Device Manager Has Gone

Hi, I'm running windows XP home edition service pack 2 and when I go to the control panel the device manager icon is not there, it always has been previously, when I attempt to open device manager through other means I get the error message: MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\devmgmt.msc Other msc files open fine and I have done everything I can think of to solve this so am appealing for help, I would really rather not have to repair xp… Have run sfc /scannow and replaced dll files - no difference to comp, Have followed microsofts instructions to fix this - no difference Have installed latest updates - no difference Have tried a fix for msc files - no difference. Any ideas? Thanks

Hi,
Sorry to hear of the problems you are having with device manager. This can sometimes be caused by Anti vrus/spyware cleaners.
Have a look here:
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Device-Mana….html&st=15
and the post that carries the solution is if I remember correctly about no 27.
See how you go but tread carefully…I always recommend a full backup before you start.

Post back here and let us know how you go.
Regards
Paws

Tried the solution in that forum before - made no difference. To add to the issue I'm also getting an error; DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL where my screen goes blue and tells me I have to restart or if I have seen the error before then I must go into safe mode and uninstall any new hardware. Outpost firewall keeps on sending error messages when I start up the comp and when I clicked for more details it said it was a driver error.

Hi,
Ok
It looks then as though the recent infections on your machine that you cleaned out 4 weeks or so ago with the help of Shaba together with the hi-jacking of your machine by those folks in the Ukraine, may have caused system instability, and damaged some important files.

1 The first course of action is to back up/archive/copy all your important stuff, data, settings, emails, address book, music, drivers etc and to locate and keep handy your Windows Installation and other application discs, producct license keys and original documentation. It is not recommended at this stage that you perform a reinstall of your operating system, but should this become necessary in the future it is as well to be prepared.

2 Next if you took Shaba''s advice and turned off and then on again your System Restore facility it will have purged all potentially infected restore points from your system and any newly created restore points from then on should be clean of infection.

3 It would therefore be wise to attempt a system restore back to a time before your device manager problems started (but obviously after you turned it off and then back on again) following the cleaning of your machine. Now see how you go.

NOTE if for some reason you did not turn off and then back on the system Restore as advised by Shaba then do not attempt step 3 above as this would stand a good chance of reinfecting your machine. ALSO please do not turn off and then on the system Restore just now, as even an infected system restore point may be better than no restore point at all!

4 If you are still having problems then run chkdsk with the f and r switch (it is OK to allow the reboot) and it will attempt to fix any problems it finds. After a reboot run it again, and again if necessary (after another reboot) until it gives you a clean bill of health.

5 Next run the Windows Protected System File Checker (SFC) and make sure you have an up to date copy of your windows XP installation disc as Windows will need to copy over replacement files if damaged or missing system files are detected, and clean copies cannot be found elsewhere on your computer.

Please post back here in this thread if you need further information on performing the above tasks.
Good luck
Regards
paws

Thank you very much for the advice, sadly I am not as adept at computers as I would like to be so some information on steps 3 and 4 would be helpful! I followed Shaba's instructions exactly so system restore points were reset. I think that the device manager issue may have started when I removed the various viruses, at least that is when my brother started complaining that his mp3 player wouldn't connect to the comp anymore. Thanks again! *edit* I don't know if this is relevant or not but Internet Explorer 7 is installed on the computer.

Hi,
I understand,
As the device manager issue occured prior to purging the Restore Points I think the chances of success using a System Restore Point are remote.
Nevertheless let's have a look at it:
Instructions (print out if required) for Step 3 in the previous post:

Turn on your computer:
1 Click on Start
2 Click on All Programs
3 Click on Accessories
4 Click on System Tools
5 Click on System Restore
6 Place a mark in the radio button "Restore my computer to an earlier time"
7 Click on OK/Next
8 The system Restore wizard will open allowing you to put back your computer to an earlier date. This should be a date shown in Bold that appears on the calandar, that is prior to the trouble starting. As you flushed/purged the system Restore Points as advised by Shaba when your machine was declared clean, the earliest time you may see a Bold system Restore date will be towards the end of July 2007…if by chance you find one earlier than that then please stop, do not continue with the restore, but post back here for further advice.

Follow the directions of the wizard and see how you go. Has it affected your device manager? Post back here in this thread for the next steps.
(Thanks for the information that you have IE7 installed)
Regards
paws

Sorry this is taking a while, I'm having to check with everyone who uses the computer that a system restore is ok… Shall keep you posted!

Turns out I can't make a backup file using windows backup because it flashes up the blue screen with the eroor; DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL Not sure what to do now that I can't back stuff up…

Succesful backup on third attempt! However is 40 GB so am purchasing an external hard drive to put it all on! Long story short, won't be doing anything til after the weekend. Thanks for your patience and help!

System restore doesn't work… I select a restore point, let it shut down and a window comes up saying it is restoring files, the progress bar never makes it to the other side and when the computer restarts there is a box saying that no changes were made to the computer and that the system restore point selected could not be used. It says this for any restore point. Once again I would appreciate your help!

Hi Kimbles, Oh Dear, this isn't looking too good.. Have you run the System File Checker yet? 1Start 2 Run 3 sfc /scannow (note the space) 4 Ok scan will take about 15 to 30 mins or so, no output file is produced and fixes are performed autoomatically. You may need your Windows installation disc handy, as if sfc finds damaged or missing protected system files and cant' find clean copies elsewhere on your machine it will ask you to insert the Windows XP installation disc. Let us know how you go. Regards paws

Have run sfc several times previously and it didn't find anything. (Didn't ask for the CD at any point)

Hi, Try this, see if you can boot into Safe Mode, Restart your computer and immediately after the Bios loads but before Windows starts to load start tapping the F8 key once per second until a black menu (advanced ) appears select safe mode, go into Services.msc and stop Plug and Play (PnP) Start> Run> Services.msc and then reboot into normal mode. Return to Services.msc and restart PnP. Check Device Manager. If still blank, reboot and try it again. Hope this works for you. Regards paws

Nope, no luck there either I'm afraid! Device manager is still missing. Thanks for continued help! Have just run sfc/ scannow again and it has replaced some files and interestingly told me I need to replace a file from my Windows XP home edition CD-ROM, when I put my XP CD into the drive (bearing in mind the CD drive DOES work) it tells me that it is the wrong CD.