# [SOLVED] Device Manager is Blank



## niko381

Hey guys,

Lately, after attempting to update my ATI video card driver, I found that my device manager is blank... is there any chance someone could help me out with this?

Thank you so much in advance, I'd really appreciate it :smile:

-Niko


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## reventon

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Could you take a screenshot? Is it completely blank or just missing your video card?


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Ah, sorry I should have been more specific... the entire window is blank, none of my devices are showing up there at all. Also, on startup, it tells me that there is no graphics card driver installed.

Here's a screenshot of the device manager, and thanks for the quick reply!


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## reventon

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

What happens when you go to Start -> type *devmgmt.msc* press enter. Blank as well?

Also, boot into Safe Mode, run this program to remove what ever graphics driver you still have installed - Guru3D - Driver Sweeper

Then boot into normal mode and try graphics driver installation again direct from AMD - Graphics Drivers & Software


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## jenae

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hi, looks like you have corrupted your registry permissions for this, Reventons download may help certainly you need to get your driver back. Press the win + R key at the same time in the run dialogue box type:- regedit, press enter, Navigate to the following key

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum]

Right click on Enum and select permissions What appears? This is the normal:-


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## niko381

Hey, thanks again for the responses!

First of all... yes, going devmgmt.msc reveals a blank device manager as well.

Removing the ATI files was mostly successful... the only problem that Driver Sweeper had, was after cleaning most of the files, the C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies folder was still listed... when I clicked to clean that, it asked if I wanted to reboot (and the other option was to cancel) so I rebooted... but after booting up again, nothing had changed, it was still there, and if I tried to clean it again, I'd get the option to reboot again.

I did try installing the ATI Driver again, though, but I hit an error message (and actually, I realized that it's the same problem I had the first time I was updating my driver, that seemed to have started me off with this trouble in the first place). The first two screenshots I've attached are of the error message window, and then of the log that it links me to.

Also, I'll attach a screenshot of what I see as the permissions for Enum in another post (due to the 2 attachment limit)... sliiightly different for me. I also found, with some googling, instructions to click Advanced from that window, select the SYSTEM permission entry, check off 'Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object', and click apply, but when I did that, I got an error message about access being denied to me... I'll attach a screenshot of that window as well.

Thanks a lot for the help so far guys!

Sorry for the double post, but here are the other two screenshots I mentioned, that couldn't fit in the previous post.


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## reventon

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*



jcgriff2 said:


> Activate the Vista hidden admin account and logon on to it -
> 
> START | type *cmd.exe* into the start search box | right-click on *cmd.exe* above under programs - select run as admin. Then type
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [font=lucida console]
> net user administrator /active:yes
> [/font]
> 
> Logoff your account and the user account named Administrator will be waiting for you at the logon screen. 2x-click on it.


Then follow *jenae*'s instructions again in the Administrator account.



> Logoff the hidden admin account & logon to your admin account. Turn the hidden admin account off -
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [font=lucida console]
> net user administrator /active:no
> [/font]


I will get back to you on the video driver issue.


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Alright, I just logged in on the Administrator account, and tried everything once again... still got that same "Access is denied" error message again. Any idea why that could be?


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## reventon

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Honestly no idea.

Try running a System File Check:

START -> type *cmd.exe* -> Right-click -> run as admin -> type *sfc /scannow* -> after scan restart computer.


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Man, well thanks for the help anyway, perhaps someone else may know... tried that, but still the same thing :\


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Sorry again for the double post, but do you think I should perhaps try this?:

Repair Install - Windows 7 Forums


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## Coolfreak

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

A repair install wouldn't hurt anything - so go for it.


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Okay thanks, trying that now!


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hmm, of course, nothing but problems... trying that, the install seems to hang on the compatibility check, right at the beginning (left it on all night, same thing in the morning). Any idea how that might be resolved? (if there are still no other ideas on the original problem?)

Again, thanks a lot for the help.


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## Jonathan_King

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Have you tried a* system restore* to a point before the driver update?


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Unfortunately it only shows two available restore points, both of which are within this past week, which isn't back far enough :\


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## Jonathan_King

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Have you checked "Show more restore points"?

Also, reboot into Safe Mode; try both the hidden Admin account, and your primary user account; do either of them show the devices in Device Manager?


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## jenae

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hi, sorry this thread seems to have passed me by. Go here and run the MS fix:-


Diagnose and repair Windows File and Folder Problems automatically


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Yup, the two restore points that showed up were with the "Show more restore points" box checked. And unfortunately it didn't work with safe mode in either account either :\

Ah, thanks for helping out again, jenae... buuut of course, I was hit with another error from that... first I got a runtime error, but then it continued, and then it hit another error that it couldn't continue from, and I've attached a screenshot.


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## jenae

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hi, go to start search and type services.msc navigate to plug N play service make sure it is started and set to automatic.


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Yup, that service is both started and automatic, and all options to change that are greyed out when I right click on it, or go to the properties window.


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## jenae

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hi, I would seriously consider a format and fresh install SO back up the data you want to be safe.

What happens when you run the "hidden" admin acct does device manager populate? (I know JK asked this, I did not get your answer)

I am thinking ATI has messed with your system permissions. 

The user account you have is as admin I take it? 

So you might give this a try, (remember be prepared for a format and fresh install just in case)

We will reset Sevens default permissions, then we will grant permissions to your admin user account (the one you normally use OK).
Try the following steps.


1. download the subinacl.msi file from the following link and save the installation patch on the Desktop:

Download Details - Microsoft Download Center - SubInACL (SubInACL.exe)
(do not worry that it does not list your OS still works)

2. go to the Desktop and double click the downloaded file.

3. select the C:\Windows\System32 folder as the Destination Folder during the installation. Later we will use this tool to reset the permission settings on the current machine.

Note: If UAC (User Account Control) window is prompted for permission to continue, please click "Continue"

4. Click "Start". In the Start Search bar, type: "notepad" (without quotes) and press Enter.

5. Copy the following commands and then paste them into the opened Notepad window:

@echo off
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subdirectories %windir%\*.* /grant=administrators=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %windir%\*.* /grant=system=f
@Echo =========================
@Echo Finished.
@Echo =========================
@pause

6. After the above commands are finished, close the Notepad window. Choose Save when you are prompted to save the file. Type "reset.bat" as the file name and choose Desktop from the left panel as the save location.

7. Refer to the Desktop and right click the reset.bat file, then choose "Run as administrator."

8. You will see a DOS-like window processing.

NOTE: It may take several minutes. When it is finished, you will be prompted with the message: "Finished, press any key to continue".

Now we will reset your user permissions:- log in as your normal user

Go to start, all programs, accessories and right click on command prompt select "run as administrator" command prompt will open I have done this on my computer and you will see the commands I have input YOU will need to substitute your user for mine Vistatest\Paul, run them in this order syntax important, press enter after each one (you should see the SUCCESS as shows here) The commands are in RED the return in BLACK

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>takeown /f C:\windows

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\windows" now owned by user "VISTATEST\Paul".

C:\Windows\system32>icacls c:\windows /grant vistatest\paul:f
processed file: c:\windows
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

C:\Windows\system32>takeown /f C:\

SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "C:\" now owned by user "VISTATEST\Paul".

C:\Windows\system32>icacls C:\ /grant vistatest\paul:f
processed file: C:\
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

C:\Windows\system32>

Type Exit press enter RESTART computer see how you go... Remember be prepared for a format and fresh install if this fails.


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Hey, thanks a lot for the help... unfortunately I don't have a drive that I can back up to, but as soon as I get access to one, I'll try it out. Also, I just sent a message to AMD tech support (well, a couple days ago) and they've yet to reply, but we'll see if they can offer anything constructive before I might end up reformatting it all.

So thanks again, and I'll post eventually, with my results!


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## niko381

*Re: Device Manager is Blank*

Alright guys, sorry for the laaate late response, but I didn't want to leave this thread open-ended. 

I finally ended up going out and buying a 2TB hard drive (thought I'd treat myself to some extra space while backing up my stuff), and then after backing everything up, I went ahead to try jenae's last tip... as it turned out though, I didn't need the hard drive after all, since it worked perfectly and solved my problems! After that I was able to reinstall my graphics driver and it all worked successfully, as it should! Still glad it got me to buy that new drive though, I'm liking having 2TB .


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## jenae

Hi, thanks for posting back as that was quite a bit of work and I was sure it should work, I will mark this one solved.


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## niko381

Of course, and I REALLY REALLY appreciate all your help with it... thanks a lot for your time and patience in all of this!


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