When you double-click Add New Hardware in Control Panel, you may receive the following error message:

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You may receive this error message if there is a damaged .inf file in the Windows\Inf folder.

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To resolve this issue, find and delete the damaged .inf file in the Windows\Inf folder. To do so, follow these steps:

1.	Verify that you can view hidden and system files.For additional information about how to do this, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 141276 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/141276/EN-US/) How to View System and Hidden Files in Windows
2.	Determine the date of your original Windows system files. To do so, follow these steps: a. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders. b. In the Named box, type win.com, and then click Find Now. c. Right-click the Win.com file in your Windows folder, and then click Properties. d. Note the date on the Modified line. This is the date of your original Windows system files.
3.	Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
4.	In the Named box, type inf, and then click Find Now.
5.	Double-click the Inf folder.
6.	Move all of the .inf files that do not have the same date as your original Windows system files into a new folder. For information about how to create a new folder, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type creating folders, and then click Display. For information about how to move files, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type moving files, and then click Display.
7.	Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
8.	Double-click Add New Hardware, and follow the instructions on the screen. If you do not receive the error message, skip to step 10.
9.	If you receive the error message when you run the Add New Hardware wizard, move the .inf files back into the Inf folder, and then reinstall Windows 95.For additional information about how to reinstall Windows 95, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 149712 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/149712/EN-US/) How to Install Windows 95: Helpful Tips and Suggestions
10.	If you do not receive the error message when you run the Add New Hardware wizard, the damaged .inf file is one of the files you moved in step 6. To identify the damaged .inf file, move the .inf files back into the Inf folder one at a time (noting the name of the .inf file you are moving), and then repeat steps 7-8. Repeat this process until you receive the error message again. When you receive the error message again, the last .inf file you moved is the damaged .inf file. To determine where this file originated, double-click the file and note any manufacturer, version, or date information that may indicate the origin of the file. After you determine the origin of the file, delete the file, and then reinstall it from the original installation disks or CD-ROM.

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.Inf files are text files that contain setup information that is needed to install hardware.

For more information about issues with .inf files, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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