Add hardware error: Cannot run two device installations
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Thread: Add hardware error: Cannot run two device installations

  1. #1
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    Unhappy Add hardware error: Cannot run two device installations

    Hi everybody.

    Whenever I click on the "add hardware" Icon in the Control panel of Windows XP, I get the following error message:

    Cannot Run Two Device Installations:
    You can install only one device at a time
    Another device installation is underway, when it is finished you can try this wizard again.

    I am not intentionally running another device installation, and if I am, how on earth do I cancel/quit/get rid of this mystery installation that I cannot find?

    I have checked every system process in Windows task manager, and have uninstalled every Item in Device Manager that is 'unknown' or has a yellow exclamation mark or question mark next to it, and have even used system restore to roll back to a fair while ago, how can I solve this problem please?

    I have already tried (extensively) googling this problem, and checking in other forums, and I cannot find an answer, I am beginning to become desperate and, having recently had to recover ALL my data from a crashed machine and fcatory reset, I do not fancy doing the same thing again.

    please help, thankyou very much.

  2. #2
    Geezer confus-ed's Avatar
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    Welcome to WD forums masterofcumnor.

    How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP - Q315341 - considering how long & 'not hard' it is would probably be my first stab at this ..

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by masterofcumnor
    Hi everybody.

    Whenever I click on the "add hardware" Icon in the Control panel of Windows XP, I get the following error message:

    Cannot Run Two Device Installations:
    You can install only one device at a time
    Another device installation is underway, when it is finished you can try this wizard again.

    I am not intentionally running another device installation, and if I am, how on earth do I cancel/quit/get rid of this mystery installation that I cannot find?

    I have checked every system process in Windows task manager, and have uninstalled every Item in Device Manager that is 'unknown' or has a yellow exclamation mark or question mark next to it, and have even used system restore to roll back to a fair while ago, how can I solve this problem please?

    I have already tried (extensively) googling this problem, and checking in other forums, and I cannot find an answer, I am beginning to become desperate and, having recently had to recover ALL my data from a crashed machine and fcatory reset, I do not fancy doing the same thing again.

    please help, thankyou very much.

    Were you able to resolve this issue? We are having the same problem!

  4. #4
    Registered User DoubleTrouble2004's Avatar
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    Talking Cannot run two device installations - Error FIX

    After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

    Solution that worked for me:

    Step I. backup registry

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. In Registry Editor, click File->Export.

    3. Specify a name in the File Name box, making sure that "All" is selected in the Export range box, and then click Save.

    ***(Probably not a bad idea to create a RESTORE point in XP also just to be safe)

    Step II. Delete some keys

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup"

    3. If there is any key or values named "FactoryPreInstallInProgress", please right click and delete it.

    4. Repeat the above steps to delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory

    5. Restart the computer.

    Upon restart my PC ran the Hardware Wizard and prompted me for a restart so it could rebuild the deleted registry keys. After restart it was fixed and I am now able to use the "Add Hardware Wizard".

  5. #5
    Geezer confus-ed's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004
    After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

    Solution that worked for me:...
    Welcome to windrivers forums 'Double trouble' ! Hopefully you won't be that, as you've started off in the right vein with a suggested solution ..

    I will say you only ought to find the key 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory' present when its a failed oem install or done by some device driver & erroneously set - this How to Use Sysprep in Factory Mode refers ..

  6. #6
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    Thumbs up DoubleTrouble's fix worked for me

    Hi:

    I don't know enough to make a contibution to this group. I joined specifically so I could post a big thank you to DoubleTrouble and to report that his suggested fix worked for me. Briefly, I had NO USB port access...neither a new PCI 4-port USB 2.0 card nor my old 1.1 ports on the motherboard. XP recognized nothing I plugged in. The hardware wizard was tied up with the message reported in this thread. Naturally, I tried all sorts of stuff, to no avail. Deleting the reg keys as DoubleTrouble suggested "woke up" the hardware wizard. It suddenly recognized "new" hardward on board...specifically my printer which had been there and was functioning all along (go figure). After it "installed" the printer, I rebooted and (tada!) the 1.1 ports were alive. I shut down and installed the PCI card and everything works. Big thanks, DoubleTrouble!

    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004
    After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

    Solution that worked for me:

    Step I. backup registry

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. In Registry Editor, click File->Export.

    3. Specify a name in the File Name box, making sure that "All" is selected in the Export range box, and then click Save.

    ***(Probably not a bad idea to create a RESTORE point in XP also just to be safe)

    Step II. Delete some keys

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup"

    3. If there is any key or values named "FactoryPreInstallInProgress", please right click and delete it.

    4. Repeat the above steps to delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory

    5. Restart the computer.

    Upon restart my PC ran the Hardware Wizard and prompted me for a restart so it could rebuild the deleted registry keys. After restart it was fixed and I am now able to use the "Add Hardware Wizard".

  7. #7
    Registered User DoubleTrouble2004's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by 9HOWE9
    Hi:

    I don't know enough to make a contibution to this group. I joined specifically so I could post a big thank you to DoubleTrouble and to report that his suggested fix worked for me. Briefly, I had NO USB port access...neither a new PCI 4-port USB 2.0 card nor my old 1.1 ports on the motherboard. XP recognized nothing I plugged in. The hardware wizard was tied up with the message reported in this thread. Naturally, I tried all sorts of stuff, to no avail. Deleting the reg keys as DoubleTrouble suggested "woke up" the hardware wizard. It suddenly recognized "new" hardward on board...specifically my printer which had been there and was functioning all along (go figure). After it "installed" the printer, I rebooted and (tada!) the 1.1 ports were alive. I shut down and installed the PCI card and everything works. Big thanks, DoubleTrouble!
    YOUR WELCOME! I specifically joined this forum in order to post the solution that worked for me. I figured if I could save one person the frustration and time that I spent trying to find help on this hardware wizard issue, then it would be worth sharing. Glad to see that it was of help to 9HOWE9. :-)
    -DoubleTrouble2004

  8. #8
    Geezer confus-ed's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004
    .. I specifically joined this forum in order to post the solution that worked for me. I figured if I could save one person the frustration and time that I spent trying to find help on this hardware wizard issue, then it would be worth sharing. Glad to see that it was of help ..
    That was my story nearly six years ago ! So I'm glad you were able to help someone with this feeling :- '', that's the entire point of the place, keep on sharing.

  9. #9
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    DoubleTrouble - Thank you for figuring this out. I just about tossed my new Alieware gaming machine out the third floor window. They had no idea (and it was delivered this way), MSFT had no idea, glad I Googled it and found this!

  10. #10
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    Thanks go once again to Double Trouble, I had the exact same problem and this solution worked!

  11. #11
    Registered User gazzak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by antifashion
    I just about tossed my new Alieware gaming machine out the third floor window.
    OUCH
    There's no panic like the panic you momentarily feel when you've got
    your hand or head stuck in something

  12. #12
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    Unhappy

    Quote Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble2004
    After an exhaustive search on Google and contacting Microsoft on two different occassions for support on the Add Hardware Wizard error of "Cannot run two device installations", I have fixed my Windows XP.

    Solution that worked for me:

    Step I. backup registry

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. In Registry Editor, click File->Export.

    3. Specify a name in the File Name box, making sure that "All" is selected in the Export range box, and then click Save.

    ***(Probably not a bad idea to create a RESTORE point in XP also just to be safe)

    Step II. Delete some keys

    -------------------------------------

    1. Click Start->Run, type "regedit.exe" in the Open box, and click OK.

    2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup"

    3. If there is any key or values named "FactoryPreInstallInProgress", please right click and delete it.

    4. Repeat the above steps to delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory

    5. Restart the computer.

    Upon restart my PC ran the Hardware Wizard and prompted me for a restart so it could rebuild the deleted registry keys. After restart it was fixed and I am now able to use the "Add Hardware Wizard".

    This is my first posting on these forums and I'd like to thank everyone for their input. I followed these instructions and I still recieve the error about another installation in progress. Anyone else have any ideas?

  13. #13
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    hi all, first post. found the site (and post) by google, as i ran into this installing xp and stuff on a new comp.

    i got it fixed, here is the best i can help:

    i cancelled the wizard twice and ignored it, figuring to install the video card later

    i had tried to unistall the vga controller in hardware - device manager the restart to reinstall, but this did not work

    i then found this site (using another comp with internet access) and followed the regedit dir, deleting two keys, both had the "factory install" in them.
    both were somewhere in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Setup buit not in the same sub-folder

    when i restarted to let xp "rebuild" the registry, i got the 800x600 res screen and no rebuild prompt; also no more wizard in progress.

    the trick might* have been to delete the controller first.

    i then reinstalled the nvidia driver from the original install disk and all is well; but the driver from the nvidia site might work as well (i bet it would)

    hope this helps someone, eventually
    Last edited by nyl; April 15th, 2005 at 12:48 AM.

  14. #14
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    Just to say thx

    Might be a littler off topic, but anyway i would like to thank you folks for sharing all these really helpfull information with us. I will surely contribute to this system in the future...keep up the good work folks

    Greetings from Germany

    G. Wendlandt

    CEO Marserv GmbH

  15. #15
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    One more registry key.

    The two supplied here didn't finish the job.

    After clearing a THIRD registry key, the solution worked.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\System\Setup

    If it still doesn't work, consider using the "Find" function in regedt32 to locate more keys with "factory" as the whole word search term. (exclude "data" or you'll be hunting all day)

    --Bill Jacobs
    NINDS, NIH (your tax dollars at work.)

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