Hi Tring to fix a dell dimension 5000 PC got win XP on it, Logged on as an admin. System not recognising internal MODEM, opened device manager to see if there was an error with it there, nothing listed in it at all. no monitor, USB, Audio... nothing. Thank you in advance. Ray Charls

Ray, Follow the instructions at the link below to correct the problem. No Items Appear in the Device Manager List When You Open It Tufenuf

Have a look here http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311504 Or you have a virus.

First of all thank you both for the prompt responce! Tried the instructions contained in this link, did not work unfortunatly.

Ray, Sorry to hear that the problem still persists. The problem is most probably malware related. Go thru the many links/threads at the link below. Empty Device Manager Problem Tufenuf

I have never run into the problem before, but I did do some checking. I came across Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 311504 that gives the answer. This is a problem with Windows XP Professional and Home Edition. If the Plug and Play service is disabled/turned off this can happen. Microsoft says that this is by design? Okay, chalk up another mystery for the Gates familly fortune. To turn the Plug and Play service back on, do the following: Click Start | Run, type "services.msc" (sans quotes), and click OK. Next, double-click Plug and Play. If you receive a configuration manager message then click OK. Now, switch the Startup Type to Automatic, click OK, and then restart the computer. You should be able to see your devices now listed in the Device Manager. On a side note, the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article says that this isn't really a problem, but that Windows XP was designed this way because Plug and Play is a core operating system service. Seems to me that is like saying you have a brand new car, but no engine.

I am having the same problem. There is a modem installed in the system but windows does not see it, and nothing is listed in the device manager. I have checked that plug and play is on automatic and it is. The system used to work perfectly. I found when i went home that I couldn't use the modem so I had to do a roll back to a few weeks before and it worked them. The only thing that had been done was some windows updates I think. Any Ideas?