Solved!
*quote*
As unlikely as it seems, I was able to resolve a VIDEO problem with this technique. The error seems to be common for CD/DVD's (think I saw it a couple years ago myself) but it can and does happen to other devices as well.
In my case, the video driver would not load properly. So I was stuck with generic standard VGA (stinks on my wide screen monitor!!!). Exact same error in Device Manager on the Display item (blah blah Code 19). Problem started after some incomplete patching after a reboot (tried to do too many patches at once I think).
So I went looking, and sure enough under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\
there are about twenty similar looking keys
{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} vs.
{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
-------^^
One had keys '(Default)' = Display Adaptors and 'Class' = Display
and there was an 'UpperFilters' = pivot
(pivot being the crummy utility that screwed me up, which I had uninstalled in my troubleshooting efforts- or tried to, I am guessing the system was locked into trying to load the missing utility)
renamed it to 'UpperFilters.bak' and rebooted. Full screen goodness resulted !!!
So ANYBODY getting that error for any devices could try a similar series of steps. Find the Class object for your problematic device (looking at the '(Default)' and 'Class' keys under those similar entries) and move/delete those UpperFilter and/or LowerFilter keys.
You would think with a documented solution like this, Microsoft could have the result reachable from the "Look online for solutions" button under the device object in Device Manager. I have never seen that produce any good result. Geez I was ready to reinstall Windows after trying to remove and reinstall the drivers, safe mode, etc. for days.
