No Devices In Device Manager Even with Plug and Play set to Automatic

  • Thread starter Thread starter gooey
  • Start date Start date
G

gooey

I use dial-up internet with Windows Xp home and it was fine until yesterday
out of the blue I couldn't connect to the internet. Windows reported "Modem
cannot be found etc..." So I went into device manager but there were no
devices. Plug and Play service was the first thing I checked but it was set
to automatic and has started. Strangely if I go into safe mode I could see
all the devices. I didn't install any new programs or hardware and a virus
check turned out negative. Anything else I could try?

Gooey
 
I use dial-up internet with Windows Xp home and it was fine until yesterday
out of the blue I couldn't connect to the internet. Windows reported "Modem
cannot be found etc..." So I went into device manager but there were no
devices. Plug and Play service was the first thing I checked but it was set
to automatic and has started. Strangely if I go into safe mode I could see
all the devices. I didn't install any new programs or hardware and a virus
check turned out negative. Anything else I could try?

Gooey
Click to expand...

If it's an external modem, check the connections and power supply.

If it's an internal modem, it sounds like it has failed which would explain
why it's not listed in Device Manager. If still shown in Control Panel's
Phone and Modems, it will not respond to tests.
 
Gooey,
have a look at this, may be of some help.

There seems to be a rash of blank Device Managers lately, apparently
caused by malware. Running the AproposFix referenced at the forum link
below seems to work:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14679793

I would also suggest going through these general virus/malware removal
steps also:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Malke
Click to expand...

Credit where due, although this is a quote from Malke I copied it from
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Regards,
Martin
 
In safe mode, can you query the modem from the phone and modem
settings? does it respond? try pulling it out and putting it in a
different pci slot and see if it is detected next time you boot, I
agree with Sharon, it sounds like it might be shot. Another
possibulity is that the drives managed to corrupt.

-Dan
 
I use dial-up internet with Windows Xp home and it was fine until yesterday
out of the blue I couldn't connect to the internet. Windows reported "Modem
cannot be found etc..." So I went into device manager but there were no
devices. Plug and Play service was the first thing I checked but it was set
to automatic and has started. Strangely if I go into safe mode I could see
all the devices. I didn't install any new programs or hardware and a virus
check turned out negative. Anything else I could try?

Gooey
Click to expand...

PS: If you are missing *all* devices in Device Manager that is the side
effect of some new malware that's going around. Sorry I don't remember all
of the details but there were a few threads about this over the weekend in
this newsgroup. In those threads, a discussion at the DSL Reports forums
was noted for having a lead on a fix:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14679793
 
Sharon F said:
If it's an external modem, check the connections and power supply.

If it's an internal modem, it sounds like it has failed which would
explain
why it's not listed in Device Manager. If still shown in Control Panel's
Phone and Modems, it will not respond to tests.
Click to expand...

I agree with Sharon's assessment and would like to add onto it. It could
also be that the PCI slot the internal modem is plugged into has failed. The
best way to test to see if it's the internal modem, and not the slot it's
plugged into, is removing it and placing it into another PCI slot.
 
Thank you all for replying! I'm sure it's not just the modem's problem, as
all my devices disappeared, not just the modem. I think it might be malware
because I have been getting a lot of pop up ads for some reason even when IE
is not running. I used an array of spyware and adware removers but to no
avail. I'll give AproPosFix a try and post the results here.

Gooey
 
EEEEK!
I ran the program in safe mode and it seemed to detect some malware. I just
thought to myself "all is well" and deleted that folder. Then I restarted
and logged in. However the computer now gets stuck at start up and computer
can't seem to load the icons plus the taskbar. I did CTRL+ALT+DEL and
explorer.exe was there. So now I can't get into my computer in normal mode
now! (safe mode runs ok).

Gooey
 
gooey said:
EEEEK!
I ran the program in safe mode and it seemed to detect some malware. I
just thought to myself "all is well" and deleted that folder. Then I
restarted and logged in. However the computer now gets stuck at start up
and computer can't seem to load the icons plus the taskbar. I did
CTRL+ALT+DEL and explorer.exe was there. So now I can't get into my
computer in normal mode now! (safe mode runs ok).

Gooey
Click to expand...

If you can run system restore in safe mode, please do so. Otherwise, a
repair install of Windows XP may be required.
 
Sorry for keep replying to my own posts, but I think that aproposfix program
did more harm than good. The computer's doesn't freeze at start up, it just
takes ages. Every so often it freezes. At least now my devices are back! :)
However, I would not like to wait 10 minutes just to log in so does anyone
have any suggestions? I attach the log I got from aproposfix below:

Log of AproposFix v1

************

Running from directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\Gooey\Desktop\aproposfix

************

Registry entries found:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]
@="kWi92v FGGFGGHGg90\\x28FGGFVIGpbgWhplG7D78x1MLGw6\\Ax67G8376x291H7D7"
"Device"="\\\\.\\Nulient"
"DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\tosrenum.sys"
"DriverName"="RDPunch"
"HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Motesync\\spmbdkaz.exe"
"HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mapxml3a.dll"
"ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net"
"LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html"
"PartnerId"="CP.LAV"
"InstallationId"="{X9ee5336-d961-1cb0-8743-df5a3d1f98de}"
"PageFiltering"=dword:00000001
"ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Motesync\\moubdukx.exe"
"AutoUpdater"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\s3gercfg.exe"
"Version"="2.0.128"
"LastAURestoreMsgTS"="2005:11:12-01:40:04:125"

************

Removing hidden service:
Service RDPunch removed.

Removing hidden folder:
Deletion of folder Motesync succeeded!

Deleting files:

Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\tosrenum.sys succeeded!
Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\s3gercfg.exe succeeded!
Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\mapxml3a.dll succeeded!

Backing up files:
Done!

Removing registry entries:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]

Done!

Finished!
 
Sorry for keep replying to my own posts, but I think that aproposfix program
did more harm than good. The computer's doesn't freeze at start up, it just
takes ages. Every so often it freezes. At least now my devices are back! :)
However, I would not like to wait 10 minutes just to log in so does anyone
have any suggestions? I attach the log I got from aproposfix below:

Log of AproposFix v1

************

Running from directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\Gooey\Desktop\aproposfix

************

Registry entries found:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]
@="kWi92v FGGFGGHGg90\\x28FGGFVIGpbgWhplG7D78x1MLGw6\\Ax67G8376x291H7D7"
"Device"="\\\\.\\Nulient"
"DriverPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\drivers\\tosrenum.sys"
"DriverName"="RDPunch"
"HideUninstallerName"="C:\\Program Files\\Motesync\\spmbdkaz.exe"
"HDll"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mapxml3a.dll"
"ServerAddress"="adchannel.contextplus.net"
"LegalNote"="http://adchannel.contextplus.net/legal-note/nonbranded.html"
"PartnerId"="CP.LAV"
"InstallationId"="{X9ee5336-d961-1cb0-8743-df5a3d1f98de}"
"PageFiltering"=dword:00000001
"ClientName"="C:\\Program Files\\Motesync\\moubdukx.exe"
"AutoUpdater"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\s3gercfg.exe"
"Version"="2.0.128"
"LastAURestoreMsgTS"="2005:11:12-01:40:04:125"

************

Removing hidden service:
Service RDPunch removed.

Removing hidden folder:
Deletion of folder Motesync succeeded!

Deleting files:

Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\tosrenum.sys succeeded!
Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\s3gercfg.exe succeeded!
Deletion of file C:\WINDOWS\system32\mapxml3a.dll succeeded!

Backing up files:
Done!

Removing registry entries:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CsQR9Ax4gV46]

Done!

Finished!
Click to expand...

I don't have any experience with that tool but from the log it looks like
most of the apropos stuff was removed. However there may be other stuff on
the system that needs removing that is beyond the scope of the apropos fix.

Suggestions:
- Visit that thread at DSL reports and ask for more information about the
fix. I still had the link in my browser history from reading a post by
Malke in this newsgroup - all I know about the fix is what shows up when
you click the link. Sorry but since the trail is "hot" at dsl reports, you
may want to pursue it there and ask your questions about the tool there as
well.

-More info about "apropos":
http://secunia.com/virus_information/15912/adware-apropos/
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_101218.htm

NOTE: This is older info. What is happening currently may be based on the
apropos but it has an added twist. The problem with Device Manager is more
recent. It's hard to tell if this a "bug" in a newer version of the adware
or if it is an exploit that has been added to that vehicle.

-All of those random file names are "not good." They are very possibly
present because of other intrusions that are beyond the scope of the
apropos fix. Intrusions could explain the periodic slowdowns as well. Use
anti-virus and anti-spyware programs to remove/clean as much as you can.
Make sure those programs are updated before scanning with them.

-LSPFIX: Removal of malware often leaves you without any internet
connection due to damaged LSPs. Running LSPFIX restores the default Windows
LSP so that you have some connectivity. It is recommended to download this
before cleaning so that it is on hand if needed. Links to the fix for
various versions of Windows can be found here:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
 
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