Darrel,

Thanks for getting back to me on this - you know, this is driving me a
little insane! :)

I've got no brain in terms of inf stuff, but if it helps here is what i did:

I had Windows XP (SP2) Professional, and upgraded to Windows Vista
Business..
Initially everythign was perfect; instlation went without a hitch, and
everythingn seemed to install itsself perfectly. then - and i thikn it was
about this point - i purcahsed a digital camera (Olympus FE-190). the manual
goes on about it just detecing as a mass storage device. but Windows Vista
regonised there was the new device, and insisted there were no drivers.
Anyway, eventually - after much head scratching, i tried redirecting the
search to the System32 folder. and hey, it worked. thing is, now everytime i
add a new device, the same problem happens. Previously installed devices -
ie things i replug in after this precedure - do not pose a problem.

I hope the files are helpful. there are three of them. If you have a
solution be sure to let me have it!!! re-installing Windows is my very last
resort as that too is a bit of a pain, however well it works!

Finally, i would just like to say that I am very very impressed with the RTM
version of Windows Vista - even with this hick-up. For all the bad press, i
feel hard working Microsoft staff, partners and testers need to be better
recognised. The little things - and the bigger ones- have made using this
computer so much better. this laptop is aged - it's 4 years on, but WIndows
Vista is honstly fast than Windows XP was.. I wish Apple and the general
media would just be quiet - or at least get some hard balanced facts, and
stop the mis-informaton campagne!


Kind regards,

William



""Darrell Gorter[MSFT]"" <Darrellg@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ebww0MWVHHA.2356@TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Hello William,
> Can you send me the setupapi*.log files from the \windows\inf folder?
> Zip them up if possible.
> Remove the online from my email address before sending.
> Thanks,
> Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
> --------------------
> |>From: "William Dowell" <william(((>>>>>((dowell******.com>
> |>References: <3E70009B-E1A6-4948-84FE-A66BABECE26A@microsoft.com>
> <19DDCA24-93EF-4406-8F96-0984D973743F@microsoft.com>
> |>In-Reply-To: <19DDCA24-93EF-4406-8F96-0984D973743F@microsoft.com>
> |>Subject: Re: Driver search fails everytime - and have to set the search
> manually (each time) to System32.. help...
> |>Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:40:30 +0100
> |>Lines: 67
> |>MIME-Version: 1.0
> |>Content-Type: text/plain;
> |> format=flowed;
> |> charset="iso-8859-1";
> |> reply-type=response
> |>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> |>X-Priority: 3
> |>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> |>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6000.16386
> |>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6000.16386
> |>Message-ID: <ePx7zkFVHHA.3980@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>
> |>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
> |>NNTP-Posting-Host: lns-bzn-20-82-250-2-137.adsl.proxad.net 82.250.2.137
> |>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl
> |>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
> microsoft.public.windows.vista.general:42898
> |>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
> |>
> |>I am logged in as Administrator (tut, tut, yes i know i shouldnt!).. i
> will
> |>try and resolve this ; it's driving me insane!
> |>
> |>Thanks Dennis,
> |>William
> |>
> |>"Dennis Pack" <dennispack********.nospam.com> wrote in message
> |>news:19DDCA24-93EF-4406-8F96-0984D973743F@microsoft.com...
> |>> William:
> |>> I haven't had this problem so I'm not working from experience.
> A
> |>> Vista search for driver installation leads to "Appendix A-Security
> Group
> |>> Policy Settings.doc". There is a possibility that this may be normal
> if
> |>> you are logged in as a standard user instead of a member of the
> |>> administrators group. Have a great day.
> |>>
> |>> --
> |>> Dennis Pack
> |>> XP x64, Vista Enterprise x64
> |>> Office2007
> |>> "William Dowell >>>> ((dowell******.com>)" <william(((> wrote in
> message
> |>> news:3E70009B-E1A6-4948-84FE-A66BABECE26A@microsoft.com...
> |>>> Hello,
> |>>>
> |>>> Firstly, i apologise if this is the "wrong" news thread - i have
> tried
> a
> |>>> few, but to no avail. If this is the incorrect one, please please
> don't
> |>>> just say it is the wrong one, but point me to the right one!
> |>>>
> |>>> Now, my problem:
> |>>> (I'm using RTM version of Windows Vista - business).
> |>>>
> |>>> It all worked fine for about a week or so, detecting all devices
> plugged
> |>>> in (and i have to say, was mightily impressed with driver support..)
> |>>>
> |>>> Until.. these last few days...
> |>>>
> |>>> Whenever I add a hardware device - from basic things of External HDD,
> |>>> camera
> |>>> or USB keys etc, the driver search fails, and asks for a manual
> |>>> location..
> |>>> Same goes for hubs. All items. Now, I KNOW Vista has all of this
> |>>> built in - because you just tell it, each time, to go to System 32
> |>>> folder, and it
> |>>> finds the mass-storage / or other driver, no problem.
> |>>>
> |>>> However EVERYTIME i add something new it does this. This didn't
> happen
> |>>> when i
> |>>> first installed Vista, and its a horrible experience. I want it back
> |>>> automatically installing!
> |>>>
> |>>> I was a tester for Windows Vista for I can't even remember how long -
> and
> |>>> never seen this before..
> |>>>
> |>>> Is there a fix for this / Re-set something in the registry? It's
> driving
> |>>> me
> |>>> insane! And, everyone who sees my lovely Vista laptop goes "wow" and
> then
> |>>> plugs in their USB Key, and goes "ohhh... oh yes, they said on the
> news
> |>>> it was full of problems"!!! - I don't like that, as its not fair to
> |>>> Microsoft, so... any solution, please... and I can assure you it
> will
> |>>> get my friends / colleagues in the shops for a start!
> |>>>
> |>>> Kind regards, and thanks in advance to the genius who can sort this
> out
> |>>> for me :-)
> |>>>
> |>>> William
> |>>>
> |>>
> |>
> |>
>[/color]