Unable to install any new device drivers or update existing ones

xevious · Dec 25, 2020

I have had this problem for awhile, it started with just not being able to install updated video drivers but I lived with that. But it's gotten worse to now since the last Windows 10 update to now include printers and USB device drivers as well. I saw this post and thought it might be worth asking about this sort of problem if it might also be driverstore corruption related - [SOLVED] - W10 1903 - Driver store corruption and Windows Update 0x800703f1

All drivers fail to install in the setupapi.dev.log with [Exit Status: FAILURE(0xcfffffff)]

Several times over the last few months I've tried the below commands.
sfc /scannow shows all good or occassionally reports it repaired 1 file
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth reports it completes successfully each time

Other than not being able to update any drivers lately, which started many months ago with just video drivers which I cannot pinpoint what triggered that initial regression, the PC runs fine. It's an older home built PC, based on the Intel DH67BL motherboard.

Windows 10 Home Build 20H2 19042.685 with 8GB RAM and Intel i7-3770 @ 3.4Ghz currently.

I can't find any relevant information on Google about this 0xcfffffff error code from installing a driver though.

xilolee · Dec 25, 2020

Hi!

Provide some logs (see bsod forum posting instructions).
Create a system restore point, create a system image, backup your important files, if you didn't already do it.

zbook · Dec 25, 2020

Please post run the Sysnative log collector and upload results:
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 + Vista | Sysnative Forums

1) Open administrative command prompt (ACP) and type or copy and paste:
2) sfc /scannow
3) dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
4) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
5) sfc /scannow
6) chkdsk /scan

7) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

8) Make sure driver updates was not disabled:
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10
Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10

xevious · Dec 25, 2020

xilolee said:
Hi!

Provide some logs (see bsod forum posting instructions).
Create a system restore point, create a system image, backup your important files, if you didn't already do it.

xevious · Dec 25, 2020

zbook said:
Please post run the Sysnative log collector and upload results:
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 + Vista | Sysnative Forums

1) Open administrative command prompt (ACP) and type or copy and paste:
2) sfc /scannow
3) dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
4) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
5) sfc /scannow
6) chkdsk /scan

7) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

8) Make sure driver updates was not disabled:
Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10
Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver
Turn On or Off Device Driver Automatic Installation in Windows 10

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19042.685]
(c) 2020 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.19041.572

Image Version: 10.0.19042.685

[==========================100.0%==========================] No component store corruption detected.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.19041.572

Image Version: 10.0.19042.685

[==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>chkdsk /scan
The type of the file system is NTFS.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
933120 file records processed.
File verification completed.
Phase duration (File record verification): 9.24 seconds.
14810 large file records processed.
Phase duration (Orphan file record recovery): 0.00 milliseconds.
0 bad file records processed.
Phase duration (Bad file record checking): 0.25 milliseconds.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
2603 reparse records processed.
1260556 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
Phase duration (Index verification): 22.67 seconds.
0 unindexed files scanned.
Phase duration (Orphan reconnection): 4.04 seconds.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.
Phase duration (Orphan recovery to lost and found): 0.73 milliseconds.
2603 reparse records processed.
Phase duration (Reparse point and Object ID verification): 12.61 milliseconds.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.
Phase duration (Security descriptor verification): 163.54 milliseconds.
163719 data files processed.
Phase duration (Data attribute verification): 0.62 milliseconds.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
40532712 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
Phase duration (USN journal verification): 165.96 milliseconds.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

878492768 KB total disk space.
607125116 KB in 586072 files.
356552 KB in 163720 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
1081408 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
269929692 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
219623192 total allocation units on disk.
67482423 allocation units available on disk.
Total duration: 36.32 seconds (36321 ms).

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

xevious · Dec 25, 2020

Thanks, fyi can see the errors I'm running into within the WERALL.txt file of the zip around the AppHang_drvinst.exe lines.

zbook · Dec 25, 2020

Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > manually expand all rows > post images of any row displaying a yellow triangle with black exclamation mark or unknown device

Code:

Photosmart C7200 series    ROOT\MULTIFUNCTION\0000    This device is disabled.
Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus    HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0892&SUBSYS_80862002&REV_1003\4&37464916&1&0001    Reinstall the drivers for this device.
USB Input Device    USB\VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_02\8&99E96A3&0&0002    Reinstall the drivers for this device.
Not Available    ROOT\SYSTEM\0001    The drivers for this device are not installed.

The logs were cleaned:

Please list the cleaning software: Ccleaner, Glary Utilities, Wise cleaner, etc. > display settings

Code:

Event[112]:
  Log Name: System
  Source: Microsoft-Windows-Eventlog
  Date: 2020-12-25T22:46:50.0230000Z
  Event ID: 104
  Task: Log clear
  Level: Information
  Opcode: Info
  Keyword: N/A
  User: S-1-5-21-3896922509-2489037879-4264287322-1000
  User Name: HP-Main\Edward
  Computer: HP-Main
  Description:
The System log file was cleared.

xevious · Dec 25, 2020

zbook said:
Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > manually expand all rows > post images of any row displaying a yellow triangle with black exclamation mark or unknown device

Code:

Photosmart C7200 series ROOT\MULTIFUNCTION\0000 This device is disabled. Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0892&SUBSYS_80862002&REV_1003\4&37464916&1&0001 Reinstall the drivers for this device. USB Input Device USB\VID_046D&PID_C52B&MI_02\8&99E96A3&0&0002 Reinstall the drivers for this device. Not Available ROOT\SYSTEM\0001 The drivers for this device are not installed.

The logs were cleaned:

Please list the cleaning software: Ccleaner, Glary Utilities, Wise cleaner, etc. > display settings

Code:

Event[112]: Log Name: System Source: Microsoft-Windows-Eventlog Date: 2020-12-25T22:46:50.0230000Z Event ID: 104 Task: Log clear Level: Information Opcode: Info Keyword: N/A User: S-1-5-21-3896922509-2489037879-4264287322-1000 User Name: HP-Main\Edward Computer: HP-Main Description: The System log file was cleared.

Perhaps R-Wipe&Clean from Disk Wipe and Clean Software to delete and erase data, files or clean disk space. I have had this program run regularly at every logoff for more than a decade now.

zbook · Dec 26, 2020

Please disable or uninstall the cleaning software.
It can be reinstalled when troubleshooting has completed.

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

zbook said:
Please disable or uninstall the cleaning software.
It can be reinstalled when troubleshooting has completed.

Ok, and then re-try to update a driver and rerun the zip file utility and re-upload it or?

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

Someone asked me via DM to also attach this file.

xilolee · Dec 26, 2020

Let's try something simpler:

Open control panel or a simple file explorer window.
Paste in the address bar: Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers
Right-click your PC, click troubleshoot.
Let it run and show what it finds.

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

xilolee said:
Let's try something simpler:

Open control panel or a simple file explorer window.

Paste in the address bar: Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers

Right-click your PC, click troubleshoot.

Let it run and show what it finds.

That Devices and Printers view comes up with yellow ! triangles on the PC and two of the devices failing to update. Screenshot of the troubleshooter report attached. Selecting either that have a description gets an give up (attached). Selecting the unknowns gives two outcomes. One claims to be installing the driver, asks to restart. No change and after restart same report list on troubleshooter. The other fails.

xilolee · Dec 26, 2020

Enable photosmart c2700 device.
Download and install iobit driver booster free.
Open it, click tools, click "Clean unplugged device data", scan, clean, close.
Download the attached folder, unzip it, click regseeker.exe.
Click applications and startup.
Click services, take a screenshot.
Click drivers, take a screenshot.
Close it, zip the screenshots up and post the zipped file here.
Then reboot.

zbook · Dec 26, 2020

Please update the progress with: (post #7) Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > manually expand all rows > post images of any row displaying a yellow triangle with black exclamation mark or unknown device

Post a share link for setupapi.dev.log.

Which software is best to view drivers.zip in post #11?

1) uninstall the Nvidia GPU driver using DDU (display driver uninstaller)
2) re-install the Nvidia GPU driver from the Nvidia website
3) make sure that you check the clean install box and if available install the physx driver.

Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 18.0.3.5 (or newer version if available)
Wagnardsoft

Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums
Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums

Download Drivers | NVIDIA
Download Drivers | NVIDIA

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

zbook said:
Please update the progress with: (post #7) Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > manually expand all rows > post images of any row displaying a yellow triangle with black exclamation mark or unknown device

Post a share link for setupapi.dev.log.

Which software is best to view drivers.zip in post #11?

1) uninstall the Nvidia GPU driver using DDU (display driver uninstaller)
2) re-install the Nvidia GPU driver from the Nvidia website
3) make sure that you check the clean install box and if available install the physx driver.

Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 18.0.3.5 (or newer version if available)
Wagnardsoft

Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums
Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums

Download Drivers | NVIDIA
Download Drivers | NVIDIA

Sorry missed this one, attached the hidden views with filenames of the drivers involved.

I have repeatedly used DDU and any of the last five Geforce drivers using the clean box, which all fail as per my initial post. All downloaded direct from nvidia.com. The Microsoft Windows update also fails to install its version (attached). I see all of the troubleshooter attempts in the setupapi.dev.log as well now. Same error, 0xcfffffff. I am using the drivers direct from the support pages of hp.com for my printer, from logitech.com for my mouse, and nvidia.com for the GPU and HD audio PCI card. Also intel for the on-board GPU, which also will not install same error.

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

zbook said:
Please update the progress with: (post #7) Open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > manually expand all rows > post images of any row displaying a yellow triangle with black exclamation mark or unknown device

Post a share link for setupapi.dev.log.

Which software is best to view drivers.zip in post #11?

1) uninstall the Nvidia GPU driver using DDU (display driver uninstaller)
2) re-install the Nvidia GPU driver from the Nvidia website
3) make sure that you check the clean install box and if available install the physx driver.

Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 18.0.3.5 (or newer version if available)
Wagnardsoft

Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums
Display Driver Uninstaller: How to use - Windows 7 Help Forums

Download Drivers | NVIDIA
Download Drivers | NVIDIA

Yes, I replied to this one. But it has a yellow bar above it saying "This message is awaiting moderator approval, and is invisible to normal visitors."

xevious · Dec 26, 2020

xilolee said:
Enable photosmart c2700 device.
Download and install iobit driver booster free.
Open it, click tools, click "Clean unplugged device data", scan, clean, close.
Download the attached folder, unzip it, click regseeker.exe.
Click applications and startup.
Click services, take a screenshot.
Click drivers, take a screenshot.
Close it, zip the screenshots up and post the zipped file here.
Then reboot.

Ran iobit and it found 78 devices to clean. shots zipped below.

zbook · Dec 26, 2020

Make a new restore point:
Create System Restore Point in Windows 10

Make a free backup image:
It’s our business to protect your data
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

This is a trial and error step:
Change Device Installation Timeout in Windows (Fix 0x000005B4 Error) - Tech Journey

Code:

Device install process timeout exceeded.

xilolee · Dec 26, 2020

Let's remove easyanticheat (if you are not using it).

From a command prompt (admin):

Code:

sc del easyanticheat

What audio device are you using (given that it says there are problems with it)?

Unable to install *any* new device drivers or update existing ones

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Unable to install any new device drivers or update existing ones