I’ve noticed that on my Windows 7 laptop (Lenovo W500), in file explorer under Networks, if I right-click WDShareSpace device (bottom of right-side screen) and select “install”, a device driver is installed by Windows 7 for this device. I’m not sure what the value of this driver is because the stuff I want to do can be done without it. Regardless, this driver appears to be very faulty. Once installed, it causes my system to hang at various points when interacting with the system configuration manager.
For example, if this driver is installed, shutdown hangs for 5 minutes and then blue-screens. An analysis of the minidump shows the SCM timed out waiting for the WD Sharespace driver. Also, if I simply scan for new plug’n play devices in the device manager window, it hangs forever (until I kill it in task manager). Putting the computer to sleep also causes a hang/reboot with blue screen.
I can only remove this driver by attempting a removal in normal mode, letting it hang for a while, then killing the device manager process, then booting into safe mode and doing a normal shutdown, then booting back into normal mode. This allows the device manager to perform the previously scheduled remove operation. Note you can’t remove it in safe mode because you can’t even see it there (even with show hidden drivers checked).
