Where to install device drivers so that USB device finds them when it's first connected
in [Device Drivers]
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From: Debbie.Croft on 7 May 2008 12:48 I'm creating an installer for an application. This application uses a special type of printer that we'll supply to the client as part of a package with the software. I'd like to install the USB drivers that come with the printer into a location where the printer will find them as soon as it's plugged in - i.e. the client won't have to browse to a directory to select the drivers. Is this possible - and, if so, where should I install the drivers. I guess I'm asking if there's a default USB driver search path that Windows traverses in search of a driver before it gives up and ask the user for help. Does a USB device generally know the *name* of the file it's looking for, if not the location? I'm only interested in XP and Vista.
From: Pavel A. on 7 May 2008 21:28 <Debbie.Croft(a)nospamforme.com> wrote in message news:OrGu6IGsIHA.3804(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > I'm creating an installer for an application. This application uses a > special type of printer that we'll supply to the client as part of a > package with the software. I'd like to install the USB drivers that come > with the printer into a location where the printer will find them as soon > as it's plugged in - i.e. the client won't have to browse to a directory > to select the drivers. Is this possible - and, if so, where should I > install the drivers. > > I guess I'm asking if there's a default USB driver search path that > Windows traverses in search of a driver before it gives up and ask the > user for help. Does a USB device generally know the *name* of the file > it's looking for, if not the location? > > I'm only interested in XP and Vista. Have you read this? http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/install/app_drv.mspx --PA
From: Tim Roberts on 8 May 2008 02:30
<Debbie.Croft(a)nospamforme.com> wrote: > >I'm creating an installer for an application. This application uses a >special type of printer that we'll supply to the client as part of a package >with the software. I'd like to install the USB drivers that come with the >printer into a location where the printer will find them as soon as it's >plugged in - i.e. the client won't have to browse to a directory to select >the drivers. Is this possible - and, if so, where should I install the >drivers. You can copy the drivers to a convenient location, then use SetupCopyOEMInf to "register" that location with the operating system. >I guess I'm asking if there's a default USB driver search path that Windows >traverses in search of a driver before it gives up and ask the user for >help. Does a USB device generally know the *name* of the file it's looking >for, if not the location? USB doesn't have any special considerations here. All drivers in Windows are the same. No, the device doesn't know anything about the driver. In the case of USB, Windows uses the VID and PID from the descriptors to look for a device in its list of known INF files. -- Tim Roberts, timr(a)probo.com Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc. |