Control Panel/Hardware/Device Manager Missing how can I get it bac

[Guest]

Hello there have been a couple of problems with my computer setup not to
mention
BAD RAM that apparently caused a number of problems. I am running Windows XP
Professional X64 with Home grown AMD64 X2 4400+/2GB Talent pc3200 ddr400 Dimm:
My major problem is: There are no entries in my Device Manager when I try to
check for missing drivers ...etc.... I can get the my computer to come up but
that is it. I tried going throught the add hardware feature and it found and
loaded hardware but that doesn't show up in the Device Manager afterwards
either. Just before I noticed this I got a screen directing me to Reactivate
because of substantial hardware changes. I am assuming at this point, the
Device manager had disappeared just before that boot or right afterit.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Start the Plug and Play service.

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

No Items Appear in the Device Manager List When You Open It
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311504

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

Malware can also cause this.

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

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

A couple more things to try.

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

It may also be a registry key permission problem.

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

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

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

The permissions fixed all this for one fellow.

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

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

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In