Sandy Bartlet wrote:
> I cannot install my IEEE 1394 controller or a 5-button MS USB
> Intelli-mouse optical or an HP Laserjet 1100 printer. The hardware is
> detected and properly identified but the driver install ends with:
>
> There is a problem installing this hardware:
> IEEE 1394 Controller
> An error occurred during the installation of the device
> The data is invalid
>
> I get the same error for the mouse. For the printer I get:
>
> Printer driver was not installed. Operation could not be completed.
>
> I am running Windows XP SP3 with all updates installed (same problem
> when it was SP2). Uninstalling and re-installing does not help.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks...

"The data is invalid" means a small part of the registry is read only. This
page gives a generic Registry traversal, where the Permissions are
changed to "Full Control". After you've done that, a driver
should be installable, to the device you fixed in the registry.
The first time I heard about this, it was for someone trying to
install a LAN driver.

http://www.xtra.co.nz/help/0,,6156-1359658,00.html

"Once you have searched through each of the keys and found the
correct "DEVICEDESC" right click on it, and select "Permissions".
Place a tick in the box under the word "Allow", next to "Full Control".
Click on "OK". "

If you search around, using "The data is invalid" and "Full Control",
you may find other examples of the registry recipe. And in a few
threads, people claim the fix didn't help them.

Good luck,
Paul