Windows XP problem

[Avocet]

Hi all, I've "upgraded" from Win 98 to Win XP (home) this Christmas. Several programmes needed re-installing but the main problem is my digital camera. It only had drivers for Win 98 / 2000 on the installation CD. The computer just crashes when I try to install them and then invites me to tell Microsoft about a "serious problem" it encountered.

Anyway, I found the Samsung website and downloaded XP drivers for my camera but when I unzipped the file, I couldn't find any setup.exe (or anything.exe for that matter!) Does anyone have any thoughts, please? Also, even if I can't install the drivers (not the end of the world because I have a flash card reader) every time I "boot up", I get a dialogue box telling me Windows has found new hardware (even though the camera isn't plugged in) and inviting me to install the drivers. I can cancel it and then get another two boxes telling me I haven't installed the drivers and that my hardware may not work (why do computers take delight in rubbing it in?). Is there an easy way to tell it not to bother 'cause I've given up?

Thanks all!

[Plotloss]

Is there a .inf file in the zip file?

If so, right click it in explorer (post extract) and select install. That should sort it.

[pdV6]

Avocet said:

Hi all, I've "upgraded" from Win 98 to Win XP (home)

There's your problem, then!

Seriously, though, the Win2k drivers should work fine with XP. Make sure the old '98 drivers are uninstalled before trying it on with the 2k ones, though.

Matt's suggestion is also sound.

[simpo two]

IIRC most digital cameras now don't need special drivers - you connect them and the PC treats them as a removeable disk.

[stevieb]

When it asks for drivers search tghe XP home upgrade CD as it was microsofts intention i say intention to support Digi Cams, DV camcorders , Scanners and other USB devices without using manufacturers drivers..

Steve

[adam1330]

Avocet said:

Also, even if I can't install the drivers (not the end of the world because I have a flash card reader) every time I "boot up", I get a dialogue box telling me Windows has found new hardware (even though the camera isn't plugged in) and inviting me to install the drivers.

If you try plugging your camera in again, when it says new hardware found, and asks you to locate the drivers, try pointing it at the location of the unzipped drivers you have downloaded. Hopefully it should find everything it needs to install it properly.

[Avocet]

Thanks everyone,

It's great the way people on here take the time to try and pull other people out of the fertiliser!

Unfortunately, however...

Plotloss, there's no *.inf file (that I can find!)

PDV6 I have uninstalled them (or at least I can't find them anymore!)


Simpo two This is an interesting suggestion - see later...

StevieB and Adam1330, I had a go at this. Sure enough it asked me if I wanted to install drivers. I cliked "next" and the wizard started hunting for what it needed. It asked me to insert the XP CD (which I did), then it hunted some more and eventually came back and said it needed a file "CoachWdm.sys" and asked me for a path. I was able to find this file in amongst the drivers I downloaded from the Samsung website so I gave it the path and off it went. It then mentioned something about finding software that didn't have a valid certificate from Microsoft and threatened all sorts of potential dire consequences if I continued - so I continued anyway. To my delight, it said the installation had been successful.

The only trouble was, it won't recognise the camera when I click on "my digital camera" - it just puts a box up saying "connection error". Interestingly, it seems to thing the camera is an Olympus - which is a pity because it's a Samsung and that doesn't appear in the drop down list of cameras to choose from!