Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question

Phantom Hardware

Tags:
  • Hardware
  • Boot
  • Printers
  • Components
Last response: in Components
Share
December 22, 2006 1:48:09 PM

Every time I boot up, my computer initiates the Install New Hardware wizard - for a printer. All my peripherals are installed, and having reinstalled the printer, it keeps happening. Every boot up. It's annoying. Any suggestions?

More about : phantom hardware

December 23, 2006 5:32:54 PM

Look in Device Manager to see if you have any issues (yellow flagged items). If you find one for a printer, remove it.
December 27, 2006 3:13:45 PM

Thanks, dudes. I have no yellow flagged items and any attempts to install the hardware fail. And the Hardware Wizard window is still popping up with annoying regularity.
Related resources
December 27, 2006 3:21:13 PM

I may be thinking of something else, but in the Wizard isn't there a checkbox saying something like, "ignore this device in the future" type of thing?
December 28, 2006 9:06:51 AM

There is indeed such a checkbox - but it is ignored upon reboot.
December 29, 2006 6:44:38 AM

Thanks - this is very encouraging.

However, on my 1st attempt, regedit wouldn't delete it. I badly need my printer today so I'm leaving it well alone and will try again tonight.
January 8, 2007 4:09:32 PM

This, it turns out, is a frequently encountered problem and, having trawled through the forumz, I've found a variety of partial solutions.

So - for the benefit of anyone else who ends up treading this frustrating path, here's the solution.

If you are unable to delete your LPTENUM from the registry entry, even in safe mode, the key will need amending. Administrators, it seems, do not have permission to amend keys created during the PnP process.

So - right click, check 'permissions' and tick the 'grant full control' box.

Full details at http://forumz.tomshardware.com/software/Delete-Registry...

Thanks to all who helped me on the way to this info.
January 8, 2007 4:11:16 PM

Hmm... Looks like that didn't work either.

I now have no LPTENUM key - but still the Hardware Popup.

Bizarre.
!