Enable/disable Windows 7 device via command line
I have a device that I often enable and disable using the Device Manager. I'd like to write a script to do this programmatically (that is, using the command line). I saw a program called devcon that works for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, but I need one that works for Windows 7. Is there one freely available?
Solution 1:
- Download the WDK Windows Driver Kit 7.1.0 from Microsoft.
- Use the Universal Extractor to extract the contents of the ISO to a temporary location... or use whatever method you like to mount and get inside the ISO.
- You can use the same tool to extract the install file "WDK\setuptools_x64fre.msi" to a temporary directory.
- In that temporary directory you will find "WinDDK\7600.16385.win7_wdk.100208-1538\tools\devcon\amd64\devcon.exe". It has been tested to work with Win7x64, and it is part of the most recent Windows Driver development kit.
So, there is Devcon.exe for Windows 7 for you. It works with Windows 7, and it is free.
Instructions taken from the Microsoft Answers forum.
Solution 2:
DevManView is another way to do this - and it's a lot easier to acquire than devcon.exe, but still free.
I use the following command in a batch file to use disable/enable a device on my wife's laptop when we need it:
devmanview.exe /disable_enable "SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller"
You can also create a regular shortcut, edit its properties and add the parameters in the Target field.
Solution 3:
For Windows 8, there is WDK 8.1 available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/hardware/gg454513
The small setup binary allows to download (without installing WDK) (~500MB) and without iso-container.
Searched cabs for devcon.exe but names are scrambled. Used Universal Extractor to extract "..\Installers\Windows Driver Kit-x86_en-us.msi" - ends with an error. However, got the file I need: "...\Windows Kits\8.1\Tools\x64\devcon.exe"
Tool needs to run with Admin privs to have effect.