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...
Hotfix here...
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
