Concluding add new hardware, when PnP doesn’t work

Today I conclude this article on troubleshooting a failed hardware installation with a walk-thru of the Add Hardware applet, found in the Windows Control Panel. This is the third installment, and the method used here should be done after the first two have been tried, because, frankly, they’re easier.

Tip of the day: Manually install a new device using the Add (New) Hardware applet. Okay, so for some reason Windows just isn’t being very helpful and you cannot get your new scanner/webcam/printer/etc. to work and you’ve done the previously described two methods. Put aside your frustration and open your Control Panel by clicking Start >Control Panel, or Start >Settings >Control Panel, and double-click Add Hardware. Now the Add Hardware Wizard will open. Since we’ve already used the CD, and gone to the drivers download page, click “Next”. Be patient while the wizard scans your system, and answer its question by selecting the radio button “yes, I have already connected the hardware” (it is connected and powered up, right?) and click “Next” again.

You will see a list of all the hardware that the wizard detected. If your device is listed, select it. If it’s not, scroll all the way down and select “Add a new hardware device” as shown above. Click “Next” again.

Now that it has a better idea of what you want, the wizard will conduct a much more thorough search. Select “Search for and install the hardware automatically” and click “Next” yet again. Since we’ve already come to the third troubleshooting method, odds are very good that it did not detect any new hardware (if it did, you’re done!), so select the category that matches what you’re trying to install — for our demonstration, I’ll stick with a webcam, so I selected “imaging devices” — and if you do not see the right category, select “Show all devices” (the top one).

Click “Next” again.

Hopefully, you will be able to click (select) from a manufacturer in the left box, and find your device from the list of products on the right-hand box. If not, as in our hypothetical example (we’re installing a Creative webcam) do not select anything. Either way, click the “Have Disk” button.

Hopefully, you did find your device make and model and were able to select them from the choices listed. In our hypothetical example we didn’t…Creative isn’t even listed, much less our particular model of webcam. By clicking the “Have Disk” button, we are now going to manually point Windows to the device driver, which should ‘force’ the install. Browse to the folder containing the files that unloaded (extracted) when you double-clicked the driver download you retrieved from the manufacturer’s website. These will usually be right on your c:\ drive in a folder named for the device or maker…in our case c:\Creative (you can use the Windows Search feature to help locate the folder). I extracted to the desktop so my (hypothetical) Browse looks like this.

Click on “OK”. To finish the job, and start enjoying your new device, click “Next.” If you’re asked to reboot, do so to complete the installation. That’s it — you’re done.

 Should all three of these techniques fail, my suggestion is to resort to calling the manufacturer and explaining your difficulties, and the steps you’ve already taken.

To read Part 1, click here.
And to read Part 2, click here.

Today’s free link: You’ve heard of YouTube, and you’ve heard of gadgets and games. Combine the two and find fun and amusement, and (who knows?) maybe some useful information by clicking here.

Copyright © 2007 Tech Paul. All rights reserved.

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