Vista Tutorial - Indentifying an Unknown Device in Device Manager

I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
were incompatible with Vista.

If you click in device manager on the unknown device and open up the drivers
tab, you do have a tab "Detail" in there you will find a "Acpi/PNP???????.."
(the ??? represents a number) with a number copy that and type it into a
search engine, you will have a big chance to see what type of device it is
and sometimes also the brand so you can go the the mfgr's website to pick up
some drivers, if there are drivers for it!.

Ko.

"prodonjs" <prodonjs@discussions.microsoft.com> schreef in bericht
news:E1DE54BA-1546-48CE-AF4D-594C841CEEDA@microsoft.com...
>I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out
>some
> way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to
> be
> anything I am in need of; it's not a firewire, USB, network, wireless,
> sound,
> or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don't have the
> nice
> Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying
> to
> install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or
> that
> were incompatible with Vista.

prodonjs,

Here is a link to a freeware utility that will identify unknown devices in
Device Manager:

http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm

It does other work as well. I've not used it. I just accidentally found it
one day while looking for something else. Version 1.4 says it works with
Vista.
--
freddy


"prodonjs" wrote:

> I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
> way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
> anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
> or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
> Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
> install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
> were incompatible with Vista.

I have a "game adapter input, (Joystick, etc.)" that is not supported by
VISTA that shows up as an unknown device.
--
Paul


"freddy" wrote:

> prodonjs,
>
> Here is a link to a freeware utility that will identify unknown devices in
> Device Manager:
>
> http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm
>
> It does other work as well. I've not used it. I just accidentally found it
> one day while looking for something else. Version 1.4 says it works with
> Vista.
> --
> freddy
>
>
> "prodonjs" wrote:
>
> > I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
> > way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> > Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
> > anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
> > or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> > think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
> > Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> > unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
> > install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
> > were incompatible with Vista.

PaulB,

Microsoft removed support for these types of devices, in favor of USB
connected devices.
--
freddy


"PaulB" wrote:

> I have a "game adapter input, (Joystick, etc.)" that is not supported by
> VISTA that shows up as an unknown device.
> --
> Paul
>
>
> "freddy" wrote:
>
> > prodonjs,
> >
> > Here is a link to a freeware utility that will identify unknown devices in
> > Device Manager:
> >
> > http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm
> >
> > It does other work as well. I've not used it. I just accidentally found it
> > one day while looking for something else. Version 1.4 says it works with
> > Vista.
> > --
> > freddy
> >
> >
> > "prodonjs" wrote:
> >
> > > I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
> > > way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> > > Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
> > > anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
> > > or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> > > think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
> > > Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> > > unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
> > > install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
> > > were incompatible with Vista.

How to use Registry Editor to identify an unknown PCI device
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=298837

(This article mentions only Win 9X versions I have found it equally
applicable to XP, and it should be so for Vista as well.)
--

"prodonjs" <prodonjs@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E1DE54BA-1546-48CE-AF4D-594C841CEEDA@microsoft.com...
>I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out
>some
> way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to
> be
> anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless,
> sound,
> or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the
> nice
> Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying
> to
> install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or
> that
> were incompatible with Vista.

Very interesting. I did what you said and after a quick search found a post
that helped identify the exact device that was causing the problem. I found
instructions to manually point Vista to the location of the driver and voila,
it installed in a heartbeat and now all of my devices are configured
correctly. Thanks a million guys.

"koze" wrote:

> If you click in device manager on the unknown device and open up the drivers
> tab, you do have a tab "Detail" in there you will find a "Acpi/PNP???????.."
> (the ??? represents a number) with a number copy that and type it into a
> search engine, you will have a big chance to see what type of device it is
> and sometimes also the brand so you can go the the mfgr's website to pick up
> some drivers, if there are drivers for it!.
>
> Ko.
>
> "prodonjs" <prodonjs@discussions.microsoft.com> schreef in bericht
> news:E1DE54BA-1546-48CE-AF4D-594C841CEEDA@microsoft.com...
> >I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out
> >some
> > way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> > Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to
> > be
> > anything I am in need of; it's not a firewire, USB, network, wireless,
> > sound,
> > or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> > think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don't have the
> > nice
> > Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> > unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying
> > to
> > install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or
> > that
> > were incompatible with Vista.
>
>
>

"prodonjs" wrote:

> I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
> way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
> anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
> or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
> Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
> install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
> were incompatible with Vista.

"koze" wrote:

> If you click in device manager on the unknown device and open up the drivers
> tab, you do have a tab "Detail" in there you will find a "Acpi/PNP???????.."
> (the ??? represents a number) with a number copy that and type it into a
> search engine, you will have a big chance to see what type of device it is
> and sometimes also the brand so you can go the the mfgr's website to pick up
> some drivers, if there are drivers for it!.
>
> Ko.
>
> "prodonjs" <prodonjs@discussions.microsoft.com> schreef in bericht
> news:E1DE54BA-1546-48CE-AF4D-594C841CEEDA@microsoft.com...
> >I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out
> >some
> > way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> > Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to
> > be
> > anything I am in need of; it's not a firewire, USB, network, wireless,
> > sound,
> > or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> > think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don't have the
> > nice
> > Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> > unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying
> > to
> > install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or
> > that
> > were incompatible with Vista.
>
>
>

"PaulB" wrote:

> I have a "game adapter input, (Joystick, etc.)" that is not supported by
> VISTA that shows up as an unknown device.
> --
> Paul
>
>
> "freddy" wrote:
>
> > prodonjs,
> >
> > Here is a link to a freeware utility that will identify unknown devices in
> > Device Manager:
> >
> > http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm
> >
> > It does other work as well. I've not used it. I just accidentally found it
> > one day while looking for something else. Version 1.4 says it works with
> > Vista.
> > --
> > freddy
> >
> >
> > "prodonjs" wrote:
> >
> > > I was curious to see if anyone had a suggestion about trying to find out some
> > > way of identifying a device's name. I have an unknown device listed in my
> > > Device Manager, but I cannot figure out what it is. It does not appear to be
> > > anything I am in need of; it’s not a firewire, USB, network, wireless, sound,
> > > or display adapter and all of the my hardware devices work properly. I did
> > > think that it could have been a touchpad driver since I don’t have the nice
> > > Synaptics manager that I used to have when I had XP installed, but I am
> > > unsure and I think I created some problems for myself last time by trying to
> > > install some drivers for devices that I wasn't positive that I needed or that
> > > were incompatible with Vista.