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Q182723: Problems Adding New Hardware in Windows 95

Article: Q182723
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kberrmsg osr2 win95
Last Modified: 13-JUN-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, version 2.0 
- Microsoft Windows 95 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you try to install new hardware, you may experience the following
behavior:

Windows 95 (Retail Release)
---------------------------

You may receive the following error message

  Windows was unable to add this <device>.

where <device> is the type of hardware that you are trying to install.

Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2)
---------------------------------------

Windows detects the hardware, but lists it as an unknown device, and then
requests the disk supplied by the hardware manufacturer.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur if the file or files in the Windows\Inf folder that
contain the information about your hardware are missing or damaged.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, extract new copies of the default Windows 95 .inf files.
To do so, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart in MS-DOS Mode, and then click
  OK.

2. If you installed Windows 95 from CD-ROM, verify that you have access to your
  CD-ROM drive in MS-DOS mode by typing the following line and then pressing
  ENTER

  " <CD-ROM drive letter>: " (without the quotation marks)

  where <CD-ROM drive letter> is the drive letter assigned to your
  CD-ROM.

  NOTE: If you are unable to access your CD-ROM drive from MS-DOS mode, please
  refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q135174 Cannot Access CD-ROM Drive from MS-DOS Mode or Command Prompt

3. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each
  command:

  " c:
  cd windows\inf
  ren *.inf *.old " (without the quotation marks)

4. Extract new copies of the default Windows 95 .inf files to the Windows\Inf
  folder. To do so, use the appropriate method:

  Windows 95 Installed from CD-ROM
  --------------------------------

  a. Insert your original Windows 95 CD-ROM in to your CD-ROM drive.

  b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after
     each command

  " extract /a <CD-ROM drive>\win95\precopy1.cab *.inf
  extract /a <CD-ROM drive>\win95\win95_02.cab *.inf " (without the
  quotation marks)

     where <CD-ROM drive> is the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM
     drive.

  Windows 95 Installed from Floppy Disks
  --------------------------------------

  a. Insert disk 1 of your original Windows disks in to your floppy disk drive.

  b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after
     each command

  " extract /a <floppy Drive>\win95\precopy1.cab *.inf
  extract /a <floppy Drive>\win95\win95_02.cab *.inf " (without the
  quotation marks)

     where <floppy Drive> is the drive letter assigned to your floppy
     drive.

5. Restart your computer normally.


======================================================================
Keywords          : kberrmsg osr2 win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbOPKSearch kbWin95
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

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