Windows ME. Error -Updating hardware information database.Windows not responding

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Provista4119 - 08 Apr 2006 02:00 GMT

I 'm in Safe Mode because when I start in Normal Mode Setup I cannot get past
a Windows Message - installing software for new hardware found - but "not
responding". Can anyone help please? Not on this computer on one that is
initiated ready for broadband and I can't use it because of Windows errors.

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Mike M - 08 Apr 2006 02:18 GMT

Check your windows\inf folder (a hidden system folder and you will have to
enable the viewing of such files and folders in Explorer (Tools | Folder
Options | View and check "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide
protected operating system files") and look for large numbers of oem*.inf
files that are all 0 bytes in size. If you've got thousands of such files
this is the cause of your problem. Delete ONLY the 0 byte oem*.inf files.

Why has this happened? One possibility it that you have Norton's System
Doctor installed and forgot to disable System Doctor before updating your
system from the Windows Update site. If you don't delete these files some
software and most hardware and driver installs will take a very long time
to complete if they complete at all.

For more details see the Symantec site:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nunt.nsf/docid/2000120915010309&src=n
and also MS KB 281967 - "Computer Stops Responding (Hangs) During Setup,
Installing Updates, or Adding New Hardware"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=281967). I would strongly recommend
that you contact Microsoft and mention KB281967 and also KB301540 and ask
for a copy of the new ifsmgr.vxd v4.90.3003. You will then either be sent
the file or told how and where to download a copy. There should be no
charge for this call other than for the cost of the phone call.

Signature

Mike Maltby MVP
mikem@mvps.org

> I 'm in Safe Mode because when I start in Normal Mode Setup I cannot
> get past a Windows Message - installing software for new hardware
> found - but "not responding". Can anyone help please? Not on this
> computer on one that is initiated ready for broadband and I can't use
> it because of Windows errors.

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Provista4119 - 08 Apr 2006 18:42 GMT

Hello Mike,

Thank you so much for your useful information. I have completed the first
part and have found the hidden files but they cannot be deleted so I am
going to take your advice and now go to Symantec as you stated.

Yes I think Norton must have played a part in this! The only disk I have and
have used is their 2001 copy! Hopefully my problems may get sorted. There
seems to be so many problems I was wondering if there was a way to wipe
everything and start again!!! The display is another problem I have. I will
do one thing at a time though and will let you know the outcome of Symantec,
if thats ok. Many thanks.

>Check your windows\inf folder (a hidden system folder and you will have to
>enable the viewing of such files and folders in Explorer (Tools | Folder
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>> computer on one that is initiated ready for broadband and I can't use
>> it because of Windows errors.

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Mike M - 08 Apr 2006 19:39 GMT

I always find the delete key a useful way of deleting unwanted files. :-)
Don't try and delete too many at a time, try a couple of hundred at a
time.

If you have used any Norton application on the system, especially
LiveUpdate, then this is almost certainly the cause of this and quite
probably other problems you haven't yet realised are there!

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Hello Mike,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> another problem I have. I will do one thing at a time though and
> will let you know the outcome of Symantec, if thats ok. Many thanks.

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Provista4119 - 08 Apr 2006 19:12 GMT

Mike I cannot get into the Service1 Symantec Support site from that link
(HTTP 400 error) also tried typing exactly into the address at the top. I am
right in thinking that I will have to complete this part re the not
responding errors before I can go onto the next part of asking about the
other KB files which I would need. Many thanks
Provista 4119

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Provista4119 - 10 Apr 2006 00:24 GMT

>Mike I cannot get into the Service1 Symantec Support site from that link
>(HTTP 400 error) also tried typing exactly into the address at the top. I am
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>>> computer on one that is initiated ready for broadband and I can't use
>>> it because of Windows errors.

Hello Mike

Great help!! I followed all the instructions successfully got my pc back to
normal. Thank you so much.I seemed to have used a tremendous amount of disk
space by scanning, defragmenting etc and wondered if there was any way to
retrieve some of this space, eg. obviously by troubleshooting so much I think
I will probably have created files or folders (?), log files maybe that
could be deleted. Is this possible please?

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Mike M - 10 Apr 2006 01:17 GMT

Scanning, defragging and the like won't have consumed disk space however
I suspect the problem might well be the size of the system restore archive
as all of the deleted inf files will be there at the moment. This is the
folder C:\_RESTORE together with its five sub-folders. Assuming that you
still have Windows Explorer set to view hidden system files (if not do so,
Tools | Folder Options | View and check "Show hidden files and folders"
and UNcheck "Hide protected system files"), how big is the _RESTORE
folder, and of that how big are the ARCHIVE and TEMP sub-folders?

If as I suspect the problem is the space used by these folders the problem
can be easily solved. How much space do you nominally have allocated to
the system restore archive (Control Panel | System | Performance | File
System | Hard Disk). Try sliding the slider to the left and give it a few
hours and see if the space used by _RESTORE folder drops to reflect the
reduced allocation. If not post details of the various folder sizes and
what you have allocated and we'll take it from there.

Signature

Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

> Great help!! I followed all the instructions successfully got my pc
> back to normal. Thank you so much.I seemed to have used a tremendous
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> or folders (?), log files maybe that could be deleted. Is this
> possible please?

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N. Miller - 08 Apr 2006 02:32 GMT

> I 'm in Safe Mode because when I start in Normal Mode Setup I cannot get past
> a Windows Message - installing software for new hardware found - but "not
> responding". Can anyone help please? Not on this computer on one that is
> initiated ready for broadband and I can't use it because of Windows errors.

I recall something about Norton System Doctor creating a lot of 0-byte
.inf files, or the like, in some directory. If you have NSD installed,
do a scan for a directory with thousands of those pesky 0-byte .inf
files. I have never set up NSD since discovering that. And I am not
going to continue to support Symantec products, either. Both Symantec
(Norton Anti Virus) and Network Associates, Inc. (McAfee Anti Virus) are
forever banned from my computers.

Signature

Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum

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Provista4119 - 08 Apr 2006 18:46 GMT

Hello,
I too think Norton may have caused my problems now but obviously at the time
if you get odd errors you turn to whatever you have. I used to use Norton on
my pc long before I even got on the internet but don't think (wel I won't)
be using it now lol.

>> I 'm in Safe Mode because when I start in Normal Mode Setup I cannot get past
>> a Windows Message - installing software for new hardware found - but "not
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>(Norton Anti Virus) and Network Associates, Inc. (McAfee Anti Virus) are
>forever banned from my computers.

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