Updated request for assistance.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Skot
  • Start date Start date
S

Skot

OK. Here's a good one... Updated with further details.

Relevant specs:

Windows XP home ed. SP 2. (Not SP2 Related. has been
happening since XP install in approx Feb 04)

Sony CD RW crx160e
Sony DVD Rom DDU1621

MSI KT4V MoBo w/ current BIOS

Here it is in a nutshell:

Every time I restart the machine, I get the Device
Installer Error "Windows could not load the installer
for . Contact your hardware vendor for assistance". Note
this is an exact quote - it lists no specific device. But
it is definitely the optical drives. (twice, once for
each)

It then asks me if I want to search for drivers for the
CD Rom drives. (twice). If I allow it to search, of
course it finds nothing.

I've tried everything, and I'm at my rope's end.

I've changed both of the Secondary IDE Channel Properties
to PIO only, for 0 and 1. Rebooted, same result.

When I click on "troubleshoot" in the properties for
either drive, it goes back to the Device Installer Error,
and no further.

If I try to uninstall the driver, it says "Failure to
uninstall the device, the device may be needed to start
the computer".

Funny thing is: Both drives work fine. The DVD drive,
plays DVD's. The CD R/W reads / writes just fine.

However, this is a very cumbersome issue, and I could
certainly use the advice. I've been tinkering with it for
months, to no avail...

So what do you think? I've searched everywhere, and have
never seen a similar issue posted.

Thanks
 
Skot said:
OK. Here's a good one... Updated with further details.

Relevant specs:

Windows XP home ed. SP 2. (Not SP2 Related. has been
happening since XP install in approx Feb 04)

Sony CD RW crx160e
Sony DVD Rom DDU1621

MSI KT4V MoBo w/ current BIOS

Here it is in a nutshell:

Every time I restart the machine, I get the Device
Installer Error "Windows could not load the installer
for . Contact your hardware vendor for assistance". Note
this is an exact quote - it lists no specific device. But
it is definitely the optical drives. (twice, once for
each)

It then asks me if I want to search for drivers for the
CD Rom drives. (twice). If I allow it to search, of
course it finds nothing.

I've tried everything, and I'm at my rope's end.

I've changed both of the Secondary IDE Channel Properties
to PIO only, for 0 and 1. Rebooted, same result.

When I click on "troubleshoot" in the properties for
either drive, it goes back to the Device Installer Error,
and no further.

If I try to uninstall the driver, it says "Failure to
uninstall the device, the device may be needed to start
the computer".

Funny thing is: Both drives work fine. The DVD drive,
plays DVD's. The CD R/W reads / writes just fine.

However, this is a very cumbersome issue, and I could
certainly use the advice. I've been tinkering with it for
months, to no avail...

So what do you think? I've searched everywhere, and have
never seen a similar issue posted.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Try booting the computer into Safe Mode.

In Safe Mode open Device Manager and browse through all of the device
categories:

- Remove any items that you know do not exist on your machine
- Where two or more entries exist for the same physical item, remove
all repeat all instances of that item. Note: This does not apply to
"IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering" type entries in the System Devices
category, which can be legititmately duplicated.
- Remove all items in the "other devices" category.

Shut down and restart the computer normally. It will redetect and
install a single instance of any legitimate items that you removed.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
-----Original Message-----


Try booting the computer into Safe Mode.

In Safe Mode open Device Manager and browse through all of the device
categories:

- Remove any items that you know do not exist on your machine
- Where two or more entries exist for the same physical item, remove
all repeat all instances of that item. Note: This does not apply to
"IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering" type entries in the System Devices
category, which can be legititmately duplicated.
- Remove all items in the "other devices" category.

Shut down and restart the computer normally. It will redetect and
install a single instance of any legitimate items that you removed.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Ron;

The problem isn't that it's detecting the same item
twice, but I went over your solution, anyway, and I'm
still getting the same device installer error upon boot.

So the problem remains: Each time upon boot I get the
message above, and the request to find drivers, to no
avail.

Today I also tried swapping master / slave, and that
didn't work either.

Any further advice would definitely be appreciated

-S
 
Thanks, Ron;

The problem isn't that it's detecting the same item
twice, but I went over your solution, anyway, and I'm
still getting the same device installer error upon boot.

So the problem remains: Each time upon boot I get the
message above, and the request to find drivers, to no
avail.

Today I also tried swapping master / slave, and that
didn't work either.

Any further advice would definitely be appreciated

-S
Click to expand...

Okay.

Go back into Safe Mode and uninstall all of the entries for CDROM
drives.

Then reboot normally and see if that will clear things up.

If not then we will have to delve into some registry editing.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
Okay.

Go back into Safe Mode and uninstall all of the entries for CDROM
drives.

Then reboot normally and see if that will clear things up.

If not then we will have to delve into some registry editing.

Good luck
Click to expand...


Ron,

OK, I attempted to delete the drives in Safe Mode, and it
still refused, saying "failed to delete, this device may
be required to start the computer" or somesuch.

I also deleted the drivers from safe mode. But cdrom.sys
kept coming right back.

So we're back at the same place.

Pls advise what must now be done in the registry.

Thanks
 
Before doing reg hacks try again in safe mode deleting the (assuming you are
connected to IDE channel) IDE controller from Device manager. This should
by association delete the drives as well. Then try restarting your system
regularly.

Good Luck,
Len
 
Great idea, Len,

I did as you suggested. And it did delete the drives, as
well.. But upon restart, the same thing happened...

So I guess the reg is the last resort?

Thanks
-s
 
Ron,

OK, I attempted to delete the drives in Safe Mode, and it
still refused, saying "failed to delete, this device may
be required to start the computer" or somesuch.

I also deleted the drivers from safe mode. But cdrom.sys
kept coming right back.

So we're back at the same place.

Pls advise what must now be done in the registry.

Thanks
Click to expand...

First create a System Restore point.

Use Start - Run - REGEDIT.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Enum/IDE
Select each and every entry for CDROM type devices and delete them.

Do the same for any other Control set folders in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM folder.

Shut down and restart the computer.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
Hi Ron,

Did as you suggested...

Still, no joy, still can't uninstall the drives, still
the same detection issue :(

I'm totally perplexed.

And now, the drives aren't seen in "My Computer" at
all...

And in the properties for each drive, it says

"Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware.
The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

Click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter for this
device."

Troubleshoot, as we know, has once again proved itself
useless.

And they're yellow exclamation pointed.

So seems we're a bit worse off than before?

Thanks
Skot
 
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