RE: XP service pack 3, I followed the directions of a post by MRFREEZE61 (Half way down this page
http://forums.microsoft.com:80/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3302530&SiteID=17
The details in my device manager reappeared and the PC' running properly.
Here's his post..
I'll be ****** - it was indeed corruption introduced into the registry by the SP3 upgrade process itself.
In my case it was located in: HKEY
LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetEnumRootLEGACYCCPROXY
All the invalid entries ( which for me all began with $%& ) had to be deleted.
Finding your currupted entries is not easy - but expand all sections in all controlsets with \Enum\ to find them. Posts in other forums have never produced corruption in the exact same registry tree/keys - so unfortuneatly you will have to "look hard". Also deleting the bogus entries may not be as easy as just "delete". You may need to modify the permisions on each entry.
For a small amount of entries:
1) Rightclick and go to the permissions of the corrupt registry key
2) add new permission for the administrator
3) give the administrator "full control"
4) Reboot into Safe Mode (F8)
5) run regedit and delete the offending keys
For a large amount of entries I chose the following instructions:
1. Download and install SubInACL
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=E8BA3E56-D8FE-4A91-93CF -ED6985E3927B&displaylang=en
2. Create a blank file named reset.cmd in C:\Program Files\Windows Resource
Kits\Tools folder.
3. Edit the reset.cmd file with the following content.
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
LOCALMACHINE /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
CURRENTUSER /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
CLASSESROOT /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
LOCALMACHINE /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
CURRENTUSER /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY
CLASSESROOT /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=system=f
4. Enter into the CMD/Command prompt. CD Change Directory to C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools
5. Run reset.cmd
6. After many minutes of processing by subinacl, the permission will be reset Ignore any errors.
7. Reboot into Safe Mode (F8)
8. Run regedit and delete the offending keys (right click/delete)
These instructions were adapted from many other posters across numerous forums and sites - all credit to the original authors.
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I searched my registry for $%&'( and found a lot of them in HKEY
LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARESYSTEMControlSet003EnumRootLEGACY_LIVEUPDATENOTICE
and HKEY
LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARESYSTEMControlSet003EnumRootLEGACY_LIVEUPDATENOTICE\0000
Click start/programs/accessories/system tools/system restore and create a restore point..
(After that do not uninstall any programs until you've finished modifying the registry as per MRFREEZE61's instructions.)
Search the registry for $%&'(
click start/run..type regedit the press enter! (Registry Editor Should open)
Click edit/find and type or copy and paste in $%&'( and click find next. It'll run a search and open up all their locations...Save any location info a notepad file so you can find them in safe mode.(Or write it down) ...Follow MRFREEZE61"s instructions..(Print the instructions)
I followed his, for small amounts of entries bit..