I have a Sony DV D Rom model DDU 1613 and a Sony DVD RW D W-D 23 A neither of which is working. I get the message "Windows cannot start this hardware device because its Configuration (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged (Code 19).
I cannot therefore uninstall and reinstall as suggested in the Windows troubleshooter. Can anybody help please?

I am running Windows XP Home. SP 3

ThanksYou should still be able to boot to XP without the dvd's

Here is a fairly comprehensive MS KB dealing with Device Manager errors. Thanks. I have no problem in booting up and I had already read this help page. It is the devices which are not working and which I cannot reinstall.OK, more questions.

For how long have you had this problem? Have the drives ever worked? Are they SATA drives? Are drivers installed? Are the controllers enabled in bios?

Optical drives do not need drivers.Possible cure listed in Good and Cool Greg's post on 2 April 2010 here.

One of these may help:
1. Uninstall the drive through Device Manager.
Restart computer. The drive will be automatically reinstalled.
or...
2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314060
Restart computer.
or...
3. Download, and run Restore Missing CD Drive patch
Double click on cdgone.zip to unzip it.
Right click on cdgone.reg, click Merge.
Accept registry merge.
Restart computer.
or...
4. Go to Device Manager, click a "+" sign next to IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
You'll see two items:
- ATA Channel0 (or Primary Channel)
- ATA Channel1 (or Secondary Channel)
Right click on each of them, and click Uninstall. Confirm.
Restart Windows. They'll be automatically reinstalled.Many thanks to all those who took the trouble to reply.
Broni, you are nothing short of a GENIUS. The restore missing CD drive patch download worked like a dream. How you learn this stuff? Thanks a million.Quote from: gerry7 on August 19, 2010, 11:31:28 AM

Broni, you are nothing short of a genius.

You're not telling us anything we didn't already know