harware reinstall hell

[jonon]

Hi
New to forum. Had 18months of XP bliss until last week when in a moment of madness I decided to see if my soundcard drivers needed updating.

I will spare exhaustive detail of the ~10 hours trying to sort ! So cutting to chase ...

I have finally got my soundcard working again after XP persistently cried hardware failure due to invalid data. In getting this I uninstalled all PCI's includeding my TV card (Digitv). I now face same invalid data issue with that card. What I've done :

- cleared all old TV card drivers (from previous card and current)
- tried installing under safe mode
-tried every forced detect via hardware wizard option possible
- pulled all PCI's out and tried redetect (add 3 hours getting sound card working again!)
- done registry edits to ensure all current system/ENum/PCI settings are permissible to all
- tried a full system restore to time before
- disabled a few boring items (USB) to see if resources could be reallocated
- disabled auto Bios PCI to manual
- performed every other Google suggested registry edit bar liberal application of napalm.

All resulting in exactly same fault when windows detects and tries to install drivers for the TV card - process starts then flicks up hardware error not installed - invalid data.

The card did work - and the errors are same as the soundcard was giving - no new hardware installed. So the problem is XP - somewhere.

Issues I can't seem to square & suspect are issues are:
-why I have a 'legacy media capture device' in device manager - registry seems to list this as a previous TV card (avermedia) - long gone & Digi worked fine since. When I try to delete it says 'error in deleting' - tho I'm in administrator mode.
-also have a 'legacy audio driver' entry
-neither legacy entry has a 'uninstall' option when I right click in device manager.
-how I can 'focus' for want of better word the XP OS to just have one accoutn - I used to have a couple of different user rights. All gone at front end but in registry I still see other / old users named.

Sorry - 1st post and its a long one. Not given PC specs as I say this system has worked completely fine and I've not changed it. Somehow XP has belly up'd.

I'd be seriously grateful for any help ! I've seen more of the hardware wizard in last 48 hours than my wife and need a serious kill spell to knock him out !

Jon

[jonon]

Hi
New to forum. Had 18months of XP bliss until last week when in a moment of madness I decided to see if my soundcard drivers needed updating.

I will spare exhaustive detail of the ~10 hours trying to sort ! So cutting to chase ...

I have finally got my soundcard working again after XP persistently cried hardware failure due to invalid data. In getting this I uninstalled all PCI's includeding my TV card (Digitv). I now face same invalid data issue with that card. What I've done :

- cleared all old TV card drivers (from previous card and current)
- tried installing under safe mode
-tried every forced detect via hardware wizard option possible
- pulled all PCI's out and tried redetect (add 3 hours getting sound card working again!)
- done registry edits to ensure all current system/ENum/PCI settings are permissible to all
- tried a full system restore to time before
- disabled a few boring items (USB) to see if resources could be reallocated
- disabled auto Bios PCI to manual
- performed every other Google suggested registry edit bar liberal application of napalm.

All resulting in exactly same fault when windows detects and tries to install drivers for the TV card - process starts then flicks up hardware error not installed - invalid data.

The card did work - and the errors are same as the soundcard was giving - no new hardware installed. So the problem is XP - somewhere.

Issues I can't seem to square & suspect are issues are:
-why I have a 'legacy media capture device' in device manager - registry seems to list this as a previous TV card (avermedia) - long gone & Digi worked fine since. When I try to delete it says 'error in deleting' - tho I'm in administrator mode.
-also have a 'legacy audio driver' entry
-neither legacy entry has a 'uninstall' option when I right click in device manager.
-how I can 'focus' for want of better word the XP OS to just have one accoutn - I used to have a couple of different user rights. All gone at front end but in registry I still see other / old users named.

Sorry - 1st post and its a long one. Not given PC specs as I say this system has worked completely fine and I've not changed it. Somehow XP has belly up'd.

I'd be seriously grateful for any help ! I've seen more of the hardware wizard in last 48 hours than my wife and need a serious kill spell to knock him out !

Jon