Device Manager empty and Windows Explorer>My Computer window is slow

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Mr.Fork

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I've recently run into a problem where the Device Manager is empty, and any time I try to view the Explorer window (or click on the My Computer in an explorer window) it's painfully slow. It's also prevalant in Word or any program where you search for a file to open. In safemode however, she's fast as a rocket, but still no Device Manager content.

I've tried the SFC /SCANNOW, I've tried REGSVR32 DMOCX.DLL and DEVMGR.DLL.

Anything else? Spyware is showing up blank, and I've also run the APROPOSFIX in Safemode. Found nothing.

Apart from running the repair function, I'm curious to see if it's still spyware but I'm doubtful now. I thought it was TweakXP or IE7 Beta 3 that caused some of this wonkyness - and I can live with the slowness but not with an empty device manager.

I've searched this forum, most of it has been the aproposfix or a sfc /scannow worked fine.

Thoughts guys?
 
Troubleshoot:

Maintainance
- Goto Add/remove programs, uninstall any programs you dont use any more
- Clean out your hdd, backup data files you dont use regularly to cd/dvd etc
- Clean out your startup/bootup programs, and any programs you use in the background
- update drivers, windows updates, etc
- do a chkdisk /f and a defrag
- check for viruses and other warez etc by going through this sticky: https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic50981.html and pasting the HJT file as a .txt attachment in the Security and Web forum

Specific troubleshooting
- Any environment changes recently? hardware/software?
 
Blank Device Manager is one of those perennial problems,for which there is no one answer.
Sometimes logical systems just get too complex.

There is a compilation of solutions HERE. I prefer this one,myself -

This issue seems to be related to missing permissions in the registry.

You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP AND be logged on as the local administrator to perform this task:

1. Go to Start, Run, and enter regedt32 and select OK
2. Maximize the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window.
3. Scroll down to SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum
4. With Enum selected click the Security option from the Top of the screen then the Permissions menu.

Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on this key.

5. Click Add
6. Add the group Everyone and the user SYSTEM
7. Select Everyone and check only the Read box
8. Select SYSTEM and check Full Control
9. Click the Advanced button at the bottom of the window.
10. On the Advanced window check Reset permissions on all child objects
11. Click OK
12. On the warning window click Yes
13. Close REGEDT32

Re-boot the system if necessary and then check the device manager to see if everything is showing now.

If not, then Click start, select run, type services.msc in the run box, hit your enter key.

Look in the list of services for Plug and Play. If plug and play is turned off, device manager won't list any devices and of course, most of your devices like a printer connected to USB wont work.

If it is turned off, right click it and select start.

There are also a couple more HEREand HERE
 
Thanks for posting those suggestions: already looked into the registry. The services are also all fine, and the registry is set properly.

Looks like I'm off to do a repair...ugh...
 
As a final suggestion downoad CCleaner run it,then use the start up manager in Tools to disable eveything.
It also has an Add/Remove utility.

Feel free to post an HJT LOG.It would help to rule out the spyware possibilty mentioned in your first post.
 
I will note that when the PC is in safemode, the windows explorer is back to normal speed. yep, have CCLEANER. Great app.

Here is my HJT.LOG

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 9:59:43 AM, on 07/07/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.5450.0004)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe
C:\fixup\hjt\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54729
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=55245&clcid={SUB_CLCID}
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~3\VPTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [!ewido] "C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\ewido.exe" /minimized
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmwordtrans.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.msi.com.tw
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.creative.com
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {6E5A37BF-FD42-463A-877C-4EB7002E68AE} (Trend Micro ActiveX Scan Agent 6.5) - http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/housecall/applet/html/native/x86/win32/activex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {BDEE1959-AB6B-4745-A29B-F492861102CC} -
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - "C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\msgrapp.dll" (file missing)
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: interceptor.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: NavLogon - C:\WINDOWS\system32\NavLogon.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: RegCompact - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\RegCompact.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus Definition Watcher (DefWatch) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
O23 - Service: ewido anti-spyware 4.0 guard - Anti-Malware Development a.s. - C:\Program Files\ewido anti-spyware 4.0\guard.exe
O23 - Service: SAVRoam (SavRoam) - symantec - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\SavRoam.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
 
Your log is clean, unfortunately. :)

Did you try disabling all the start up programs except Firewall/AV. ?
If explorer works in safe mode,then the problem must be a start up process or device driver
of some sort.

Explorer freezes usually have one of three causes -

1.A faulty shell extension put in the right click menu.Known culprits include Divvx,Spysweeper.

2.The presence of .AVI files and Divvx.

3.The My computer folder sometimes hangs if there is a faulty/wrongly connected drive.
CD/DVD, USB ,HD etc

I`m hoping the Device Manager problem might be related to the Explorer problem.

BTW get rid of Norton.It`s a bloated and troublesome program.
 
korrupt said:
It could be spyware or other malware go HERE and follow the instructions.Regards,Korrupt
Hey Korrupt,cut it out.I know your keen,but read the thread before posting.

Techspot honours are awarded using a complex algorithm involving time/quantity/quality.
Making 80 posts a day won`t help you :)
 
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