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General discussion

Error: Cannot Install This Hardware

Feb 18, 2004 10:47PM PST

I have a Dell Dimension 8250, Intel Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz, 256 MB RDRAM. I bought a Logitech QuickCam web cam and have not been able to get it to work properly on this computer. The video part is fine but there is no audio. Here is the error message:

"CANNOT INSTALL THIS HARDWARE

There was a problem installing this hardware:
Logitech Microphone (Messenger)

An error occurred during the installation of the device. The driver installation file for this device is missing a necessary entry. This may be because the INF was written for Windows 95 or later.
Contact your hardware vendor."

When I checked in the Control Panel under Sounds & Audio Devices, it gave this message for the Logitech Microphone under the Hardware tab.

"The drivers for this device are not installed (Code 2Cool."

I tried to install it on my husband's computer using the same web cam and installation disc and there was no problem whatsoever. It works just fine on his Gateway but will not work on mine. We both have Win XP.

Can someone help, please?

Discussion is locked

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Re:Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 3:55AM PST

Thanks Bob...it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to get sound on it. I do appreciate your response...thanks so much. GinnyHappy

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Re:Re:Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 8:06AM PST

Did you do what is mentioned at the link Bob gave you ? Maybe you can share more on what you have done ?

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Re:Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 11:33AM PST

I tried uninstalling everything and re-installing several times with no luck. I have all the most current Windows Updates including the recommended drivers. I have sent the information to both Dell and Logitech. The Dell support sent me to a web site that gave the following info regarding a code 28 error I got:

"SYMPTOMS
When you upgrade to Windows XP from Windows 2000, Device Manager shows the Windows Sound System Compatible (WDM) driver as having a problem. When you view the device properties, the following description appears:

Code 28 (The drivers for this device are not installed).
CAUSE
This behavior occurs because Windows Sound System Compatible (WDM) drivers are deleted during the upgrade to Windows XP.
STATUS
This is by design. With the current drivers, this device is not compatible with Windows XP."

My computer is less than a year old and had XP installed on it when I got it...it was not an upgrade.

The other suggestion in Bob's link referred to going into the registry and I have no idea how to go about that...and I'm not at all comfortable fooling with it anyhow.

So I feel like there's nothing I can do. I can just hook up the microphone I have with this computer and use that separately. It would've just been nice to have the camera work like it should.

I guess what I don't understand is why it would work on my husband's computer and not on mine...both have XP on them.

If you have any suggestions for me, I'd like to hear them. Thanks so muchHappy Ginny

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Caught between a 'rock' and a 'hard place'.
Feb 19, 2004 11:19PM PST
So I feel like there's nothing I can do. I can just hook up the microphone I have with this computer and use that separately. It would've just been nice to have the camera work like it should.

I guess what I don't understand is why it would work on my husband's computer and not on mine...both have XP on them.


But, everything is not created equal since you're only looking at two words, computer and XP. I note the use of this statement, "The video part is fine but there is no audio." that could mean maybe you need the same sound device and drivers as the other computer if you expect it to work. May not be possible or even recommended in all cases however.
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Yes. Such things can be annoying. Here's my take on this and how I deal with it.
Feb 20, 2004 1:35AM PST

1. The two machines have very little in common. There is NO assurance that the OS was installed in the same exact method on both.

This makes every machine you see a UNIQUE experience. While this experience is annoying, you can't imagine not long ago where you couldn't interchange anything at all. Just noting history. Today is much better...

2. How I deal with such an issue is pretty much the same way each time.

a. Unplug the device. Probably the MOST IMPORTANT STEP!
b. Uninstall it's software. While this doesn't really remove it all, it's what I do next.
c. BOOT SAFE MODE. This is where many fear their machines. SAFE MODE is very "SAFE"
d. In SAFE MODE and the device nowhere in sight, I open up the DEVICE MANAGER and remove all the Logitech associated items that I need to get working. I also know to remove "UNKNOWN" items.
e. Reboot and don't let the new Logitech thing near the machine yet. Very important...
f. Follow the directions to install the new device. And be very careful NEVER to plug it in until they say it's ok.

Bob

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Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 9:15PM PST

Could be several things. Does it have made for XP logo on it? Have you gone to the Logitech site and downloaded drivers from there? And Dell, while saying they have 24/7 help, is really no help at all as their techs seem to have no idea what they are talking about. Go to the Logitech site, download the drivers from there. It's going to work fine, I had to do that and my computer is custom built. One last thing, you have very little RAM, so adding some might be an answer also. It's easy to do or take it to a good repair shop and they can do it. Doesn't cost that much. And I would never buy anything that comes in a box, and Dell is simply a box-maker same as Gateway, Compaq, HP, you get the idea. Have a computer custom-built at a good shop. It generally costs less and you get a better machine.

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Re:Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 11:01PM PST

Yes, it is XP compatible. I did download the most recent drive on the Logitech web site and it still won't work.

This sure is a mystery to me why it works on my husband's Gateway with XP and not on mine.

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Re:Re:Error: Cannot Install This Hardware
Feb 19, 2004 11:05PM PST

One more thing...I did contact Dell and got their automated reply. They sent 2 links...one referred to the IMB ThinkPad and the other basically said that "that's what happens when you UPGRADE to XP". Well if they had checked my records they'd would've seen that this computer is fairly new and it was not an "upgrade" to XP...it had it already installed on it. So go figure. Not help whatsoever from them.