comp freezes when updating hardware info database

I got a Logitech webcam yesterday, and having successfully hooked the same model up to a friend's computer recently, I thought it would all be smooth sailing. Not! The installation wizard starts out fine, but shortly after I get the "Installing Logitech camera driver... Please wait" screen, another popup comes up behind it, with "Updating hardware information database" in its title bar. And thereupon, the story ends. The process (updating hardware info) freezes. I can ctrl-alt-del out of the updating hardware task, and it'll look like the installation finishes okay, but I can't get the webcam up and running. I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling x3, plus a system restore, when some of the Logitech icons continued to remain on my desktop even after uninstalling (which I did with the Logitech installation disk, since I couldn't find anything related to the webcam under Add/Remove Programs). The system restore acted normal, complete with rebooting and saying it had restored to the desired date/time, but all my previous restore points have now vanished. No real biggie, I don't think, but worrisome in terms of the reliability of the system... I know people say WinME is notoriously unreliable, but overall I still like my system - I don't want to upgrade to XP!
Two questions:
1) is there anything I can try that might solve the "updating harware information database" problem with the webcam installation?
2) assuming I end up just writing off the whole webcam idea, even after uninstalling the software, there are still four Logitech folders remaining on my computer, in the following places:

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\FotoWire\Client
C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files\Common Files
C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs​

May I simply delete these?
BTW, the updating hardware info database message appears whether or not the webcam has actually been plugged into the USB port on the computer.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, as always!
Thanks!

 

Hi Rebecca,

The stuff left by Logitech should be ok to delete - SR leaves "empty" folders behind. Those folders contain .txt or other files not monitored by SR. There should be no files with .exe or .dll extensions left. The Registry also should have returned to the previous state.

As far as all your restore points being gone, a restore uses a lot more room, and if it was large enough, what was in the Restore folder got deleted. Whenever you do a restore, if you don't have the Restore file size set at max, do so before the restore. Afterwards you can shrink it.

I have no info or insight as to what went wrong with the logitech install sorry to say.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the info on setting SR size to max before doing a restore - I have it set for close to minimum, as a rule, and what with using it 2-3 times yesterday, it makes sense to me now that all the older points would be gone.
I'll live without the webcam - it just looked like a fun toy to have!
Thanks, Charles!

 

Hi Rebecca ! Model # of your L-Tech ? Drivers came from where ? and
how did you go about installing the Drivers, in what order do you go about it ? May have some thoughts on it with a little more info
Dennis

 

Hi Dennis - thanks for your reply.
The box the webcam came in just says "Logitech QuickCam Messenger "; the installation CD that came with the unit says "QuickCam 8.0" on it. Can't find any model number, per se, listed anywhere. It was $60 (Canadian), and came with a $15 rebate, if that narrows the selection down any for you.
I put the installation CD in, and clicked on "install WebCam" when the opening screen came up; then it was just a question of following along with the installation wizard. Like I mentioned before, each time the process would get to the "Installing Logitech camera driver... Please wait" screen, the "Updating hardware information database" screen would pop up in the background and I'd have to ctrl-alt-del out of it in order to get the installation wizard to proceed.
I tried plugging in (USB) the actual WebCam a couple of times after the installation wizard claimed to be finished (and after rebooting the system), and even tried going to Control Panel / Add New Hardware to see if I could get the webcam recognized that way, but, as I recall, I ended up with the same "Updating Hardware Information Database" freeze that way too.
Any thoughts you might have about what else I could try?
Thanks!

 

Hi Rebecca.... Just a tad bit more info please, then I can post back on what my approach would be....need to know who made your M-Board / model # as well as make / model # of your sound card

Thanks, Dennis

 

Hi again, Dennis -
Everest Home Edition shows the following:

Motherboard Properties
Motherboard ID 51-2300-000000-00101111-030199-$CA810
Motherboard Name Intel Cayman CA810
Motherboard Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation

Multimedia -- PCI / PnP Audio
Device Description Type
Creative SB PCI128 (Ensoniq ES1371) Sound Card PCI
​

Does this provide you with the info you asked for? I'm afraid it's all Greek to me!

 

Hi again Rebecca ! Well where do we start ? I just hate it when a prog doesn't install the way it should, so this would be my approach. First off get rid of every L-Tech item ( unless of course you have a L-Tech mouse etc ) you can find thats left over..folders etc..then do a search and destroy for all *.TMP and *.CHK files or entries that might be there. If you don't have
"Cr*p Cleaner" do a google search, download it and run it, really does a number on "crud" If you don't have DirectX 9.0x download and install same, also if you do not have "Windows Installer" on your system also get that from MS and install. Next, create a folder in Program Files or My Documents Call it something like "Quick Cam" now head over to the L-Tech site and find your Quick cam messenger cam..Downloal the .exe file for it, it's a heathly file at 31.9 MBs...file is...qc841enu.exe...with that done, open the folder that you put it in (Quick Cam) and run the .exe file...forgot to mention have your USB Lead Un-Pluged ! After file has finnished shut computer down plug in USB Cable and restart, Windows should "Find new Hardware" and do all the rest for you....as a little further note i found out that trying to run any kind of USB install program from a CD was a problem about 40% of the time..running the install from the Hard Drive is the only way to fly ! Forgot one other item, before you run the install ctrl-alt-delete every thing but...Explorer and Systray... Hope this helps you get the job done...if not we can always go to "Plan C" Dennis

 

Hi Dennis-
Thanks for the detailed instructions!
I don't think I have DirectX 9.0x on my computer, and possibly not even the Windows Installer, depending on whether or not it came pre-loaded or not. I've never been able to use the Windows Update feature (for my latest fiasco with it, see http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=39613, which you actually posted in; when I first bought my computer 3+ years ago, I had to reinstall WinME at least twice in the first month, after trying to install the IE6 update - can't remember specifics, other than that I couldn't actually get Windows up and running again after the updates, owing to error popups that Dell support was never able to resolve for me).
I was following another thread today, in which Ann asked whether it's better to let Windows Update do the install or download the files that Update tells you are needed from the d/l page and install them one by one. There's no way I'm going to risk running Windows Update ever again on this computer... but I wonder if I might be able to get DirectX 9.0x and Windows Installers using Ann's option #2. It seems to me that the glitch is probably in the Windows Update program itself, given that my computer ends up mortally wounded regardless of the particular item I try to install. Any thoughts on this? I think I'll try posting that as a separate question in this forum and see if I get any feedback. If that possibility looks like it holds some promise, I might just take the chance and try downloading and installing those programs manually, and subsequently continue with the rest of your instructions.
I'll post back here again tomorrow. Thanks again for all your time and effort!

Addendum: I'm browsing through the threads turned up by a search for "windows update" in the WinME forum, and my reading has rekindled my memory a bit. When I used Windows Update for the critical update with IE6 in it, the download always went fine, but the actual installation would consistently freeze in the 70% range each time - and then I wouldn't be able to use IE5 any more either. I'm pretty sure there were other consequences to the installation failures, but my memory hasn't been rekindled THAT far [yet?]!

 

Hi Rebecca, Well I don't know if I can cover everything in this post as I'll prob forget something till I remember it later...First to check which version of Direct X you have, open..Start > Run > type in...DXDIAG...hit Enter..and look at the page that opens it will have the version # that the computer is using..If you have not done any updates in a long time I suspect you are running verson 7 or 8 at the most..DX 9 is available as a download with the save to H Drive option and then run from there...as for MS Installer it should be on your computer already, now this is where I see a possible rub I just noticed your sig and i see your running Firefox, I tried if for a very brief time 6..8 months (year?) ago and was not thrilled with it and since many years ago I had used Netscape I tried Netscape 7.1 for a mo or 2 (but not the mail prog bundled with it) anyhow Netscape had It's own Installer so anything from MS I had to run from the Windows side to get it to work, which may or may not be some of your probs...Where is "Anns" post, or did i just over look it ? ...next... how soon after you bought your new computer did you started having your probs? week, 2 weeks, a mounth ? do you remember the procedure you used to do the reinstalls? Speaking of memory jogs I seem to vaguely remember this freezing or stoping thing in regards to installs myself now...I'll do some searching on that matter...
Dennis

 

I apparently have DirectX7.1 (4.07.01.3000).
As for Windows Updates, I have never been able to successfully install any of them (didn't know until yesterday, though, that there was a way of doing them manually...). Bought the computer in June 2001, so Windows-wise, I have nothing new since then.
The first week I had the computer, I tried running Windows Update three times (just checked some old papers of mine, and it really WAS 3 times, not just 2!) - at the time, I thought "critical update" meant something my computer could absolutely not do without, so I kept trying to install it. I was only using IE back then (didn't start with Firefox until maybe 6 months ago), although you're right, my latest problem (the one you posted on a few weeks ago) with updates happened after I'd designated FF as my default browser (although as you know, Windows Updates only works with IE, so that's what I was using for the installation. No FF running at the time at all).
Ann's post was in someone else's thread (if you want to take a look, http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=40500).
I have to say, having read through someone else's problems with installing DirectX 9, (http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=14818&page=1&pp=15&highlight=windows+update), I'm getting less and less enthused at the prospect at chancing the installation, even going the manual download route. Never did post a question here yet about the manual downloads vs the automatic windows updates, because I haven't finished going through the results of my search for "windows update" in the WinME forum (92 hits; sounds like others have had troubles too!).
I'm going to continue browsing through those 92 items later on today, and see what I find there.
Thanks for bearing with me!
[Incidentally, I love Firefox! The only reason I even still have IE on my computer was for the updates... hope springs eternal, does it not?]

 

Well if you were having problems right from the git-go with a brand new computer and tech support was of no help you should have sent the computer back to Dell because it came with a built in major flaw. That said, at this point in time It's water over the dam. So where does this flaw lay, is it in the hardware or the software or a combination of both. I rather suspect It's a combination of both...OK...how to fix it ? Well there are several approaches that can be taken..Did the computer come with restore disks or is the operating system in a hidden partiton. please post the model # of it would you so I can do some digging. Do you have a MS Me disk, if so is it the upgrade or full install ? Have you EVER had a virus on it ? Lets for the time being forget about downloads and up dates.. job 1 is to get your computer running like it Should have when it came from the factory, after that the rest will fall into place ! Dennis

 

You're right, I know I should've found a way to send the computer back to Dell - problem was that I'd bought the Dell in the US, and then found out I was moving to Canada before I'd even unpacked it. Canada might as well be Timbuktu, as far as Dell was concerned - the Canadian branch of Dell wouldn't touch it because it had been purchased in the US, and what with the cost of shipping it back to the US (we're talking foreign country here, as Dell pointed out!), plus incurring 15% tax on having a new unit sent to me here... well, I figured as long as I could get the thing to do basics, I'd have to settle for that.
Anyway, hardware or software problems, I don't know (I like putzing around on the computer, but my background is in forestry and nursing, nothing remotely to do with computers!). As an aside, I was able to burn 3 CDs with the CD burner that came with the computer. Then the computer stopped recognizing that it even had a D:/ drive -- couldn't read or write anything with it any more. Had a replacement CD burner shipped to relatives in the US, picked it up on my next trip back there, then replaced the dead unit in my computer. Was able to use the D:/ drive to install new software and such, but still not to burn CDs. Got Click 'n Burn software, managed to burn 2 CDs (music) and that was the end of that. I can, however, to backups to a CD on the computer (My Documents folder) without any trouble. Go figure!
Tried a different webcam last night - a NexxTech from Radio Shack. Installation seemed to go okay (including DirectX 8), but when the computer rebooted, that doggone "updating hardware" popup came back -- and the computer froze again. Tried it x2 before plugging in the webcam (USB), and then once with the webcam connected. Froze each time. Was eventually able to get into Safe Mode, and used System Restore to take things back to before the installation. Everything is okay again now, but it ain't looking good for webcams on this computer!
The computer is a Dimension L1000R; came with a reinstallation disk. I did have a virus on it once, after I'd owned the computer for about six months (that was my fourth, and I believe last, WinME reinstall!).
I really appreciate your trying to help me sort this out, but if you want to just throw in the towel, I'll understand. Seems like an awful lot of work for you... Thanks again for your time and effort!

 

Hi R...I would suggest one last shot at a reinstall...If your up to It...Don't know how you want to do it, but send me your eMail address..I'm going to
have to send you a couple of CD's...Is this the only computer you have access to ? Dennis

 

Before a reinstall, I would suggest deleting all files and folders located in C:\Windows\Temp.
Here is another suggestion that will definitely help here. Boot the computer with a boot floppy, choosing Without CDrom support when prompted, and do these two commands at the prompt.
scanreg /opt
scanreg /fix
These will optimize the registry, and do a repair of it. Take out floppy and reboot when you get the message 'windows has repaired the registry'.

 

Thanks, Mark and Dennis!

Mark,
I've tried rebooting the computer a number of times, but I can't ever seem to delete ALL the files in my C:\Windows\Temp folder. There are always between 1 and 3 files that I'm told are in use, and therefore cannot be deleted. This morning there are 3 of them, all apparently created a few minutes ago (when I turned on the computer): ~DF6BD3.TMP (3.0 KB), ~DFDD6F.TMP (3.0KB), and ZLT01662.TMP (256 bytes). I haven't been jotting down the names to see if they're always the same or not - I'll have to check that the next time I boot up. Is this normal, or does it indicate something's amiss?
I ran the scanreg commands, as you instructed, and I assume they were successful, as the computer made all the appropriate noises indicating it was doing something in response to them.

Dennis,
email coming your way!

 

It would be normal for something in your startups to create temp files when the system is starting.
The second command I posted you would have a dos based program running, with a blue screen and a yellow progress bar.

 

Hmmm, I'll have to try running the commands again this evening. The computer made the usual sorts of whirring noises, but I don't remember a blue screen with a yellow progress bar...

 

Updating Hardware.....

I had the same problem when trying to install any new device - Dell did provide a flash BIOS update that did help with an internal CD read/write, but no help at all with any external device. I finally just let the PC run with the Updating...' box , came back after an hour, and the printer was installed. I saw on another board something about 'EOM####.inf' files with a length of 0 contributing to the problem, but I couldn't find any on my PC. Anyway my printer is now installed - took about an hour.