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IR receiver install fails on Win7 upgraded PCs, not OEM
The quick version: IR receiver fails auto install on two Windows 7 PC's upgraded/built from retail upgrade DVD(s). Installs with no issue on PC's pre-loaded with Windows 7 from OEM (Toshiba, HP, etc).
The long version: I have the Pinnalce USB Remote Kit, and it worked great on my Vista x64 HP Slimline, bought just to be a HTPC. I upgraded it last year to Windows 7 via DVD purchased from Amazon, and it continued to work. At some point - not sure when - it became nearly unresponsive, and about 1 out of every 10 key presses would do something, and usually the wrong command. As an example, if using the remote to search through MC music, hitting the right arrow key 20 times may result in it putting "#6*" on the screen, showing it was interpreting the key presses incorrectly. The red light in the receiver would also randomly blink, when no other IR activity was present. I plugged it into my Toshiba Win7 x32 laptop, and it worked perfectly, so I knew the device was fine, it was a problem on my PC. I assumed it was something my daughter had done, and put off messing with it for a while.
When I finally got back to it, I couldn't find anyway to diagnose what was going on, so I started doing system restores back as far as I had them. Nothing fixed it, so I figured the new build I wanted to do in the future would take care of whatever had messed it up. The current hard drive started to fail, so I bought a new hard drive, and used my Win7 x64 upgrade DVD to do a clean install. When plugging in the IR receiver, it attempts to find drivers via Windows Update and fails, saying no drivers exist. Here is where I fall down the rabbit hole...
Since I knew it worked on my laptop, I tried it on some other systems (friends/family) and here were my results:
Install fails:
- HP, Win7 x64 clean install from retail upgrade DVD
- Toshiba, Win7 x32 upgraded from Vista, different upgrade DVD (family pack)
Install works:
- Sony, Win7 x64 OEM
- HP, Vista x64 OEM
- Toshiba, Win7 x32 OEM
- Toshiba, Win7 x32 OEM upgraded from Vista, using Toshiba's upgrade DVD
On PC's where it installs, it shows in Devices and Printers with the standard remote icon, and the device category is listed as Remote.
On PC's where it fails, it shows in Devices and Printers with a keyboard icon (HID), and the device category is listed as Unknown.
Manually installing it as a ehome Infrared Receiver (USBCIR) gets it to install back to the broken functionality I had before. The red light will now randomly blink, and on key presses too. Most key presses get no response, very rarely do what was pressed, or do the wrong action. In Devices, it still shows a keyboard icon, and is now identified as a Keyboard/Mouse.
If you're still with me after all of that, it comes down to this as far as I can tell...there is nothing wrong with my IR receiver, and it clearly installs automatically in both Vista/7 x32/x64 as promised. Only when the Win7 OS is built from retail upgrade DVD's (upgrade or clean install), does the IR receiver not install. Calls to Microsoft get me nowhere, as I can't bring myself to pay them $50 to diagnose it.
Other things before I'm asked: It is RC6, no additional BIOS/Chipset/etc drivers available, all other USB devices work fine, no manufacturer drivers available.
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