windows xp FOUND NEW HARDWARE CIRCLE

Windows XP (upgraded from win2000pro) keeps saying FOUND NEW HARDWARE for UNKNOWN DEVICE after every bootup.It cycles through this 8 times and installs an unknown device using same memory/irq resources. It comes from a failed attempt to install 8port i/o card with no drivers suitable. card is no-longer in the computer.
How can I cancel the install and stop it from trying to install on every bootup. have tried every driver known and unknown, deleted devices, disabled devices. it keeps filling up the device manager with unknown devices.