Windows Vista Device Manager is Blank....

Frustrating issue here. Having onsite issues with a computer not connecting to the internet.

Vista Home 32 bit SP2.

When I checked network connections there were absolutely none. In fact it would only allow me to setup an "Incoming Connection ". I went to Device Manager as it seemed to me after some other tests that it was acting as though it didn't have a NIC.
I went to open Device Mangler and it was completely blank.

I tried to view devices by type and connection and it is completely empty. In services.msc Plug and Play is enabled and set to auto start. HKEY_SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum has the proper security (Everyone = Read, System = Full Control, (Owner Rights = Special Permissions ??). 2 separate virus scans show nothing, all Vista updates are in place. SFC /scannow shows nothing.

***Update***

As a sign of my desperation I attempted to install Microsoft Mr. Fix. It could not install any of the KB's as there was a problem with installing Powershell. I downloaded Powershell and 23 non-critical updates, this got the internet working, but Device Mangler and Manage Networks are both still blank.

Any further suggestions would be appreciated, system is a complete nightmare to backup and reinstall (aren't they always).

 

Check in the BIOS settings at startup that the device/s are actually enabled. If you don't know much about finding the settings in the BIOS, look up and download the motherboard (service) manual, it should tell you how to navigate.

I have found the Control Panel to be blank when the registry had been corrupted by the owner running a "registry cleaner ". Try a System Restore to well before the problem started happening. If you can't get to it within Windows there are ways of running System Restore from the Advanced Boot Options (F8 at startup).

Check in the Antivirus (quarantine) logs that a virus has not been removed along with several registry entries that may have caused corruption in the registry.

Matt

 

As well as Matt's advice make sure that the Plug and Play service is running.

Start->type in services.msc and press enter

Look for the Plug and Play service in the right hand pane and make sure the startup type is set to Automatic.

If it isn't double click on Plug And Play and select Automatic in the dropdown box next to startup type. OK your way out and restart the computer.

EDIT: Ignore the above, I skipped the part of your post that said you'd already done this

 

Thanks for the advice but I neglected to mention that I had already been in the BIOS (it's a Sony Vaio so it's about as bone bare as they could make it) and several system restores have all failed. I also looked into the Apropos rootkit problem, but that appears to only have been XP and earlier.

 

A friend had this problem and we fixed it using the advice on the website below:

http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-xp-tips/device-manager-empty-or-blank/

We had to use Method 2 (editing the registry).

 

Hi Evan.

Yes, it's still buggered in Safe Mode as well. I managed to get their internet working today and took it back to them and let them know that we will have to backup as it's only been jury rigged and is not up to par. Time for a format and reinstall I think. I may give your Repair a try, but with SFC not finding anything I am not too confident.

Thanks though.

 

Thanks for the update. If you think that will be the final outcome, please mark the thread Resolved, it's in the Thread Tools.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I will be closing the thread in a couple of days when I backup and try some more 'drastic' measures and report back.

Thanks again and good luck to all.