4

I have a device that has had no specific driver released. In Device Manager, if I choose

Update Driver... --> Browse my computer driver software --> Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer

I get a list of drivers when Show compatible hardware is checked. One of those drivers, which is a preloaded driver provided by Microsoft, works perfectly. How do I get Windows to install this driver without user interaction? We have 10 workstations in a lab that get reimaged regularly and not all the users are knowledge enough or have the driver installation permissions to do this on their own.

Joseph
  • 3,787
  • 26
  • 33
  • Could you do the following: On a computer with the hardware; Open Device manager, open the properties of the device, Details tab, Property Hardware IDs, post the longest Value shown? – Chris S Apr 28 '11 at 18:13

5 Answers5

2

Unless I'm misunderstanding, you should be able to attach the device to your "Base" machine, install the working driver. Then when you sysprep and repack that base image it should be included when you re-image a machine using that image.

HostBits
  • 11,776
  • 1
  • 24
  • 39
  • driver is already installed, it's one that comes with Windows. – Chris S Apr 28 '11 at 18:08
  • correct, but wouldn't associating the device with that driver allow any PC made with that image associate the device with that driver? I may be wrong but that's what I vaguely remember. – HostBits Apr 29 '11 at 12:21
1

What you want is DevCon from Microsoft. You can't download it by itself, but you can get it by following these instructions:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/how-to-obtain-the-current-version-of-device-console-utility-devcon-exe.aspx

This page has a bunch of examples on how to use it:
http://www.osronline.com/ddkx/ddtools/devcon_86er.htm

You can find the Hardware Id in Device Manager under the Details tab in Properties for the device. If the device has multiple Ids, I suggest trying the shortest one first. You'll also want to look at Inf name. This will tell you the name of the install file to plug into DevCon. The path is not listed, but since it's a built-in driver, it should be in C:\Windows\inf\

Before you start using DevCon, you will need to uninstall the driver you got working, after you get the info, and then rescan for new devices. This should put the computer back in the state like you just imaged it. I've only used DevCon a couple of times, but I suggest using the shortest Id, if there multiple, and trying the update argument first. If that doesn't work, then try the install argument. If that doesn't work, try update with the next Id. It should eventually install. That will give you your command to run. Just add it to SetupComplete.cmd or a GPO along with DevCon and you should be good to go.

Keef
  • 26
  • 1
0

Normally that driver should already be automatically installed when installing Windows 7. You should create a image with the driver integrated into that image. Take a look here: Deploying Windows 7 Part 23: Managing Drivers – Introduction

Guido van Brakel
  • 942
  • 5
  • 10
  • The driver is already integrated into the image. It is a generic driver by Microsoft built into Windows 7. – Joseph Apr 24 '11 at 04:43
0

Why not create an AutoIT script that installs the device for you? You can then have it check for the driver at every logon, or add it to RunOnce...

cwheeler33
  • 764
  • 2
  • 5
  • 16
0

When you do sysprep there's a section which specifies custom drivers to load. Please see the links in the following google search, that should give you an insight on how to perform such installations.

Vick Vega
  • 2,398
  • 16
  • 22
  • The drivers are already loaded. Could you be more specific on how to install a loaded driver to a specific device? – Joseph Apr 26 '11 at 19:23
  • @Joseph, have you looked through the provided links? You'll need to find device id and run the appropriate command to update the driver. A great deal of this information is outlined in the first link that I gave you. – Vick Vega Apr 26 '11 at 19:29
  • Maybe we are getting different search results. Which link are you referring to? – Joseph Apr 26 '11 at 21:01
  • http://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=install+inf+drivers+command+line – Vick Vega Apr 26 '11 at 21:03
  • No, I mean which link in the search results. – Joseph Apr 26 '11 at 21:14
  • http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/104891-how-can-i-install-a-inf-file-from-the-command-line/ It details some information that you'll require while doing installation of the driver. – Vick Vega Apr 26 '11 at 21:16