whenever i install a new device, my computer insists on searching windows update for the driver. inevitably it fails and i ask it to search the hard drive and of course it finds the necessary drivers. my question is, how can i set vista to search my hard drive first and then if all else fails, try windows update

Hi I recently purchased a low end base PC - AcerT180, AMD 64x2 3800+, 1Gb PC2-5300 633Mhz RAM, GeForceGo6100 256mb shared, 160Gb HDD, DVD-RW DL., currently using an old Packard Bell 19"CRT monitor, and bought a new Logitech media keybaord elite. Vista Home Premium 32bit OEM came pre-installed, I have made DVD backups immediately upon 1st logon. I have ordered and waiting to install the...

How do you turn off the auto dectetion of displays on Vista. I have a laptop that has a resolultion of 1920 x1200 and the display I am plugging in only has 1280 x1024. So it tries to make the external display as primary but I dont want that.

I currently use Vista Ultimate and have recently purchased a USR805417a Wireless PCI Adapter. All the documentation plus the USR website states that the drivers will load automatically under Vista. However, although Vista does indeed find the drivers, it always fails with the error 'File Not Found'. If I use the Windows Update website, it also fails with 'File Not Found' but this time I can...

I don't know how to start the web cam on my laptop. It is built in, but I don't know how to turn it on. Can someone please help?

I bought my mother a new computer and it came loaded with Windows Vista. She is experiencing a problem with the monitor periodically going black and then coming back on. After a few times of doing this.....a message pops up and says that the display driver has experienced a problem and recovered. Is this a problem with the Windows Vista drivers? Do I need to try to download a new driver...

HP Scanjet 3300 HP is no longer supporting HP Scanjet 3300 for Vista. Anyone know any work arounds for someone who's not super technical (I can follow directions, but don't know all the specific terms). Is there any hopes of Microsoft offering drivers for these type of hardware.

On Windows Vista, my Microsoft Fingerprint Reader will let me login with it if I am not currently logged in. But if I am logged in and I lock the workstation (Windows key + L), I cannot use the Fingerprint Reader to log me in. It says "Unknown user" when I touch it, even though I am the same user. So I have to click "Switch User", wait for my username to come up again, and login with the...

Please help me to share dial-up connection between 2 laptops, laptops are connected via Wi Fi using ad-hoc connection. I can see public folders on both laptops via Wi Fi wthout any problems, but if I try to surf the internet via shared dial-up connection of one of the laptopth the Internet explorer could not open any sites. If I go to "Network and Sharing Center" in the description field of...

When i try to install my pentax camera as a webcam using the CD rom that came with the camera, it automatically opens an installer based on the old windows MX kind of interface. Then a windows vista pop up comes up, asking for a file stream.sys. the thing is that it won't find it although it is actually there in the windows-system32-drivers folder. I don't understand why it won't find it...

My keyboard key strokes are slow so I want to change the settings. When I go to control panel, classic view no keyboard icon exists. When I to the standard Vista view and click on the hardware and sound icon there is still no keyboard icon. How do I change my keyboard character repeat speed? -- Jackson in MV

Sorry, I can't find my old post of a few days ago. Laptop 3 1/2 months old, Vista premium. Its been having trouble ripping or playing cd's, only does part of them then stalls. It will play DVD movies, AND this morning I tried to rip one of my own cd's, did it fine, all 13 songs in normal quick time. The cd's I"m trying to rip are from the public library and have the security strips on them...

Does anyone know why windows vista wont go to sleep i know my CMOS Settings in my ASUS motherboard Bios is set correctly is ther something i should disable? is it because i have alot of USB devices comunicating with the motherboard constantly

My print server is not working with vista (32) Home Prem. I had a linksys guy try to set up LRP printing, still not working. Does anyone know about that or any suggestions? Thanks --

I have an HP Touchsmart with a built-in camera that doesn't seem to want to work with Yahoo Messenger. I have trouble seeing the camera visage of the person I am communicating with, as well. If I can hear her, I cannot see her. If I see her, I cannot hear her. Now, the camera does not pass the "Save to File" test. What to do to actually install this built-in correctly, as if I should have...

my computer wont let me install anything it says it cant find the software and i know ive installed all the right drivers. anyway i found out its a fault with vista and the solution is to delete c:\windows\inf\infcache.1 but when i finally found the file it said it couldnt be opened so click on a file. so now when i find this file it opens my media centre, and i still cant install any hardware,...

Just got a new HP computer with Vista Home Premium. I love it but after I did the 14 suggested updates I get black screen with a vertical yellow line during start up. It didn't do that before the update. It does go away when the start up screen comes up. Should this be a concern ?I have the HP 19 inch wide screen monitor.

i noticed that every 30 minutes or so when i am playing media player radio stations and solitaire that my screen goes blank for a few seconds and then comes back on. what could this mean? any help would be appreciated.

when i insert a disc into the drive, nothing will show up, as if it doesnt read it. I've put in multiple discs, dvds, cds, ect but it wont read. When i double click it in the computer section, it says insert a cd even though there is already one in there.

Hi guys, i recently loaded Vista Ultimate 32 and SP1 as well as my Xp pro install. All went well except for that my screen suffers issues. That is when i try and change resolution or set dual screens I get blue diagonal wavey lines over the screen which you cannot see through. The only fix is to reboot the PC. This also happens in games and occasionally when coming out of screen saver. I...