service. Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Not Fixed Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 10:25 am Posted by gahelton (2 messages posted) I have set the permissions for the 3 groups of users for HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\ENUM Advanced Tab> Type-Name-Permissions-Inhereted From-Apply To Allow-Administrators-Full Control-not inhereted-This key and subkeys Allow-Everyone-Full Control-not inhereted-This key and subkeys Allow-System-Full Control-not inhereted-This key and subkeys All groups allow "Full Control" and "Read. In addition, PnP is enabled, uPnP is disabled. Still, the Device Manager list shows the computer, but no devices underneath. I have recently run Registry Mechanic to clean up the registry. Also, SP2 was just installed. Any suggestions ? On Monday, October 4, 2004 at 11:00 am, Dan wrote: >The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost >but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows! > >You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted >for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty! > >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 > >You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, >and Printers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - Fixed Now ! Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at 6:29 pm Posted by gahelton (2 messages posted) The Device Manager disappeared on my machine after installing SP2. This is a problem with file "fixccs.exe" in the install pack. Execution of this file creates garbage in the registry under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\ENUM which disables the Device Manager view. Microsoft has a hotfix which will correct the registry problem. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914450 Go to Microsoft at this link http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451 and request the fix be emailed to you. They will send you a self-extracting exe file. Run this file. It will extract another self-extracting file "WindowsXP-KB914450-v2-x86-ENU.exe". Run this file to extract the new "fixcss.exe". Run "fixcss.exe" to repair the registry. Make sure that all of your spy protection software is disabled before running the fix. Good Luck. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - it worked!!! Friday, January 11, 2008 at 6:52 pm Posted by pete (1 messages posted) OK i had the same problem after trying to install an iPhone on a new Dell Optiplex 320 with a logitech camera installed. That mix is bad news if you are using old logitech drivers. Dell has a fix. I tried the fix but it hosed the security on the Enum key. I went in and added "everyone" to the enum key and gave full permission and all of a sudden i heard the little increasing 'device connected' beep and device manager came back and the iPhone installed properly! thanks On Monday, July 5, 2004 at 6:10 pm, James Norio wrote: >Hi, >Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I spent an entire day with Dell computer support >trying to retrieve the device manager list on my girlfriend's laptop with Windoze >2000. It appears to have disappeared after Dell support had me install WinRoute >to access a wireless TrueMobile 2300. All that was left in the device manager list >was an icon of a computer with the computer's name. I was told that I would have >to re-install Win2K, and anyway why wasn't I using XP? I am getting disappointed >with their level of support; it used to be better in the old days (wasn't everything?). > Other symptoms included: no more plug n play (for USB drives, etc.), no sound, slow >bootup, etc.). > >I tried the fix spelled out by Sayantan but it didn't work; however, I noticed that >when I turned off plug n play, the icon with my computer name also disappeared, which >led me to try the solution suggested by Pradeep. > >After applying Pradeep's fix, everything seems fine. Just for other dummies like >me who weren't sure where to start, here are the steps I went through: > >Start-Run-regedt32.exe (note the missing "i", it took me awhile to get past that); >Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine; >Burrow into the registry - SYSTEM/CurrenControlSet/Enum; >Highlight "Enum"; >Click on Security-Permissions on Tool Bar; >[Note: on my system, only "Everyone" was in the list, with no permissions] >Click on "Add", Choose SYSTEM from list, click on "Add", Click on "OK"; >Toggle on Allow Read & Full Control; >[I also added Administrator to the list but don't know if this matters or not or >if it may be a problem later...] >Click on "OK"; >Reboot! > >Again, many thanks for the effective advice! >Cheers, >Jim > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Monday, January 14, 2008 at 12:16 pm Posted by Claudia (1 messages posted) Hi! I hope somebody can help me with this. Otherwise, I will have to reinstall/repairinstall Windows - maybe the best option anyway. My computer: Windows XP Media Center Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2, Olidata S.p.A., Mce 2005 Sp2b German, Genuine Intel CPU, T 2050, 1.60 GHz, 0,99 GB RAM The symptoms: Most important, the device manager is blank, both in normal and in safe mode. No network surrounding, even though my computer works with LAN-cable. The wireless net has worked before, at least until last summer, but doesn`t show available networks now. The work place is really slow. Internet Explorer does not work, neither does Windows Media Player (starting, but no sound). But Mozilla and Real Player do work, so that`s why I haven`t done much before. Had some problems with system instability, but some updates from Microsoft made the system stable after some time, even though I got every now and then some black outs with blue screen, caused by a device driver (I guess it was something sound related). Another thing that might be related to the problem is that I had some malware this summer, got two programs (Spysweeper and SpywareDoctor) to remove it, but the system was never the same again, appearantly because the programs work not well together, I experienced also problems with virus programs, changed also there, but this whole thing wasn`t good for the system, and I have problems now with virus scanning and the firewall. I can go into details if it should be related. What I have tried: I thought it would be the top priority to get the device manager working again and did basically everything I could read on the internet. The best overview is probably here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 even though I have tried a few variations and extras that where not listed there. 1) Plug & Play is not the problem, it is on, I also tried msconfig. 2.) Windows updates: has been a problem in the past (autumn 2005), but not now, and on my computer are not the patches described. 3) Malware: could find anything, neither did Apropos Fix, didn`t have contextplus or anything related in my software list, either. 4) Permissions on Enum are ok. 5.) Subkeys under Enum ARE corrupted, it is possible to delete them, but they will come back when I restart the computer, even if I delete the key above. 6.) Tried sfc /scannow, works more or less, but in the end I am asked ca. 5 times to enter the CD even though I have done everything suggested here: http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html 7.) By the way, registry mechanic finds 404 problems, quite a lot of them with high priority, but if I want to fix them, I need to buy the program. I have also used hijackthis, but couldn`t find any bigger problem with it. Has anybody any idea how to tackle the problem? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 10:48 pm Posted by swapnaja (1 messages posted) i have this problem tryed following.......... pnp automatic, ENUM permissions, sfc /scannow, aproposfix, hotfix from microsoft, device manager new registry, system restore in normal mode, still device manager is blank please suggest another options On Monday, January 14, 2008 at 12:16 pm, Claudia wrote: >Hi! > >I hope somebody can help me with this. Otherwise, I will have to reinstall/repairinstall >Windows - maybe the best option anyway. > >My computer: Windows XP Media Center Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2, Olidata >S.p.A., Mce 2005 Sp2b German, Genuine Intel CPU, T 2050, 1.60 GHz, 0,99 GB RAM > >The symptoms: Most important, the device manager is blank, both in normal and in >safe mode. No network surrounding, even though my computer works with LAN-cable. >The wireless net has worked before, at least until last summer, but doesn`t show >available networks now. The work place is really slow. Internet Explorer does not >work, neither does Windows Media Player (starting, but no sound). But Mozilla and >Real Player do work, so that`s why I haven`t done much before. Had some problems >with system instability, but some updates from Microsoft made the system stable after >some time, even though I got every now and then some black outs with blue screen, >caused by a device driver (I guess it was something sound related). >Another thing that might be related to the problem is that I had some malware this >summer, got two programs (Spysweeper and SpywareDoctor) to remove it, but the system >was never the same again, appearantly because the programs work not well together, >I experienced also problems with virus programs, changed also there, but this whole >thing wasn`t good for the system, and I have problems now with virus scanning and >the firewall. I can go into details if it should be related. > >What I have tried: I thought it would be the top priority to get the device manager >working again and did basically everything I could read on the internet. The best >overview is probably here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 >even though I have tried a few variations and extras that where not listed there. > >1) Plug & Play is not the problem, it is on, I also tried msconfig. >2.) Windows updates: has been a problem in the past (autumn 2005), but not now, and >on my computer are not the patches described. >3) Malware: could find anything, neither did Apropos Fix, didn`t have contextplus >or anything related in my software list, either. >4) Permissions on Enum are ok. >5.) Subkeys under Enum ARE corrupted, it is possible to delete them, but they will >come back when I restart the computer, even if I delete the key above. >6.) Tried sfc /scannow, works more or less, but in the end I am asked ca. 5 times >to enter the CD even though I have done everything suggested here: >http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html >7.) By the way, registry mechanic finds 404 problems, quite a lot of them with high >priority, but if I want to fix them, I need to buy the program. I have also used >hijackthis, but couldn`t find any bigger problem with it. > >Has anybody any idea how to tackle the problem? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 1:54 pm Posted by Lyle Campbell (1 messages posted) I too tried the PnP, aproprosfix, registry permissions fixes, scanned the system for malware, ran a registry fix all to no avail. Somewhere in the thread is an entry from someone who noticed corrupt key names in the registry starting with "$%&'()1234". I noticed one of these under HKLM, System, (all ControlSets), Enum, USB. Then I searched for that string and found hundreds of them, each name incremented by one character of the string until the maximum filename size was reached. They were all owned by the System so after logging in as administrator I had to first change the ownership to the administrator and then was allowed to add the administrator with full control permissions. Rather than do this on each of the hundreds of files I did it at the USB level and propogated the change downward by checking the box next to "change owner on subcontainers..." and "replace ... on child objects...". Then you can either delete the keys individually or the folders name "VID....". After I found and deleted these, then rebooted the system and watched it rediscover it's devices the device manager was again filled, the sound worked, the network properties were available, etc. Wahoo! Bottom line is there are as many ways to break something in Windoze as there are to get there but this happened to work for me. Hope it helps you too. On Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 10:48 pm, swapnaja wrote: >i have this problem >tryed following.......... > >pnp automatic, > >ENUM permissions, > >sfc /scannow, > >aproposfix, > >hotfix from microsoft, > >device manager new registry, > >system restore in normal mode, > >still device manager is blank >please suggest another options > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Solution Monday, February 25, 2008 at 7:04 pm Posted by Ed C (1 messages posted) Yeas after many months, this resolved my issue also, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://winonline.blogspot.com/2005/11/reset-entire-registry-permissions-to.html On Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 5:29 pm, Robert Patrick wrote: >A general solution to most of these problems could be to re-permission the entire >registry tree, be aware that there are subtle implications to this and this should >only be performed if the exact cause cannot be ascertained. See http://winonline.blogspot.com/2005/11/reset-entire-registry-permissions-to.html > >Robert [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 6:57 am Posted by Bob Petrie (1 messages posted) I tried all of the many "fixes" that I found on the web to no avail, until I found a post that said: Check the "Security Permissions" of HKEY_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum - It should have 2 users: EVERYONE = Read Permission & SYSTEM = Full. Navigate to the key using Regedit, Right Click the Enum key and then click Permissions. (My PC had been changed to 1 entry for ADMINISTRATOR, with no permissions. I left ADMINISTRATOR and gave it Full, also.) After correcting the Permissions, My Device Manager is Okay and Windows Explorer opens quickly. All OK!! On Monday, November 28, 2005 at 5:52 pm, mattyb wrote: >Spyware seems to be the issue for a large number of people, including myself with >a now fine system. Just posted this where I found the fix on annoyances.org so I >would try this if you are having the problems. I have worked on this problem of a >corrupted Device Manager, missing Network Connections, slow response times from Windows >Explorer and Windows reactivation BS for about 10 hours and this has finally fixed >the issue. I previously scanned the system with Spybot S&D, Lavasoft AdAware and >Webroot Spy Sweeper but nothing picked up on Apropos. > >To make sure that this file is available I have uploaded it to my own server and >you can download it below. I also have an AproposUninstaller.exe from Symantec on >there, but I did not have to try that since the AproposFix.exe worked. I am taking >no credit for it, but I just want to make sure it is available to the next person >that goes through this ****. > >Step 1. >===== >Download one (or both) of the files to remove Apropos to your Desktop. >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposFix.exe >http://www.reesecomputing.com/downloads/files/AproposUninstaller.exe > >Step 2. >===== >Restart your computer and enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 on the keyboard repeatedly >AFTER your BIOS loads and BEFORE Windows starts to load. > >Step 3. >===== >Log into the account where the files you downloaded are on the Desktop. It should >be an account with Administor privledges. > >Step 4. >===== >//For AproposFix.exe: >Double click on AproposFix.exe and extract the files to your Desktop. Open that folder >and double click on Run This.bat and follow the instructions. Restart the computer >once you are prompted. > >//For AproposUninstaller.exe: >Double click on AproposUninstaller.exe to open the removal tool. Click on the Start >button when you are ready to start scanning. Follow the instructions within the removal >tool. > >Step 5. >===== >Once you are back in Windows running in normal mode with a working Device Manager, >etc. get yourself online and download FireFox and download Microsoft AntiSpyware >to help you stay protected against spyware. >http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ >http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyI...a9671&displaylang=en > >You should still also use Spybot S&D and Lavasoft Adware. >http://www.safer-networking.org/ >http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69...bj=dlpage&tag=button > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 7:01 pm Posted by sffuji (1 messages posted) I've done all of the suggested steps - full permissions to System and Users using regedt32, removing the offending XP patch, and even running aproposfix. Left to my own "devices" (if any were showing, that is) I'd switch to a Mac an O/S 10, but... Are there any other suggestions? When I last went into regedt32, there were 3 occurrences of \HKLM\System\ControlSet (vanilla, 001 and 002). On Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 4:53 pm, JB wrote: >I did exactly per suggestion - it did not help. Device manager is still empty. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: trouble downloading aproposfix !! Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 8:42 pm Posted by raja (1 messages posted) >may 29 2008 >my system affected malware >helpme >tuvWpMeF.dll [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 11:56 pm Posted by Mr Croissant (1 messages posted) I tried all the other suggestion in these threads and it was only the registrydefrag worked for me. Downloaded the 30 day trial, ran the program and voila device Manage is populated again [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 2:29 pm Posted by David (1 messages posted) I had a empty device manager and the network connections folder was also empty. I tried everything, editing the registry, downloading fixes checking plug and play in the end I used system restore to restore my PC to a time when everything worked fine, if like me you tried everything simply restore your PC. Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at 9:13 pm Posted by Jonathan Hays (1 messages posted) KB905749 was the answer - remove it. I'm sure there was a KB update installed after this one - since this one was installed in June 07, and all worked until last week - I'm not going to sit here and try to find the Update that confused XP - as I'm sure Microsoft is confused enough - lol On Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 2:29 pm, David wrote: >I had a empty device manager and the network connections folder was also empty. > >I tried everything, editing the registry, downloading fixes checking plug and play >in the end I used system restore to restore my PC to a time when everything worked >fine, if like me you tried everything simply restore your PC. > >Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 1:04 pm Posted by Tom Johnston (1 messages posted) Solved by uninstalling Norton (via remove norton utilities.exe -as found on their site). See: http://forums.microsoft.com/technet/showpost.aspx?postid=3302530&siteid=17&sb=0&d=1&at=7&ft=11&tf=0&pageid=0 On Monday, January 14, 2008 at 12:16 pm, Claudia wrote: >Hi! > >I hope somebody can help me with this. Otherwise, I will have to reinstall/repairinstall >Windows - maybe the best option anyway. > >My computer: Windows XP Media Center Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 2, Olidata >S.p.A., Mce 2005 Sp2b German, Genuine Intel CPU, T 2050, 1.60 GHz, 0,99 GB RAM > >The symptoms: Most important, the device manager is blank, both in normal and in >safe mode. No network surrounding, even though my computer works with LAN-cable. >The wireless net has worked before, at least until last summer, but doesn`t show >available networks now. The work place is really slow. Internet Explorer does not >work, neither does Windows Media Player (starting, but no sound). But Mozilla and >Real Player do work, so that`s why I haven`t done much before. Had some problems >with system instability, but some updates from Microsoft made the system stable after >some time, even though I got every now and then some black outs with blue screen, >caused by a device driver (I guess it was something sound related). >Another thing that might be related to the problem is that I had some malware this >summer, got two programs (Spysweeper and SpywareDoctor) to remove it, but the system >was never the same again, appearantly because the programs work not well together, >I experienced also problems with virus programs, changed also there, but this whole >thing wasn`t good for the system, and I have problems now with virus scanning and >the firewall. I can go into details if it should be related. > >What I have tried: I thought it would be the top priority to get the device manager >working again and did basically everything I could read on the internet. The best >overview is probably here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1134095035 >even though I have tried a few variations and extras that where not listed there. > >1) Plug & Play is not the problem, it is on, I also tried msconfig. >2.) Windows updates: has been a problem in the past (autumn 2005), but not now, and >on my computer are not the patches described. >3) Malware: could find anything, neither did Apropos Fix, didn`t have contextplus >or anything related in my software list, either. >4) Permissions on Enum are ok. >5.) Subkeys under Enum ARE corrupted, it is possible to delete them, but they will >come back when I restart the computer, even if I delete the key above. >6.) Tried sfc /scannow, works more or less, but in the end I am asked ca. 5 times >to enter the CD even though I have done everything suggested here: >http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html >7.) By the way, registry mechanic finds 404 problems, quite a lot of them with high >priority, but if I want to fix them, I need to buy the program. I have also used >hijackthis, but couldn`t find any bigger problem with it. > >Has anybody any idea how to tackle the problem? http://forums.microsoft.com/technet/showpost.aspx?postid=3302530&siteid=17&sb=0&d=1&at=7&ft=11&tf=0&pageid=0 http://forums.microsoft.com/technet/showpost.aspx?postid=3302530&siteid=17&sb=0&d=1&at=7&ft=11&tf=0&pageid=0 [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:06 pm Posted by mmss (5 messages posted) OK i need help. i tried most of these tips to show my Device Manager but nothing seems to work i first did the simple window's support stuff...no good than i twiked my register and still didn't work every time i go to my DM and click on 'view' than to resources by type this MMC pop ups comes out and says it has detected an error in snap in... i think it's the mmc problem..i need help to fix it i have xp sp3...when i had sp2 it was all good just as soon as i updated everything went wrong. On Sunday, November 20, 2005 at 7:59 pm, thomas wrote: >this all started I was on the net. after checking the add/remove programs window, >2 new spywares had been installed together at 3:50. i removed them and thought everything >was ok till i tried to access the net. then after checking device manager, realised >it was empty. after trying all your suggestions (much appreciated by the way), i'm >going to scrap and start anew. death to spyware. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:12 pm Posted by Adam Kerr (4 messages posted) Hi there. A friend of mine had the same issue, here is the helpful advice I received from some other folks here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1217260366 I would recommend trying this patch, it is supposed to fix the issue if it is caused by SP3 I believe. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=6ADAF000-E2AA-4EAF-81F4-6AF385768280&displaylang=en On Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:06 pm, mmss wrote: >OK i need help. i tried most of these tips to show my Device Manager but nothing >seems to work >i first did the simple window's support stuff...no good >than i twiked my register and still didn't work >every time i go to my DM and click on 'view' than to resources by type >this MMC pop ups comes out and says it has detected an >error in snap in... >i think it's the mmc problem..i need help to fix it > > >i have xp sp3...when i had sp2 it was all good just as soon as i updated everything >went wrong. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:34 pm Posted by mmss (5 messages posted) thanks lots! but i see this command prompt that just says fixing currentcontrol set in registry.... i'm not sure if it's working though... did it work for urs? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:37 pm Posted by Adam Kerr (4 messages posted) It was actually my friend's computer, and I've asked him to apply it and haven't heard back. So far, what I've been able to gather is that it is either the PnP process, registry permissions, SP3 adjusting the registry, or an invalid device listed in the registry. Hopefully the patch works. On Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:34 pm, mmss wrote: >thanks lots! >but i see this command prompt that just says >fixing currentcontrol set in registry.... > >i'm not sure if it's working though... >did it work for urs? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 1:46 pm Posted by mmss (5 messages posted) nope didn't work at all [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager (FIXED) Friday, August 1, 2008 at 10:43 am Posted by mmss (5 messages posted) So what i did was used window restore. first go to start and go to all program and to accessories. you will see window restore. click on that and pick a date way back. Then your window will automatically shut down and restore the old data WHEN device manager was working. IF restoring windows didn't work. try it with your computer in safe mode. that's how mine worked. good luck for others! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - It also worked for me Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:34 pm Posted by Carol (1 messages posted) Thank You, Thank You, Thank You You're a saviour I had tried endless methods from other resources but with no success. But on finding this solution it has provided me the result. I now have "Device Manager" back. Hooray!! You're a diamond. Thanks Again Carol On Monday, July 5, 2004 at 6:10 pm, James Norio wrote: >Hi, >Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I spent an entire day with Dell computer support >trying to retrieve the device manager list on my girlfriend's laptop with Windoze >2000. It appears to have disappeared after Dell support had me install WinRoute >to access a wireless TrueMobile 2300. All that was left in the device manager list >was an icon of a computer with the computer's name. I was told that I would have >to re-install Win2K, and anyway why wasn't I using XP? I am getting disappointed >with their level of support; it used to be better in the old days (wasn't everything?). > Other symptoms included: no more plug n play (for USB drives, etc.), no sound, slow >bootup, etc.). > >I tried the fix spelled out by Sayantan but it didn't work; however, I noticed that >when I turned off plug n play, the icon with my computer name also disappeared, which >led me to try the solution suggested by Pradeep. > >After applying Pradeep's fix, everything seems fine. Just for other dummies like >me who weren't sure where to start, here are the steps I went through: > >Start-Run-regedt32.exe (note the missing "i", it took me awhile to get past that); >Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine; >Burrow into the registry - SYSTEM/CurrenControlSet/Enum; >Highlight "Enum"; >Click on Security-Permissions on Tool Bar; >[Note: on my system, only "Everyone" was in the list, with no permissions] >Click on "Add", Choose SYSTEM from list, click on "Add", Click on "OK"; >Toggle on Allow Read & Full Control; >[I also added Administrator to the list but don't know if this matters or not or >if it may be a problem later...] >Click on "OK"; >Reboot! > >Again, many thanks for the effective advice! >Cheers, >Jim > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at 2:28 pm Posted by Mark Johnson (1 messages posted) This one was my problem. I searched the registry "$%&" and found hundreds of them under one of the enum keys. I deleted the specific key that contained them under ENUM in all three of the CurrentControlSet's, rebooted, and I'm back up and running. Device Manager is back and my networking is working again. On Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 1:54 pm, Lyle Campbell wrote: >I too tried the PnP, aproprosfix, registry permissions fixes, scanned the system >for malware, ran a registry fix all to no avail. Somewhere in the thread is an entry >from someone who noticed corrupt key names in the registry starting with "$%&'()1234". > I noticed one of these under HKLM, System, (all ControlSets), Enum, USB. >Then I searched for that string and found hundreds of them, each name incremented >by one character of the string until the maximum filename size was reached. They >were all owned by the System so after logging in as administrator I had to first >change the ownership to the administrator and then was allowed to add the administrator >with full control permissions. Rather than do this on each of the hundreds of files >I did it at the USB level and propogated the change downward by checking the box >next to "change owner on subcontainers..." and "replace ... on child objects...". > Then you can either delete the keys individually or the folders name "VID....". > >After I found and deleted these, then rebooted the system and watched it rediscover >it's devices the device manager was again filled, the sound worked, the network properties >were available, etc. Wahoo! > >Bottom line is there are as many ways to break something in Windoze as there are >to get there but this happened to work for me. Hope it helps you too. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - It also worked for me Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 6:01 am Posted by phoenixphlox (1 messages posted) PROBLEM: Device Manager is showing nothing or The device manager folder is empty The network connection folder is empty SOLUTION: 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, if you notice then follow my tip below ----------------------------------------------------------------- phloxoTIP: JUST SIMPLY REMOVE "Everyone" & "SYSTEM", add them again ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties, and Printers. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - It also worked for me Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 3:38 pm Posted by steje (1 messages posted) Hi all, wondering if anyone here might have something "new" on this topic. I've checked a bunch of things so far and none have worked out. a) the permissions on the Enum reg key were already set for Everyone=Read, and System=Full Control. Trying to 'replace permissions entries on all child objects...' just to try and reinforce the Enum parent key settings encounters the 'could not set security in the key currently selected, or some of its subkeys' message... b) Plug and Play services is and always has been running... c) Ran Swandog46's apropos spyware/rootkit/virus removal tool... d) searched manually for the $%&'()*+ reg names in the WHOLE registry, found nothing... Symptoms include many of those seemingly attributed to the old apropos viral thingy... - Empty device manager - SLOOOOOOW 'My Computer' access in Win Explorer or in Browse/Open dialogs... - USB key connections sometimes need to be dis/re-connected in order to get to the drive - etc etc I'm grabbing rootkitrevealer from sysinternals and going to try rootkitty from UBCD4Win to see if either of those shed any light. Will try and post my findings here... FYI: the 'reason' we found these things out on this PC (my in-laws) is that they were trying to get songs onto a newly purchased iPod Nano, and when connecting the iPod, they get a crash in "iPodService Module" and an error from what appears to be a Dell Printer Software add-on (Memory Card manager) "Failed to locate supported file types or there are no photos found on this device". Bottom line, they can't put songs on their kids iPod, and some other messages on some forums indicated it could be related to whatever is blocking up the device manager... We'll see... [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager - FIXED 100%!! Friday, January 23, 2009 at 6:23 am Posted by chris (1 messages posted) Turning on all the services fixes the problem, thanks for the help! On Friday, January 14, 2005 at 5:04 pm, Flo wrote: >Hi, I had the same problem for the last few days, but I've finally found the solution >to the problem. I think this is definitely a glitch in the Win XP OS because we all >came across the same problem through different actions. I wasn't installing any new >software, hardware, or was even on the internet, for that matter. All I did was scan >for adware and viruses and BAM! -- it happened. > > The root of the problem is that for some reason Win XP thinks it'd be funny to >disable all the services that make up the backbone of the OS, which is why Windows >XP suddenly has no ability to connect to any hardware or that it looks like Windows >2000 and not the sleek XP. And what's really annoying about this glitch is that it >erases all the system restore points you ever saved in the past, so there's no way >you can ever go back to normal. As some people mentioned in previous posts, yes, >Plug and Play was disabled, but you can't fix this problem through the BIOS Setup >Screen because Win XP has its own way of enabling P&P, for some stupid annoying reason. > > So how to fix this damn problem... Go to START --> RUN --> "services.msc" (sans >quotes). Here is a list of all the services that XP disabled on its own. Go through >it an enable all of them (some you can skip if you know you won't use it) and don't >forget to start them as well, or else they won't work. (right click on service-->"start") > > I have all of hardware back, including sound, and Win XP looks sleek and nice >again, but there are still problems here and there. First of all, you'll never get >those system restore points back because Win XP is a jackass. Second of all, I'm >having trouble starting my firewall or connecting to the internet (wi-fi, 56k), but >I don't know if that's because I'm not at my house where I have LAN, or if I need >to re-install some applications or services from my recovery disk. And finally, there >are still some services that after enabled cannot be started for some odd reason. >Windows error says that the device or service connected to the said service is not >enabled, but that doesn't make sense since I've enabled all of them, so there are >still glitches in the system. > >I hope this helped some, and if anyone can figure out the rest of the glitches, please >reply! Thanks. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 4:00 pm Posted by Rafael (1 messages posted) THANKS !!! I tool tried the PnP, aproprosfix, permissions and SFC to no avail. then I kept digging in this forum and found your reply. My corrupted string started at $%& and everytime an issue or reboot occured it added a new digit until eventually it was "$%&'()+,-./0123" afterwhich it repeated over and over and over. Looking at the registry was like the old ASCII Christmas tree printouts. So drinking a beer and pressing the delete key alot it was fixed. Ironically, it was all surrounding Symantec 360 if that helps anyone. You're probably asking why didn't I just run the clean up tool? Well, I could not run Symantec's Clean Up tool as this PC belonged to a client who also had Symantec PC Anywhere for work. Symantec's clean up tool is know for cleaning all the components of the shared common files so it would have broken his other apps. Time for another beer to savory the victory!!! -Rafael On Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 1:54 pm, Lyle Campbell wrote: >I too tried the PnP, aproprosfix, registry permissions fixes, scanned the system >for malware, ran a registry fix all to no avail. Somewhere in the thread is an entry >from someone who noticed corrupt key names in the registry starting with "$%&'()1234". > I noticed one of these under HKLM, System, (all ControlSets), Enum, USB. >Then I searched for that string and found hundreds of them, each name incremented >by one character of the string until the maximum filename size was reached. They >were all owned by the System so after logging in as administrator I had to first >change the ownership to the administrator and then was allowed to add the administrator >with full control permissions. Rather than do this on each of the hundreds of files >I did it at the USB level and propogated the change downward by checking the box >next to "change owner on subcontainers..." and "replace ... on child objects...". > Then you can either delete the keys individually or the folders name "VID....". > >After I found and deleted these, then rebooted the system and watched it rediscover >it's devices the device manager was again filled, the sound worked, the network properties >were available, etc. Wahoo! > >Bottom line is there are as many ways to break something in Windoze as there are >to get there but this happened to work for me. Hope it helps you too. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Empty Device Manager Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 2:56 pm Posted by liskris (1 messages posted) Whoever you are, if you are still here somewhere, I wanted to THANK YOU for this! My Device Manager just poof! disappeared yesterday after trying to install Verizon MiFi. I was freaked!! But, you saved me. THANK YOU!! On Monday, October 13, 2003 at 4:you 58 pm, Sayantan Datta wrote: >Solution > >Check the Plug and Play Service to Startup in MSCONFIG > >To check on the status of the Plug and Play service from within MSCONFIG, perform >the following steps: > >Click the Start button, click Run, and then type in the Open box msconfig. Click >OK. >The Microsoft System Configuration Utility window appears. >Click the Services tab. >Verify that the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox is not checked; if it is, uncheck >it. >Scroll down the list of services until you see the service named Plug and Play. >Click to check Plug and Play if the box is currently unchecked. > >NOTE: If you are still having difficulty accessing the Device Manager or the Status >displayed in MSCONFIG is listed as Stopped, proceed to the next section to enable >the Plug and Play service. >Enable the Plug and Play Service > >To enable the Plug and Play service in a system where it is disabled, perform the >following steps: > >Click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and then left-click Manage. >The Computer Management window appears. >Click Services and Applications, and then click Services. >Click the tab labeled Standard, and scroll down to Plug and Play. >Double-click Plug and Play. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > >The Plug and Play Properties window appears. >Click to change the Startup Type to Manual, and then click Apply. > >NOTE: If a warning dialog box appears, click OK. > > >Under the Service Status section of the Plug and Play Properties windows, click the >Start button. >This will start the Plug and Play service. >Click OK on the Plug and Play Properties. >You should now be able to access the Device Manager [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Corrupted Enum keys make a come back -fixed 100% cpu too Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 9:12 am Posted by Mark (1 messages posted) Thanks this worked for me too. It also fixed a issue where I was also having my Plug n Play service eating up almost 100% CPU. On Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 4:00 pm, Rafael wrote: >THANKS !!! > >I tool tried the PnP, aproprosfix, permissions and SFC to no avail. then I kept digging >in this forum and found your reply. > >My corrupted string started at $%& and everytime an issue or reboot occured it added >a new digit until eventually it was "$%&'()+,-./0123" afterwhich it repeated over >and over and over. Looking at the registry was like the old ASCII Christmas tree >printouts. >So drinking a beer and pressing the delete key alot it was fixed. > >Ironically, it was all surrounding Symantec 360 if that helps anyone. You're probably >asking why didn't I just run the clean up tool? Well, I could not run Symantec's >Clean Up tool as this PC belonged to a client who also had Symantec PC Anywhere for >work. > >Symantec's clean up tool is know for cleaning all the components of the shared common >files so it would have broken his other apps. > >Time for another beer to savory the victory!!! > >-Rafael > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows XP Discussion Forum