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In Windows Vista/7, a small blue question mark on a white background is overlaid on a device icon in my Device Manager. What does it means? The properties dialog says "this device is working properly" but it is not. it is a Firewire camera.

Here is a screenshot of the Device Manager:

alt text

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  • What interface (FireWire, USB, Serial...?) is the camera connected to? Jan 26, 2011 at 10:44
  • It's a firewire camera
    – jumar
    Feb 7, 2011 at 13:33

4 Answers 4

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From Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager

A blue "i" on a white field on a device resource in Computer properties indicates that the Use Automatic Settings feature is not selected for the device and that the resource was manually selected. Note that this does not indicate a problem or disabled state.

Edit: Changed link to Windows XP version


Hmmm, now this is a conundrum.

That item, Point Grey Research Devices, is not a regular node that appears in the Windows Device Manager. Somehow a 3rd party product and injected itself into the Device Manager list. It's icon (piece of paper with gold gear on it) is not standard Microsoft. That would lead me to believe that it's child node's icon's are created by Point Grey (whoever they are).

It's a mystery why in the world a hardware manufacturer would need to invent their own device type. Do they think their device is so unique that they couldn't classify it as a

  • Imaging Device
  • Pointing device, even a generic
  • Human interface device

Anyway, since Point Grey is creating their own custom icons, you'll have to ask them what the icons mean.

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  • +1..**NOTE** Applies to W95, W98, ME, slightly different version for XP here...support.microsoft.com/kb/310126
    – Moab
    Jan 4, 2011 at 17:30
  • The questioner is indicating a "question mark", not an "i". Jan 4, 2011 at 17:39
  • @Mepher C. Palavuzlar: i assume he is mistaken.
    – Ian Boyd
    Jan 4, 2011 at 17:45
  • No i did no mistake, it is a question mark ("?") not a "i".
    – jumar
    Jan 4, 2011 at 17:53
  • i did a google search for "blue question mark" vista site:support.microsoft.com there are zero hits. The only hardware manager mention of a question mark is a green one and for windows me. Can you provide a screenshot?
    – horatio
    Jan 4, 2011 at 18:14
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I don't think it's a driver issue. I have exactly the same problem with a calibration tool called colormunki. My device works with no problem and device manager confirms it works properly. It seems Windows just does not know the category of the device so it's classified with an icon + a question mark.

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I suspect that the driver is not signed, therefore the blue question marked. Windows does warn you when you are installing the unsigned driver.

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It means you need to install the correct driver for your camera device. If you don't have a driver CD supplied by the manufacturer, you should go to manufacturer's website to download the driver. Otherwise, you need to search over the internet and look for the Vista version of the driver.

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  • Are you sure this is what the blue question mark means? It is not the good old big yellow icon, it is just a small blue overlay icon... I am sure to have installed the right driver, i have done this type of installation with this exact driver on hundreds of other similar systems.
    – jumar
    Jan 4, 2011 at 15:43
  • I still think it's a driver issue. You can try reinstalling the driver and restarting your machine. That's the only solution I can suggest at the moment. Jan 4, 2011 at 18:33

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