Help! Crazy driver issues!

This is a really aggravating scenario. I have seen many posts with USB issues but not exactly like mine. Whenever I try and connect a device (camera, printer) I hear the noise indicating it has registered a device is connected then it asks to download the driver. Under devices in the section “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” all the items are fine. However, there is a section called “Other devices” where I have 5 devices with question marks and 2 devices with exclamation points. When I click to download the drivers it tries to locate the driver and then tells me it couldn’t locate the driver. I go through this 7 times every time I restart the computer. I have updated my Bios and my chipset is current. I have limited knowledge of computers and after searching for 2 days to find a remedy I am very near formatting. I hate to go to this extreme but I need to be able to connect a device and have it work. Thank you for any help.

I have a Dell Inspiron Desktop 531 with Windows Vista 32 bit.


I'm sure it applies but I thought I would mention at times it tells me the PnP driver is not found.

What Printer do you have? Windows Vista Does not support a wide range of printers and require Drivers from the Manufacturer

Also please list the Devices with Question marks and Exclamation marks

Josh

I just bought a new Kodak ESP C310. I followed the instructions to the tee downloading the software first then plugging in the printer. It won't work. It told me "Windows found driver software for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install it."


As for the devices showing up they are as follows: The ones with question marks are Eastman Kodak company Kodak ESP C310 AiO, TSSTcorp DVD+ -RW TS-H653A SCSI CDrom device, and the rest say unknown which I assume are my mouse and keyboard which should not require a software download. The ones with exclamation points are: Kodak ESP C310 AiO and another unknown device.

What is your location? (Country) So I can find an appropriate driver for the Printer

USA

Just a note, I wentto the website to download the firmware and it told me that it couldn't connect to the printer so I couldn't finish the download.

The driver for the printer does not appear to be available on Kodak Website

Please Uninstall any Software/Drivers related to that printer and then try the install again

Use system Restore if need be

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

I will try that and get back to you. Last time I checked the latest system restore I could use was from 3 days ago.

Ok, so even though I uninstalled the printer it's still asking me to download the driver along with the other 6 devices that supposedly need it. Also, the furthest it will let me go back to a system restore is 6/15/2011. That doesn't help considering I have had this problem for over a year.

I didn want to reiterate that this driver issue occurs with just about anything I plug in to the USB ports. It will tell me it found new hardware and that it needs the drivers.

If it happens to every USB then it may be some symptoms to a Virus please run a full scan with your AV

Also Run a System File checker scan 3 times Restarting in-between each scan

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

I'm on it! I'll let you know.

Also run a full scan with malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware, anti-virus and spyware removal download

Download the free version

O.k., I'm running my third scan with the system file checker and all it's told me this far is "Windows Resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them." Sounds promising.

Getting ready to run the Malware scanner.

If malware is negative, we will show you how to downoad the sfc file to us and have it checked by an expert.

Well the malware scan was not negative. Seems I had 12 registry keys infected. Would that cause the kind of issues I am having??



Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.51.0.1200
www.malwarebytes.org
Database version: 6905
Windows 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2
Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421
6/20/2011 5:35:01 PM
mbam-log-2011-06-20 (17-35-01).txt
Scan type: Quick scan
Objects scanned: 152530
Time elapsed: 7 minute(s), 11 second(s)
Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 12
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0
Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{147A976F-EEE1-4377-8EA7-4716E4CDD239} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Typelib\{D518921A-4A03-425E-9873-B9A71756821E} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{CF54BE1C-9359-4395-8533-1657CF209CFE} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{07B18EAB-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{07B18EAB-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\{1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{00A6FAF6-072E-44CF-8957-5838F569A31D} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{3DC201FB-E9C9-499C-A11F-23C360D7C3F8} (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\RunDll32Policy\f3ScrCtr.dll (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer\Schemes\f3pss (Adware.MyWebSearch) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry can cause almost anything. Did you remove? If you did can you go back with system restore before the problem?

I did remove them. I then restarted and checked system restore and it still only goes back as far as 6/15/2011.

With the malware gone, see if you can update the drivers with the exclamation points. They show that there is a problem with those drivers.

That's a negative. Still won't update.

Unattach everything from the puter, except printer, keyboard, monitor and mouse. Save the pritner driver to desktop and try to install from there.
If not a printer, unattach printer, too. Just attach the hardware that driver is for.