EMPTY DEVICE MANAGER

This post sent from another PC.
The sick PC is 9 years old, runs WinXP Pro and is still used occasionally. Today I could not connect to the Net and pretty soon made the discovery: Device manager is empty, not a single entry. I opened System Restore and was informed that SR is OFF. I do not remember turning it off; when I turned it ON the only available Restore Point was 1 minute ago.
I remember that blank Device Manager problem occurred many years ago and that I had to ship the PC back to the guy who assembled it for me, for repair. I will not do it now. Is there anything I can do myself, with your help? I have a Win95 CD. TIA. :confused:

Before you do anything else, give it a scan with this:

Malwarebytes

I just started full scan.
After I posted, it occurred to me that I cannot use WinXP CD as there are no drivers. So, I decided to check - I've heard the drive spinning and saw the disk menu on the monitor - Setup, etc. I was surprised, as there is no sound! Alas, I know so little.
I did not run Setup (nor anything else). Waiting for your instructions.
I'll post results of MalBytes as soon as I get them. So far nothing found.

Scan results are below:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.60.0.1800
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: v2012.01.12.04

Windows XP Service Pack 3 x86 NTFS
Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.5512
:: GRISHA [administrator]

1/15/2012 3:00:48 PM
mbam-log-2012-01-15 (15-00-48).txt

Scan type: Full scan
Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM
Scan options disabled: P2P
Objects scanned: 273183
Time elapsed: 1 hour(s), 1 minute(s), 21 second(s)

Memory Processes Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Detected: 1
HKCU\Software\IEBarProperties (Adware.Mirar) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Detected: 1
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CryptSvc|Start (Disabled.Cryptsvc) -> Bad: (4) Good: (2) -> Quarantined and repaired successfully.

Folders Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Files Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

(end)
Now what can be done?

Get your WinXP CD handy, then go to Start>Run and type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes (you don't get any report from the System File Checker, it just silently replaces and corrupt or missing system files that it finds).

No Items Appear in the Device Manager List When You Open It
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;311504

Before I do anything, let me tells you this: When I had turned the PC on, there was no Internet connection. I've learned that the best way to restore it is to restart everything - modem, router and PC. After restart, still no Net and I noticed MS flag in R. bottom corner:
This copy of Windows is not activated.... Maybe this flag was present before Restart - I do not remember now. MS gave me three days to activate Windows. In March this WinXP installation will turn 10 years(!) and I did not do anything, like reinstalling HD, formatting it , partitioning, etc.
If the above info changes anything, please let me know. In the meantime, I'll check my CD/DVD drives.
The strangest thing is this: so far everything works, with two exceptions: there is no sound and no Internet connection.
I found this: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...sked-questions . Yet, I cannot even activate Windows as described here

Quote:

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To activate Windows on this computer, do the following:

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.* Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

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as there is no Activate Windows now tab, only General, Hardware, Advanced, System Restore, Automatic Updates, Remote, Computer Name. Activation can be done by phone but it's automated line. I'd like to get my DevMangr back.

Thank you, Steve, it worked - DevMangr is now populated, yet there is no Internet Connection nor Sound. I deleted NIC ( as I was instructed here: http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...t=yurka&page=2) and rebooted, to no avail. Network Connection in My Network Places is blank. Any suggestions?
Another question: should I run sfc /scannow as SuperSparks suggested anyway?

It couldn't hurt to run the System File Checker also. If it were my computer, I would probably also run the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostics.

Quote:

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I would probably also run the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostics

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Where can I find them? The only Help and Support I was able to find was online.
I think this PC is too old to spend much time on it: I was asked to insert Windows CD and during file checking it stopped at least 20 times and I have to click Retry, again and again. Eventually, File Checking ended, yet there is no sound and no Internet.

THe Ultimate Boot CD has hard drive diagnostics for most brands of hard drives.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com

Thanks a lot, jdc2000!
I am at work now, will try it later. If it works, fine - perhaps my ancient PC will see its
10th anniversary day. If it does not, I won't spent more time on it - as a second PC it's passable as it is (no sound and no Internet). I'll let you know the results.

yurka--Another source of diagnostic tools for the various Hard Drives
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

If you do not know the maker of your hard drive run Belarc.
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

or use this
http://www.pcidatabase.com/

Initially, Welshjim's way appeared easier but my HD is apparently not lised. It is WD 60GB, 72RPM. The earliest listed version is

Quote:

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WD Data Lifeguard v11.2 for drives > 137GB (CD) (December 2006)

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. Other avenues appear even more complicated - I have to spend a lot of time just to understand the instructions, written in computerspeak jargon. My ancient small HD does not deserve it.

You might find a version that would work at post #6 here:

http://www.techimo.com/forum/technic...ggestions.html

http://support.wdc.com/dlg/onlinedlg.asp