system properties/device manager

[pmg]

just tried to open device manager and i get a box open that says internet
explorer can not navigate to that page. as far as i know this just started ,
no recent tweaking by me, latest updates installed from windows update page
maybe a week ago. no current updates required. running compaq presario
winxp sp-3.
previously i could open device manager and see hardware tree, etc. and check
drivers. now computer is behaving as if i am trying to navigate to a web
site.
any clues? only once has a dialogue box opened and mentioned MMC microsoft
memory console(?) i sent in error report and closed and restarted as
directed.
still after reboot, no device manager.
thanks, pete

 

[1PW]

just tried to open device manager and i get a box open that says internet
explorer can not navigate to that page. as far as i know this just started ,
no recent tweaking by me, latest updates installed from windows update page
maybe a week ago. no current updates required. running compaq presario
winxp sp-3.
previously i could open device manager and see hardware tree, etc. and check
drivers. now computer is behaving as if i am trying to navigate to a web
site.
any clues? only once has a dialogue box opened and mentioned MMC microsoft
memory console(?) i sent in error report and closed and restarted as
directed.
still after reboot, no device manager.
thanks, pete

Hello Pete:

To access the device manager try:

Right clicking My Computer > Properties > Hardware Tab > Device Manager

Pete

 

[pmg]

i know how to navigate to the device manager. it won't open. re-read post.
thanks

 

[Gerry]

pmg

Internet Explorer has nothing to do with Device Manager. Did you mean to say
Internet Explorer?

What are your anti-virus and anti-spyware arrangements?

Have a look in the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for
Errors and Warnings and post copies here. Don't post any more than 48
hours ago.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.


--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[1PW]

i know how to navigate to the device manager. it won't open. re-read post.
thanks

Hello Pete:

It is difficult to know the OP's level of expertise in just a few
sentences. However, we are posting in a basics newsgroup. It /seemed/
from your post that you were *using* Internet Explorer to get to your
Device Manager. Should we be made to understand that clicking on Device
Manager somehow generates a call to launch Internet Explorer?

Try:

1) A System Restore point from a date when your system was operating
properly.

2) Check for corruption on your system disk: a) Chkdsk b) SFC

3) Check your system logs for oddities that began at about the time you
first saw the failure.

4) Run full scans with all your antimalware applications.

5) Do you have full system backups from error-free time?

Pete

 

[pmg]

correct. i am NOT using IE to access device manager. YES, clicking on the
device manager generated the call to launch IE. never happened before. no
disk corruption. will check system logs and get back. thanks for the
replies.
pete

 

[pmg]

will try to post event log. thanks,
pete

pmg

Internet Explorer has nothing to do with Device Manager. Did you mean to
say
Internet Explorer?

What are your anti-virus and anti-spyware arrangements?

Have a look in the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for
Errors and Warnings and post copies here. Don't post any more than 48
hours ago.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.


--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Pete

What are your anti-virus and anti-spyware arrangements?

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[pmg]

i use spybot search and destroy, and avira antivir personal
avira is the firewall, and run weekly to scan system , and i run spybot
weekly to clean up system. ( i have attempted to access device manager with
all spyware/virusware off without any different results.
i used to run malwarebytes too but the last few times it found nothing, so i
don't run it weekly, more like monthly.
that's about it, with a defrag every week or so.
reading online more (for better or worse) i am leaning towards a corrupt
MMC file(s). is there a way to dump them all and re-install microsft MMC
(version 2.0 or 3.0) whichever is appropriate for win xp sp-3
thoughts?
thanks
pete

 

[Gerry]

Pete

I would run malwarebytes.

You might try a Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm


--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[1PW]

i use spybot search and destroy, and avira antivir personal
avira is the firewall, and run weekly to scan system , and i run spybot
weekly to clean up system. ( i have attempted to access device manager with
all spyware/virusware off without any different results.
i used to run malwarebytes too but the last few times it found nothing, so i
don't run it weekly, more like monthly.
that's about it, with a defrag every week or so.
reading online more (for better or worse) i am leaning towards a corrupt
MMC file(s). is there a way to dump them all and re-install microsft MMC
(version 2.0 or 3.0) whichever is appropriate for win xp sp-3
thoughts?
thanks
pete

Hello Pete:

Along with the MBAM suggested, perhaps a pass with the System File
Checker (SFC) might find some corruption.

Pete

 

[Daave]

just tried to open device manager and i get a box open that says
internet explorer can not navigate to that page. as far as i know this
just started , no recent tweaking by me, latest updates installed from
windows update page maybe a week ago. no current updates required.
running compaq presario winxp sp-3.
previously i could open device manager and see hardware tree, etc. and
check drivers. now computer is behaving as if i am trying to navigate
to a web site.
any clues? only once has a dialogue box opened and mentioned MMC
microsoft memory console(?) i sent in error report and closed and
restarted as directed.
still after reboot, no device manager.
thanks, pete

Please provide more details.

When you say "get a box open that says internet explorer can not
navigate to that page," what *exactly* is happening? What kind of box?
Is it an actual IE window? Also, what is the *exact* message*?

Have you tried opening Device Manager in Safe Mode?

Although it has only happened once, jot down the exact message in the
event you see that other dialogue box mentioning MMC.

Since this is recent, have there been any changes recently -- like new
programs or updates? Have you tried running Windows System Restore?

I agree that you should run MBAM. I would do so in Safe Mode.

If nothing else works, SFC or a Repair Install may be your only options
left.