Can not install ANY drivers anymore...

Hello all!

I am having the strangest problem that I have EVER encountered...

For some reason, Windows 7 will not let me install ANY drivers anymore. The problem gets even stranger... Lets say I have a USB device that already has the drivers installed on one of the USB ports. If I move the device to a new port, Windows will not install the driver on the new USB port even though Windows already has this driver installed on another port. This problem is not limited to any specific device either, it applies to new HD'S, pci devices, and pcie devices. I have even gone so far as to disable all running application, unnecessary services, etc. I am thinking that there is some setting somewhere or maybe a inadvertent registry change...

Reinstalling windows is an absolute last resort as this will take me a considerable amount of time due to the somewhat intricate configuration of this machine.

Does anyone have any possible idea what could be causing this?

Thanks!

Can you manually install drivers? When I hear "intricate configuration" that makes me think you've done all kinds of unnecesaary tweaks and changes. Windows 7 is quick and efficient out of the box, and if it takes longer than two hours to get your basic system wiped, reinstalled, and usable...you're doing too much to it! Disabling services can easily lead to instability and weird issues, such as this. That's why the best tweaking advice for Windows 7 has always been "leave it alone".

Yeah, I cant even install drivers manually.

I haven't disabled any services that would have any effect on the driver installation as far as I know. I have written a couple of applications that utilize this pc as a home automation controller and I have set up and designed 16 other machines almost identically that do not suffer from the same issue. The only difference with this one is that it is my personal controller and I use it at home everyday....

I should probably elaborate a bit more, I am a programmer, and PC tech. I develop home automation applications for clients as well as interactive museum exhibits. So, this problem is a very strange one and something I have never experienced before. I really have no clue...

You could always try repairing the install, or running the system file checker: sfc /SCANNOW.

Yes, I'd probably consider this a very unique situation where a reinstall would take longer than the usual 2 hours.

Yeah, I tried repairing, and that didn't save me... File checker found nothing either lol... I am starting to feel more and more that I am about to spend my weekend reinstalling....

If you do go that route and the system is working as expected, be sure to take a system image...just to save you time down the road, if you run into an issue like this again.

Are your admin rights set to stop you ? Or a fire wall and or anti virus settings stopping you ?