Cannot remove devices in device manager....

[littlerumper]

Hey all.

I'm a service tech and I've come across a good one.

On one of my customers computers, Some of the Device manager device icons are now all diamonds. When you try and remove any device, the computer displays an error message 'You selected a Device category. Device categories cannot be removed. Click the plus sign next to the category, and then click the device you would like to remove.' Of course...there is no plus sign and this is the device that I wish to remove.

I suspect a registry problem that is universally messing up either the device manager or plug and play on the motherboard...

any input would be great.

[Major Kong]

Is it Win98 or 98SE? I saw this with an IBM Pentium 233MMX PC running Win98. I had to go into Safe Mode and deleted all of the offending devices (there were about 12 ghost devices in there!).

[littlerumper]

Oh forgot...win95a...and in safe mode same thing...same message.

[rrockey]

most devices listed in device manager are listed in the reg key
hkeylocalmachine\enum\

[Major Kong]

Well I know this will not help much but I did find this thread: <a href="http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/13824.html" target="_blank">http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/13824.html</a>
It seems as if this is a good one. I also seem to remember something from Windows 98 Annoyances but loaned the book out and can't remember the reference.

[littlerumper]

Thanks....That sounds exactly like what is happening. Unfortunatly no one has posted a fix. There must be some corrupt os file or a registry key that is just refering to all devices as device categories....

[techs]

If all else fails try deleting the hklm/enum key. Reboot and run the add new hardware wizard and let windows redetect all your hardware.