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Tips and TricksToolsDEVCON.EXE
This is a Microsoft tool described in Knowledge base article
"311272
".
It is available on Windows 2000+.
You may also be interested in the
Device Driver Installation section of this manual (it lists other possible tools as well).
The DevCon utility is a command line utility that acts as an alternative
to Device Manager.
Using DevCon, you can enable, disable, restart, update, remove, and query
individual devices or groups of devices. DevCon provides information that
is relevant to the developer and is not available in Device Manager.
DevCon is not redistributable
(this reduces a nice and useful tool to something with perhaps "some" use).
I'm going to assume internal use in your company is not distribution.
It is provided for use as a debugging and development tool.
You can freely modify DevCon for private use.
The sample demonstrates how to use the SetupAPI and CfgMgr32 functions
together effectively to enumerate devices and perform device operations.
Note that the source is available so you could create your own program based
on this.
Note the use of the "^" character to "escape" the ampersand
characters in the hardware ID:
devcon install etzkp.inf USB\VID_108C^&PID_0200^&MI_01
devcon install etzkq.inf USB\VID_108C^&PID_0101
| Example #2 - Correct Unknown Devices |
The following demonstrates the removal of "unknown" devices
("?" in device manager) and if any were found then a hardware scan
is performed:
echo off
setlocal
set RemoveFile=Remove.txt
del "%RemoveFile%" >nul 2>&1
@REM *** Remove unknown devices, if any found need a rescan ***
devcon.exe /remove =Unknown > "%RemoveFile%"
type "%RemoveFile%"
find.exe /I "No devices removed" "%RemoveFile%" >nul 2>&1
if errorlevel 1 devcon.exe /rescan
Device Console Help:
DEVCON.EXE [-r] [-m:\\<machine>] <command> [<arg>...]
-r if specified will reboot machine after command is complete, if needed.
<machine> is name of target machine.
<command> is command to perform (see below).
<arg>... is one or more arguments if required by command.
For help on a specific command, type: DEVCON.EXE help <command>
classfilter Allows modification of class filters.
classes List all device setup classes.
disable Disable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
driverfiles List driver files installed for devices.
drivernodes Lists all the driver nodes of devices.
enable Enable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
find Find devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
findall Find devices including those that are not present.
help Display this information.
hwids Lists hardware ID's of devices.
install Manually install a device.
listclass List all devices for a setup class.
reboot Reboot local machine.
remove Remove devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
rescan Scan for new hardware.
resources Lists hardware resources of devices.
restart Restart devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
sethwid Modify Hardware ID's of listed root-enumerated devices.
stack Lists expected driver stack of devices.
status List running status of devices.
update Manually update a device.
updateni Manually update a device (non interactive).
| DEVCON.EXE help classfilter |
DEVCON.EXE classfilter <class> upper <subcmds> - Upper filters.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter <class> lower <subcmds> - Lower filters.
Modifies upper and lower filters for a device setup class. Changes do not take effect until the effected devices are restarted or the machine is rebooted.
Where <subcmds> iterate the list of services, modifying the services in the filter. In the context of this command, each sub-command works on services in the list relative to previous sub-commands. Examples below.
= - move back to start of list of services (no "current" service). This is
assumed prior to the first sub-command.
@svc - move forward to specified service and treat it as "current" for the next
sub-command.
!svc - delete instance of specified service that's after "current" service.
The place where the deleted service was is now considered the "current"
service, making '-' and '+' behave exactly the same.
-svc - insert service before current service (or beginning if none). Inserted
service becomes new current service.
+svc - insert service after current service (or end if none). Inserted service
becomes new current service.
Examples:
If upperfilters of setup class "foo" is A,B,C,B,D,B,E:
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D !B - delete the 3rd 'B'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper !B !B !B - delete all 3 instances of 'B'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper =!B =!A - delete first 'B' and first 'A'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper !C +CC - replaces 'C' with 'CC'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D -CC - inserts 'CC' before 'D'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D +CC - inserts 'CC' after 'D'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper -CC - inserts 'CC' before 'A'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper +CC - inserts 'CC' after 'E'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D +X +Y - inserts 'X' after 'D' and 'Y' after 'X'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D -X -Y - inserts 'X' before 'D' and 'Y' before 'X'.
DEVCON.EXE classfilter foo upper @D -X +Y - inserts 'X' before 'D' and 'Y' between 'X' and 'D'.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] classes
List all device setup classes.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Classes are listed as <name>: <descr>
where <name> is the class name and <descr> is the class description.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] disable <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-r] disable =<class> [<id>...]
Disable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices (not recommended)
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are disabled if possible.
| DEVCON.EXE help driverfiles |
DEVCON.EXE driverfiles <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE driverfiles =<class> [<id>...]
Lists driver files installed for devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
| DEVCON.EXE help drivernodes |
DEVCON.EXE drivernodes <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE drivernodes =<class> [<id>...]
Lists driver nodes for devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] enable <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-r] enable =<class> [<id>...]
Enable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices (not recommended)
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are enabled if possible.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] find <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] find =<class> [<id>...]
Find devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are listed as <instance>: <descr>
where <instance> is the unique instance of the device and <descr> is the description.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] findall <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] findall =<class> [<id>...]
Find devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID, including those that are not present.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are listed as <instance>: <descr>
where <instance> is the unique instance of the device and <descr> is the description.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] hwids <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] hwids =<class> [<id>...]
Lists all hardware ID's of devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] install <inf> <hwid>
Manually installs a device.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
<inf> is an INF to use to install the device.
<hwid> is a hardware ID to apply to the device.
| DEVCON.EXE help listclass |
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] listclass <class> [<class>...]
List all devices for specific setup classes.
This command will work for a remote machine.
<class> is the class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are listed as <instance>: <descr>
where <instance> is the unique instance of the device and <descr> is the description.
DEVCON.EXE reboot
Reboot local machine indicating planned hardware install.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] remove <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-r] remove =<class> [<id>...]
Remove devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices (not recommended)
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>]
Tell plug&play to scan for new hardware.
| DEVCON.EXE help resources |
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] resources <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] resources =<class> [<id>...]
Lists hardware resources of devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] restart <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-r] restart =<class> [<id>...]
Restarts devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices (not recommended)
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
Devices are restarted if possible.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] sethwid <id> [<id>...] := <subcmds>
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] sethwid =<class> [<id>...] := <subcmds>
Modifies the hardware ID's of the listed devices. This command will only work for root-enumerated devices.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices (not recommended)
ISAPNP\PNP0601 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ROOT\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
<subcmds> consists of one or more:
=hwid - Clear hardware ID list and set it to hwid.
+hwid - Add or move hardware ID to head of list (better match).
-hwid - Add or move hardware ID to end of list (worse match).
!hwid - Remove hardware ID from list.
hwid - each additional hardware id is inserted after the previous.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] stack <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] stack =<class> [<id>...]
Lists expected driver stack of devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] status <id> [<id>...]
DEVCON.EXE [-m:\\<machine>] status =<class> [<id>...]
Lists running status of devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID.
This command will work for a remote machine.
Examples of <id> are:
* - All devices
ISAPNP\PNP0501 - Hardware ID
*PNP* - Hardware ID with wildcards (* matches anything)
@ISAPNP\*\* - Instance ID with wildcards (@ prefixes instance ID)
<class> is a setup class name as obtained from the classes command.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] update <inf> <hwid>
Update drivers for devices.
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
<inf> is an INF to use to install the device.
All devices that match <hwid> are updated.
DEVCON.EXE [-r] updateni <inf> <hwid>
Update drivers for devices (Non Interactive).
This command will only work for local machine.
Specify -r to reboot automatically if needed.
<inf> is an INF to use to install the device.
All devices that match <hwid> are updated.
Unsigned installs will fail. No UI will be
presented.
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