Serial cable using IrDA Protocol error

[joe53]

I've been recently getting this yellow exclamation mark error in my Device Manager:

Device type: Infrared devices
Manufacturer: (Standard Infrared Port)
Location: COM3

"Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)"
I have no idea what device is stopped, as all seem to work well. The only Infrared device I have (I think) is a remote for my XP MCE TV, and it works (eHome Infrared Receiver/Transceiver). I have added no hardware in years prior to this message, use no bluetooth devices/iPhones etc. None of my BIOS settings refer to any Infrared devices. I have run a Dell Diagnostics on all my hardware, and detected nothing.

I did a Google search, but nothing I found seems to apply. I did have to replace a failing HDD and a 3V battery recently, but this error pre-dated this.

Any thoughts as to what might be causing this error?

System Specs:
Standalone Dell Dimension 9100 desktop (4 years old)
XP MCE/sp3 (fully updated)
Dell W2600 LCD TV
Motorola Surfboard cablemodem
Linksys WRT54G Router
(Full specs available via Belarc Advisor)

[PCBruiser]

Go into Device Manager, click on that device and then delete it.  Reboot and see if it comes back or not.  I assume you aren't using any of the serial ports for anything - they are used only by legacy devices as the serial protocol is quite old and slow, easily supplanted by USB.  If that is the case, boot into your bios - most modern motherboards allow you to turn off the old legacy serial and parallel ports, and at 4 years old, you should have the ability to do that with yours.  If  you do that, Device Manager won't even see the com ports.

[joe53]

Thanks, PCBruiser:

After uninstalling and re-booting, nothing was detected, and Device Manager is showing no errors.

I looked through all my BIOS settings, and saw nothing about serial connectors (nor can I recall seeing or using such connectors, AFAIK they are all USB). My System Information does not show any serial or parallel ports as installed. My infrared TV remote still works.

If anything turns up disabled, I'll post back. Until then, it's just an oddity, I guess.

Much obliged for the advice.

Joe