Windows XP cannot retreive device driver list

[Nick]

This presented itself when we tried to install a new flash drive. Windows
cannot find a driver for it. We have one of the same exact model that we have
used previously and works fine. I tried uninstalling the USB bus and
redetecting (restarted too) but then Windows cannot locate drivers for the
USB bus.

We have found that no new device can be loaded unless there is a script that
installed the driver completely (for instance, Dell drivers). Also, when we
select "I have a disk...", and then "select from list" no devices are found
even if "only show compatible" is not checked. In fact, the only devices
that are shown when we select "show all devices" are the ones we installed
through the Dell scripted installer. We have found that when windows asks
for a location of the driver and we point to C:\Windows\inf it will find
them, but we keep having to do that, sometimes 3 or 4 times per device.

It appears that Windows cannot query the default device driver list. We
double checked that this Reg key is correct...

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath:
REG_EXPAND_SZ:%SystemRoot%\Inf

Is there something else we are missing here? What else is involved in
telling Windows what and where device drivers are located?

Windows Repair does not work (can find drivers) and reformatting is not an
option.

Thanks.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

This presented itself when we tried to install a new flash drive. Windows

cannot find a driver for it. We have one of the same exact model that we have
used previously and works fine. I tried uninstalling the USB bus and
redetecting (restarted too) but then Windows cannot locate drivers for the
USB bus.

We have found that no new device can be loaded unless there is a script that
installed the driver completely (for instance, Dell drivers). Also, when we
select "I have a disk...", and then "select from list" no devices are found
even if "only show compatible" is not checked. In fact, the only devices
that are shown when we select "show all devices" are the ones we installed
through the Dell scripted installer. We have found that when windows asks
for a location of the driver and we point to C:\Windows\inf it will find
them, but we keep having to do that, sometimes 3 or 4 times per device.

It appears that Windows cannot query the default device driver list. We
double checked that this Reg key is correct...

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath:
REG_EXPAND_SZ:%SystemRoot%\Inf

Is there something else we are missing here? What else is involved in
telling Windows what and where device drivers are located?

Windows Repair does not work (can find drivers) and reformatting is not an
option.

Thanks.

Did you already install the Intel Chipset Software Installation
utility? Grab it here:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/fil...XP+Professional&lang=eng&strOSs=44&submit=Go!

You will want "INF Update Utility - Zip Format "

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Nick]

No dice. Its not Intel drivers that are not installing, its ALL drivers.
Windows cannot automatically install ANY driver on the PC. Each file has to
be manually located.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

No dice. Its not Intel drivers that are not installing, its ALL drivers.

Windows cannot automatically install ANY driver on the PC. Each file has to
be manually located.

Hmm, ok. If you'd like to try, maybe go grab the updated version of
Windows Installer 4.5 and see if it helps. Something is certainly
gummed up in the driver installer part of the OS for it to be
exhibiting that behavior.

Grab it here and give it a shot:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942288

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Nick]

Bah.... I got it. That key I mentioned earlier. I changed it from
%SystemRoot%\inf to c:\Windows\inf and that fixed it.

Can anyone tell me why Windows would stop "knowing" SystemRoot to mean the
Windows folder?

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Bah.... I got it. That key I mentioned earlier. I changed it from

%SystemRoot%\inf to c:\Windows\inf and that fixed it.

Can anyone tell me why Windows would stop "knowing" SystemRoot to mean the
Windows folder?

It's possible that the system paths got messed up. Check Control Panel

System > Advanced tab > Environment Variables > System Variables >

PATH

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

Also look at Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Environment
Variables > System Variables > WINDIR

C:\Windows

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Jim]

Bah.... I got it. That key I mentioned earlier. I changed it from
%SystemRoot%\inf to c:\Windows\inf and that fixed it.

Can anyone tell me why Windows would stop "knowing" SystemRoot to mean the
Windows folder?

%SystemRoot% only means c:\ not c:\windows\