Misc. q's about drivers, installing, inf files, etc.  

I just don't understand this and I've read everything I can find (yes, I read the 2 tutorials on 7forums re: drivers).

After my W7 installation, I installed some software which ALSO included drivers. IOW, some post-W7 install software had a driver packaged IN ADDITION to the software. While others (printer and scanner) were JUST the driver.

When I went through the process of connecting that USB device, Windows 7 STILL went to internet-land to find the driver. Why would this occur when a driver has already been downloaded?

I have an Epson scanner. I downloaded a driver for W7 32-bit JUST for this. It put a dozen files (.bin, .exe, .dll, .cab and .hdr) in a folder. How would I find the driver when I see NO .sys or .ini file? As part of this install, a window comes up and says "successful install" (yet at this point, the scanner has NOT been connected yet per the install instructions).

I had to install an ADD-ON device driver for my Canon Pixma Ip5000 printer. How can I "prove" that that driver add-on DID get installed? Device Manager usually only shows windows-default drivers for all these aforementioned devices. But, in Adminstrative Tools -> Printer Management, I can see "three" drivers for printing and sure enough, one is labelled a Canon driver.

Sometimes there are multiple entries in Dev Mgr under driver details. If one installs a "new" driver (updated driver from hardware manufacturer), does that "new" one get put at the TOP of this driver list?

How come some times the manual says to NOT connect said device until you have installed the software/drivers? If I were to connect it ahead of time, Windows would do his thing. Then, once I NOW install that software/driver, does that driver get appended or added to the current driver list for that device?

If someone could point me somewhere to understand how all this works from a USER standpoint, that would be great.

A few tips
One its a good idea to uninstall the old driver before you install the new driver - if you download a driver from the internet and unzipp it to a folder - right click the downloaded file and select "exract all" (if it isnt grayed out) , and ok that, and a folder with the extracted files will be created in the same folder you downloaded the driver to. See if you can find a readme file with install instructions. Or search the support page for install instructions before you download the driver.

If you can t find a W7 driver you might be able to get a driver written for an earlier operating system to install eg vista or xp driver - to get around a problem the installer has with a OS mismatch you can use compatibility mode or locate the inf.file thru device manager :

To install a driver OR program in compatibility mode - right click the setup.exe file - click properties - click compatibility - check run in compatibility with vista/xp etc - check run as administrator - leave the rest blank. Start setup.exe and install.

More info on locating the inf.file and compatibility mode can be found here - note this also works with W7 -
You cannot install a device driver by using its installation program in Windows Vista

Some printers in particular and other devices need the software which includes the drivers installed before you connect the device to the computer, and you don't connect the device until the software instructs you to.

Generally its a must to find the install instructions associated with a new device as there are quite a few different ways to install, and if the instruction aren' t followed the install will fail.

If your in two minds about anything setup a system restore point before installing anything.

I have an Epson scanner. I downloaded a driver for Windows 7 32-bit JUST for this. It put a dozen files (.bin, .exe, .dll, .cab and .hdr) in a folder. How would I find the driver when I see NO .sys or .ini file? As part of this install, a window comes up and says "successful install" (yet at this point, the scanner has NOT been connected yet per the install instructions).

Scanner drivers are twain drivers, they can be installed without the device attached, windows stores twain drivers in a different place than most other drivers. As soon as you plug in the scanner windows associates the twain driver with the scanner. This is actually one of the easier drivers to install.

Drivers these days are packaged to serve more than one product, so they have a whole different setup to install the proper drivers for the specific device, so they use cab files to store the different drivers. Also they may install more than drivers, they can also install software to integrate with the device, this allows manufacturers to use less chips on the device (lowers cost), they use software instead of microchips to control the device.

.

Thanks for the posts. But, I'm looking for answers to my specific questions in the first post.

JimLewandowski said:

Thanks for the posts. But, I'm looking for answers to my specific questions in the first post.

Post your system specs, the name of the epson scanner etc and a link to the driver you have downloaded - we cant doing anything with the description epson scanner - we cant find a driver, please more details.

Moombo dog answered some of your questions: your question - why do i need to install the software first?
"Drivers these days are packaged to serve more than one product, so they have a whole different setup to install the proper drivers for the specific device, so they use cab files to store the different drivers. Also they may install more than drivers, they can also install software to integrate with the device, this allows manufacturers to use less chips on the device (lowers cost), they use software instead of microchips to control the device".

My questions are all GENERIC. I have the scanner and printer and everything working.

I'm trying to understand HOW this all works so I can know how to do other things.

See the questions in the first post. Again. Can't anyone on here read?

In device manager, I can see the driver details for a device in which there may be a DOZEN files listed (dll. .exe .sys). If I were to "uninstall" a "driver", would the uninstall process remove ALL of those files listed in Driver Details?

If I were to get a new, updated driver for a device, do I "have" to uninstall the old driver? Or, might the install instructions say that the INSTALL process will remove an old driver.

Why is it that for my printer, under device manager, I do NOT see the Canon-specific driver that I installed. Yet, Control Panel -> Admin tools > Printer management, it DOES show a Canon driver?

When I installed W7 for the first time, I downloaded and installed some drivers (prior to connecting device). Yet, when I connected that device, W7 STILL went to the internet to get drivers. Why?

I'm exasperated that people just won't read posts. It's not that hard.

q 1 - yes uninstalling removes all files but you do it in program and features - you only do it in device manager if you want to remove the device out of the computer or you have a serious driver problem and you want W7 to redetect the device.
q 2 - update driver for device - you should find specific install instructions - they generally recommend uninstalling the old driver firstly and do a reboot - this is to make sure no files are left that may foul up the new driver
q 3 - Im not sure why it isnt showing correctly in device manager - post pictures of how it looks in device manager and printer management - I cant see printer management under admin tools (have you found another path thru admin. tools?) - For me its Control Panel - devices & printers.
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...en-forums.html
q 4 - It searches for a driver unless you change that setting - to do this type "device installation settings" in search (click start and the search box is at the bottom) and then click on change device installation settings.

Lastly if your canon printer isnt working properly uninstall it in device manager - then disconnect printer from PC, and reconnect it when the install instructions say to - go here and download drivers - select OS (OPERATING SYSTEM) - unzip it and see if there is a readme or check the users guide for windows.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/co...&modelid=10439

* If your printer is working properly and was updated thru windows update you havent a problem.

Everything works perfectly. I simply want to understand how all this works so as to better be able to do things in the future (like update a video driver).

My canon Pixma iP5000 shows 3 times in Device manager:

Printers
- no driver details tab (Devices and Printers link)

Ports
- printer port (LPT1)
- drivers parport.sys and parvdm.sys

USB
- printing support
- usbprint.sys


I don't see anything that looks non-standard (i.e. the Canon add-on driver). Maybe if something is actually printing at the time, more would show in device manager?

In Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Printing Support I have:

3 drivers listed

canon
M$
M$

Looking inside the above 3 .INF files (referenced by the folders listed), I don't see anything along the lines of the drivers listed in device manager.

Just curious how all this works.

Its got me beat but if it works you should be :) perhaps if no one can help here you should ask Canon - send them an email - you really should do yourself a favour and forget your curiosity and enjoy.

I just thought its probably a modified driver to get it to install on vista and W7 & thats why it shows up unusually.