mjwerner
asked on
System hangs on 'Updating Hardware Information Database
Please can somebody help!
I recently tried to install a Kodak USB digital camera on my WindowsME PC. I downloaded what I thought was the driver software from the kodak website but it turned out only to be some photo manipulation suite or something so I then tried to unistall it again. There was no uninstall program with the software so I used Norton Clean Sweep Uninstall Wizard. This did not remove all of the componants completely and left a Kodak Folder in Program Files folder which I deleted manually.
Now when I boot my pc up, I get a message saying 'Updating Hardware Information Database' and then my system hangs. If I do a ctrl alt del it states that cmdninst is not responding, I then click on End Task and my pc completely locks up and I can only switch the machine off at the box. I am therefore unable to work on my pc at all. Unfortunately I do not have a recent rescue disk and not all of my files are backed up, foolish I know.
Please can anybody suggest anything I can do.
Cheers
M
I recently tried to install a Kodak USB digital camera on my WindowsME PC. I downloaded what I thought was the driver software from the kodak website but it turned out only to be some photo manipulation suite or something so I then tried to unistall it again. There was no uninstall program with the software so I used Norton Clean Sweep Uninstall Wizard. This did not remove all of the componants completely and left a Kodak Folder in Program Files folder which I deleted manually.
Now when I boot my pc up, I get a message saying 'Updating Hardware Information Database' and then my system hangs. If I do a ctrl alt del it states that cmdninst is not responding, I then click on End Task and my pc completely locks up and I can only switch the machine off at the box. I am therefore unable to work on my pc at all. Unfortunately I do not have a recent rescue disk and not all of my files are backed up, foolish I know.
Please can anybody suggest anything I can do.
Cheers
M
boot to safe mode (tap F8 during boot) and do a system restore
start -->programs -->accessories-->system tools -->system restore
start -->programs -->accessories-->system tools -->system restore
ASKER
More bad news. For some reason I only have 1 restore point on 05Nov2003, I have tried this and it says that no changes to the system were made and the problem still exists.
I know I used to have more restore points because I have used system restore before.
I know I used to have more restore points because I have used system restore before.
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ASKER
When I go into msconfig>start up ther is nothing listed to do with cmdninst but...... there is an item called KodakCSS, which is obviously something to do with the Kodak software which I unistalled.
Any idea why this still exists and how do i get rid of it?
I am just about to uncheck KodakCSS and reboot see if this sorts the problem. I will report back.
Any idea why this still exists and how do i get rid of it?
I am just about to uncheck KodakCSS and reboot see if this sorts the problem. I will report back.
ASKER
Hooray, that seems to have stopped it hanging. There is however still this entry in msconfig>start up called KodakCSS which I would like to get rid of.
Details (from msconfig?start up):
KodakCSS Registry(Machine Run) C:\Program Files\Common Files\KODAK\KODAK_DR\Kodak
I have looked at the above 2 file paths and there is a KODAK folder in Program Files\Common Files with a load of files in (.dll's and .sys' etc) obviously left over from the dodgy kodak software.
Is it safe to delete these, or is there something else I need to do?
Details (from msconfig?start up):
KodakCSS Registry(Machine Run) C:\Program Files\Common Files\KODAK\KODAK_DR\Kodak
I have looked at the above 2 file paths and there is a KODAK folder in Program Files\Common Files with a load of files in (.dll's and .sys' etc) obviously left over from the dodgy kodak software.
Is it safe to delete these, or is there something else I need to do?
yes, get rid of everything. because anyway this software install is corrupted.
delete C:\Program Files\Common Files\KODAK folder.
also check in registry find the entries for kadak and delete those.
once u have clean working system. u might wanna try again for working with KODAK.
delete C:\Program Files\Common Files\KODAK folder.
also check in registry find the entries for kadak and delete those.
once u have clean working system. u might wanna try again for working with KODAK.
ASKER
I have never tried editing anything in the registry before, I have always tried to avoid it as it is not an area I know anything about. How do I find things that were to do with the Kodak software in the registry?
When botting up now I also get a message saying that I am using an edited version of the start up procedure.
When botting up now I also get a message saying that I am using an edited version of the start up procedure.
or u can try any of these registry cleaner and clear your registries.
http://www.iolo.com/sm/regclean.cfm
http://www.glocksoft.com/aatools_registry_cleaner.htm
How to Install and Run RegClean
http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/regclean.htm
RegClean by Microsoft.
http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list
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and then follow the things as stated above.
http://www.iolo.com/sm/regclean.cfm
http://www.glocksoft.com/aatools_registry_cleaner.htm
How to Install and Run RegClean
http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/regclean.htm
RegClean by Microsoft.
http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list
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and then follow the things as stated above.
To stop the boot-up message, check the box next to "never show this window or run system configuration utility on startup". It may not read like that, but it should be closely approximating that.
ASKER
Hi again, sorry to be holding on to those points, but I have still not solved this problem.
I have now tried installing another digital camera, software installed fine, but when I plugged in the camera I get the 'Updating Hardware Information' dialogue box again and it just hangs. This time when I ctrl Alt Delete it says 'Updating Hardware Database - Not Responding'. I have also tried other hardware and I get the same problem. There is obviously an inherant problem the Updating Hardware program. Please can anyone help
I have now tried installing another digital camera, software installed fine, but when I plugged in the camera I get the 'Updating Hardware Information' dialogue box again and it just hangs. This time when I ctrl Alt Delete it says 'Updating Hardware Database - Not Responding'. I have also tried other hardware and I get the same problem. There is obviously an inherant problem the Updating Hardware program. Please can anyone help
Hi MJ
Before biting the bullet and doing a clean reinstall of WinME, you may want to try creating an new hardware profile. Set it to prompt for profile on boot. Reboot to the new profile and disable all but the essentials in Device Manager, Reboot and try connecting the USB device again. Sometimes connecting to a different socket is enough to give a clean run at things.
Good Luck
Joseph
Before biting the bullet and doing a clean reinstall of WinME, you may want to try creating an new hardware profile. Set it to prompt for profile on boot. Reboot to the new profile and disable all but the essentials in Device Manager, Reboot and try connecting the USB device again. Sometimes connecting to a different socket is enough to give a clean run at things.
Good Luck
Joseph
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ASKER
Fantastic, thanks a lot.
editing msconfig>start up worked a treat for stopping the Kodak drivers looking for new hardware.
In Windows/inf I had about 34,000 Oem****.inf files at 0k. I moved these to another folder (instead of deleting imediately) and this seemed to fix the 'Updating Hardware Information Database' problem. It did take about an hour to move all of the oem****.inf files but since doing so I have had no more problems (touch wood).
Many Thanks
M
editing msconfig>start up worked a treat for stopping the Kodak drivers looking for new hardware.
In Windows/inf I had about 34,000 Oem****.inf files at 0k. I moved these to another folder (instead of deleting imediately) and this seemed to fix the 'Updating Hardware Information Database' problem. It did take about an hour to move all of the oem****.inf files but since doing so I have had no more problems (touch wood).
Many Thanks
M
and report us back.