Duplicate devices in Win98SE

Running Win98SE but in the device manager it shows duplicate devices
for several items. For example there's one and only one monitor
attached, a CM1772PF, but Win98SE insists on showing the CM1772PF as
well as "Default Monitor". If I delete the Default Monitor and restart
it tells me that it has found new hardware and is installing it-- back
to the two monitors! If I delete both monitors and reboot it tells me
there's new hardware and installs the CM 1772PF and then goes through
it again and installs the Default Monitor. Back to two monitors!

Same with the "Direct memory access controller" (whatever that is)
although there the Properties shows a conflict for the second one as
it uses the same resources as the first. But I can't get rid of the
second!

There also seems to be a problem, although not a duplicate, with the
PCI Serial Controller. The Properties say that a driver has not been
installed (Code 28) but this doesn't seem to cause any problems with
the machine. I've been full circle (install| reboot| install| reboot|
ad infinitum with these devices for days and I'm loathe to upset the
system. Does this really do anything even if I install the drivers (if
they exist).

wrote:

Running Win98SE but in the device manager it shows duplicate devices
for several items. For example there's one and only one monitor
attached, a CM1772PF, but Win98SE insists on showing the CM1772PF as
well as "Default Monitor". If I delete the Default Monitor and restart
it tells me that it has found new hardware and is installing it-- back
to the two monitors! If I delete both monitors and reboot it tells me
there's new hardware and installs the CM 1772PF and then goes through
it again and installs the Default Monitor. Back to two monitors!

Same with the "Direct memory access controller" (whatever that is)
although there the Properties shows a conflict for the second one as
it uses the same resources as the first. But I can't get rid of the
second!

There also seems to be a problem, although not a duplicate, with the
PCI Serial Controller. The Properties say that a driver has not been
installed (Code 28) but this doesn't seem to cause any problems with
the machine. I've been full circle (install| reboot| install| reboot|
ad infinitum with these devices for days and I'm loathe to upset the
system. Does this really do anything even if I install the drivers (if
they exist).

I usually boot to Safe Mode and remove the duplicates. In fact it is very
likely you will see additional duplicates in device manager, including
possible a duplicate for the PCI controller. For duplicates I normally,
still in Safe Mode, delete all copies of any duplicated device and
reboot. Windows will then "re-find" the "new" hardware and re-install
it. The caution here is when the hardward is "re-found" you may be
prompted to supply the driver. So be sure you have the disks for anything
you delete.

I also avoid deleting disk controller duplicates if found. At least once
I got stuck after deleting them and was not able to boot afterwared.

The PCI controller may be a USB controller. Have you changed your
battery? Do all your USB ports work? If you have changed your battery,
the BIOS may have gotten reset and disabled the USB controller. If that
is the case you will have to go back into the BIOS and turn the USB
controller back on (enabled).

And of coarse, before doing any of this I make a backup image so I can be
sure to get back to where to I started if something goes wrong.

-gm