Cannot Detect New Hardware with Windows 3.1 Drivers Installed

 Last reviewed: January 26, 1996
Article ID: Q132310
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

If you remove an unsupported sound card or other hardware device that uses Windows 3.1 drivers in the SYSTEM.INI file, and then attempt to install a new sound card or other device, the device may not be detected by the Add New Hardware Wizard. This problem can occur even if Windows 95 has protected-mode drivers for the device that you are attempting to install.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if the drivers for the original unsupported device have not been removed from the SYSTEM.INI file, causing Windows 95 to believe that the device is still installed. Because the original device is unsupported, Windows 95 does not recognize the Windows 3.1 drivers in the SYSTEM.INI file. Therefore, the Windows 3.1 drivers are not replaced with Windows 95 protected-mode drivers, and Windows 95 does not continue to search for that type of device.

RESOLUTION

Remove the drivers for the original device from the SYSTEM.INI file and then run the Add New Hardware Wizard again.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

KBCategory: kbsetup kbenv
KBSubcategory: wpp95 win95
Additional reference words: 95

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Last reviewed: January 26, 1996
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