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device manager freezes in XP pro

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by guy west 1 view

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Whenever I try to open device mangager in XP pro, it freezes while opening. It begins to open but the list never populates and the hourglass won't go away, and it can only be shut down is from task manager. The only way it will open is in safe mode. Any suggestions?

5 replies

by oz_media

Is this recent or a fresh install? Have you tried rolling back to restore the system before the issue?

Are you sure your drivers are completely up to date and correct? (may need safe mode to check that one)

Try opening the task manager and shutting down services one at a time and see which one causes the system to hang.

Have you run antivirus and spyware scans?
Free AVG antivirus:
http://www.grisoft.com

Adaware:
http://www.lavasoft.nu

I should be offering YOU point for my asking all these questions, just a few things to look at first. The task manager rundown and virus/ad checks will probably find something though.

by guy west

I had dtried all of the above except shutting down services 1 by 1. That didn't help either. I've SP1 installed. I've had recently reinstalled XP and device manager had been working after that, then all of a sudden started freezing up with a white screen.

by theelderguru

Click on start--> Run--Services.msc and in the services window check for a service called Plug & play service. Stop the service and start it up again. This shud take care.
Another workaround for this would be
Go to
Start-->Run and type in: mmc /a.
Go to File and choose Add/Remove Snap-in.
Click Add then scroll down to
Device Manager, Add. Save it to
devmgmt.msc in %windir%\system32 [most cases %windir% would be "c:\windows"

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