Error Message: Code 19 Your Registry Might Be Corrupted (295773)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2

This article was previously published under Q295773

SYMPTOMS

The Component Object Model (COM) ports that you created during the installation of a multiple-port serial adapter do not start, and they are listed in Device Manager with the following error message:

Code 19 - Your registry might be corrupted.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur because many virtual COM ports that are hosted by this type of hardware rely on the standard serial port driver (Serial.sys) that is included with Windows 2000. This driver, however, can start only if there are hardware COM ports that require the driver.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, enable at least one COM port in the basic input/output system (BIOS) so that the Serial.sys file can load properly.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Event Viewer does not display an error message that indicates that the serial driver has not loaded because some computers do not have built-in COM ports. If you change the ErrorControl value in the registry for the serial driver to 0x1, a warning is displayed that indicates that there are no devices that require the driver.

In Device Manager, on the View menu, click Display Hidden Devices to observe whether or not the serial driver has loaded.

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	1/27/2006
Keywords:	kbenv kbHardware kbprb KB295773