Add New Hardware Wizard Constantly Running

[richard_s]

I've got a Dell Inspiron 1300 on the bench at the moment that needed a new DVD writer installing as the old one had died. Now everytime I boot the thing it runs the Add New Hardware Wizard and then it says that the Hardware couldn't be installed but the Writer appears in My Computer and works fine. Anyone got ay ideas as this is beginning to baffle us and we cannot find answer short of doiing a complete reinstall at more cost to the customer

[OutToLunch]

Do you have an unknown device showing in Device Manager after the failed run of the hardware wizard? If so, run Unknown Device Identifier - Freeware Download and check that the device that Windows is attempting to install is actually related to the writer - could be one of those random quirks where something gets reactivated in the BIOS/other device loses a driver while things are playing up. Track down the right driver after that and off you go.

Alternatively, you may just be able to disable the unknown device, but that's not really solving the root cause.