My device manager isn't working, which in turns seems to have wiped out my access to my CD-ROM drive among other things.

This is the error message that pops up:

MMC cannot open the file C:\windows\system32\devmgmt.msc

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter to replace the system files, you need the XP CD.

Windows File Protection will show an on screen blue progress bar, reboot when the bar goes

System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker.

The System File Check is only concerned with replacing missing or corrupt system files, and does not affect installed software or data

I have the XP CD, but it won't do me any good right now. Like I said, the CD-Rom is not being detected, which is the reason why I wanted to run device manager in the first place, which is the reason why I'm here on this forum. There must be away for me to enable the CD-Rom drive somehow?

Have you tried going to the control panel and double-clicking on ADD NEW HARDWARE and seeing if your cd-rom drive is detected?

Fenor

Yep, tried that, but I can't seem to find it on the list either.

Is your CD-Rom detected when you go into safe mode?

Fenor

Never mind about that. The CD-Rom works now.

So anyway I run sfc /scannow, but no effect. Same error message pops up when I run Device Manager.

Did I run sfc correctly? There's a progress bar that scrolls across, and at one point it asks for the XP CD which I put in. Anyway, once the bar reaches the end, the screen just disappears and I'm back at the desktop. No "OK" or "Completed" screen to acknowledge sfc is done. Is that supposed to happen?

Yes, once the System File Checker is completed, the window just disappears with no acknowledgment that it completed. All you do after this is remove your Windows XP cd and then reboot the computer.

Fenor

what happens if you do start > run > cmd > eventvwr.msc ?
or start > run > cmd > services.msc ?

if you can't open anything ending in msc try this
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_mscfix.zip

if you can open those...but just not devmanager
try this
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits...agerrestore.reg

Downloaded and ran both of them. Registry entries were added, but it didn't work. None of the msc's will open still.

I get the same error message as any msc file:

MMC cannot open the file...This may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, etc.

Please right click this LINK, choose SAVE LINK AS or SAVE TARGET AS, and save it somewhere on your computer where you will remember where it is located. Then find the file on your computer and double-click it to run it. Click YES to the warning: Are you sure you want to add the information in FILE LOCATION HERE\msi.reg to the registry? Then reboot your computer and once rebooted see if you can go to START-->RUN and type services.msc and have the Services windows appear.

Fenor

Ran it and re-booted, but the problem persists.

Lets check and see if the files are actually there. Browser to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder and see if you can locate the devmgmt.msc or services.msc file. Make sure you are able to view hidden files/folders when doing this and that operating system files are not hidden.

Fenor