Microsoft KB Archive/264173

= INFO: Registry Active Key and Device Driver Numbering =

Article ID: 264173

Article Last Modified on 2/12/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 for the Handheld PC
 * Microsoft Windows CE 2.12 for the Handheld PC
 * Microsoft Windows CE 2.11 for the Handheld PC
 * Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder 2.11
 * Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder 2.12
 * Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite 2001

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This article was previously published under Q264173



SUMMARY
Each time that a device driver is loaded, a numerical value under a key in the registry called Active appears. Each time that a new driver is loaded, this number is incremented. The driver number is incremented until the next time that the system is restarted.



MORE INFORMATION
Many device drivers, such as Stream interface drivers, are loaded by Device.exe. When Device.exe detects a new device, such as the insertion of a PCMCIA card, it loads the appropriate driver. It then increments the number under the Active key to signify the number of device drivers loaded since startup, even if they were unloaded at some time. Therefore, this number is not necessarily indicative of the total number of device drivers currently loaded. It shows the total number of device drivers ever loaded (even if they were subsequently unloaded) since the most recent startup.

Take a PCMCIA card as an example. The first time that you insert it, the key entry may be \Drivers\Active\15. If you remove the card and then reinsert it, the key becomes \Drivers\Active\16. The value is incremented each time that a device is connected.

Additional query words: Registry, Active Key, Device Drivers, Manager, Stream Interface

Keywords: kbinfo KB264173

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