Open Software Solutions

When you try to install a device driver by using its installation program in Windows Vista, you are unsuccessful.

You may experience this issue if the following conditions are true:

•	The driver uses an executable file-based installation program.
•	The installation program was not designed for Windows Vista.

Back to the top

Problems with executable file-based installation programs may occur if any one or more of the following conditions are true:

•	The installation program is incompatible with Windows Vista.
•	The driver is incompatible with Windows Vista.
•	An issue occurs that is related to the user rights that are required to install the driver.

Back to the top

To resolve this problem, run the driver installation program in compatibility mode. Or, use an account that has administrative credentials to run the driver installation program. You can also locate the .inf file for the driver, and then manually install the driver.

Important Before you use one of these methods, we recommend that you contact the device manufacturer or the driver manufacturer for more information about how to install the driver in Windows Vista.

Back to the top

To run the driver installation program in compatibility mode

Configure the driver installation program to run in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 compatibility mode. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Locate the executable file for the driver installation program.
2.	Right-click the file, and then click Properties.
3.	In the PackageName Properties dialog box, click the Compatibility tab.
4.	Click to select the Run this program in compatibility mode for check box, click Windows XP (Service Pack 2) in the Run this program in compatibility mode for list, and then click OK.
5.	Double-click the executable file to start the installation program.

Back to the top

To run the driver installation program by using administrative credentials

Configure the driver installation program to run in the context of the Administrator account. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Locate the executable file for the driver installation program.
2.	Right-click the file, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.
3.	Follow the steps to install the driver.

Back to the top

To locate the .inf file and manually install the driver

Use Device Manager to install the driver. To do this, follow these steps.

Step 1: Locate the .inf file

Locate the .inf file that is included with the driver installation program. Generally, the .inf file is located in one of the following folders on the driver installation media:

•	In the same folder as the Setup program.
•	In a subfolder that is in the folder that contains the Setup program. Generally, the subfolder has a name such as Windows XP, Drivers, or WinXP.

If the driver files are packaged in a single executable file, you may be able to extract them or otherwise access them. To do this, use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your situation:

•	Use a file compression program to extract the files. If the driver files are packaged in a single executable file, you may be able to use a file compression tool such as WinZip or WinRAR to extract the contents of the driver package to a folder. The .inf file should be among the files that you extract.
•	Use the Windows Compressed Folders feature to extract the files. If you do not have the WinZip program or the WinRAR program, you may be able to extract the files by using the Windows Compressed Folders feature. To do this, change the file name extension from .exe to .zip. Then, use Windows Explorer to copy the files from the compressed folder.
•	Extract the contents from the .cab file. If there is no .inf file in the driver package, but there are one or more .cab files, you may be able to extract the contents of the .cab files. Note This method is usually unsuccessful. Typically, these kinds of driver packages are created by using the InstallShield program. The InstallShield program uses a special .cab format that is not designed to be accessed by tools such as WinZip or WinRAR.
•	Locate the files in the Temp folder. If you still cannot access the installation files, try to locate extracted temporary files. Typically, files are extracted to a local Temp folder when you install a program. You may be able to view the contents of the driver package by examining the contents of the Temp folder. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Remove the contents of the Temp folder. By removing the contents of the Temp folder, you can more easily locate the temporary files that are created when you run the driver installation program. To remove the contents of the Temp folder, follow these steps: a. Click Start, and then click Computer. b. Right-click the hard disk on which Windows Vista is installed, and then click Properties. c. In the Local Disk (DriveLetter) Properties dialog box, click the General tab, and then click Disk Cleanup. d. In the Disk Cleanup Options dialog box, click Files from all users on this computer. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue. e. Under Files to delete, click to clear all the check boxes, click to select the Temporary files check box, and then click OK. f. When you are prompted to permanently delete the files, click Delete Files. 2. Use Windows Explorer to open the Temp folder. To do this, click Start, type %temp% in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. 3. Start the driver installation program. Note Some installation programs automatically delete the temporary files when the installation program exits. Therefore, leave the driver installation program running in the background. 4. Examine the contents of the Temp folder to locate the driver files.

Step 2: Manually install the driver

After you locate the .inf file for the driver that you want to install, manually install the new driver. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
2.	In the Tasks pane, click Device Manager. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.
3.	In Device Manager, locate the device for which you want to install the driver. Note To display hidden devices, click Show hidden devices on the View menu.
4.	Right-click the device, and then click Update Driver Software.
5.	Click Browse my computer for driver software, click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer, and then click Have Disk.
6.	In the Install From Disk dialog box, click Browse, locate an .inf file for the device driver that you want to install, and then click Open.
7.	Follow the steps in the Update Driver Software DeviceName dialog box to update the driver.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Back to the top