Duplicate hardware icons in "My Computer" 1

[Synergyman]

Funny, but in my Win XP Pro in "My Computer" it is misreading some hardware. It lists my usb webcam - Logitech ClickSmart 310 twice with a #2 after the second one. It also lists my usb scanner - Microtek ScanMaker 4900 once but it has a #2 behind it and when I try to rename it without the #2, windows states that a device already exists with that name. Everything works correctly, but it is annoying to have these imperfections in the directory. I have tried a re-scan of hardware from the device manager and it erases all hardware with a #2 behind it but on reboot, they all come back. Very strange. Has anyone experienced this before?

 

[Synergyman]

I forgot to add, the device manager also shows 2 webcams.
Thanks.

 

[smah]

I suspect that you've plugged them into different usb ports in the past. Try removing both cameras or both scanners from Device Manager. Then reboot and see how many are found.

 

[bcastner]

Or just leave them be. They are not hurting anything.

smah's guess would be mine as well as to why they are double listed. But this give me a chance to warn of another common way this is done with devices.

You use regedit and before doing anything you dutifully make an export of the keys involved.

My warning is only that a "restore" operation of a regedit exported set of keys should more properly be viewed as a merge operation.

If you really want a true restore, set a restore point before fooling with the registry.

*** end rant

 

[Synergyman]

Thanks for your advice. I removed all problem hardwares from the device manager and unplugged them and rebooted. Obviously now there were no icons left in My Computer. Then I shut off the computer and plugged the camera and scanner in fresh. My Computer then showed correctly one scanner but then it still picked up 2 cameras instead of 1. The device manager also shows 2 cameras. It is really strange. The only way I can get rid of the 2nd camera icon in the My Computer menu is to disable one of the camera drivers in the device manager. I cannot uninstall the driver because when I reboot, it will automatically reinstall a second camera when I only have one.