Windows XP - I need help with device drivers

Note: Some of the following procedures may require the use of an account with administrative privileges. You may need to click Continue or type in an administrative username and password during those procedures.

Choose the desired procedure from the following list:

Open Device Manager

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. In Device Manager, look for device driver issues. Indication of device driver issues include:

    • A red X on a device (device is disabled).
    • A black exclamation point with a yellow background (splat) marking the device (device is in an unknown state).

Enable a device in Device Manager

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. Right-click the device with the red X.

  4. Click Enable. The device is now enabled.

Disable a device in Device Manager

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. Click the plus sign (+) next to the hardware device category. The list of devices expands below the main hardware device.

  4. Right-click the device to be disabled, and then click Disable.

  5. In the Warning dialog box, click Yes to disable the device. The device is now disabled.

Remove a driver in Device Manager

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. Click the plus sign (+) in front of the component with the driver you wish to remove.

  4. Right-click on the device, and then click Uninstall.

  5. In the Confirm Device Removal dialog box, click OK. Follow any onscreen prompts to complete removal.

Install a driver using Gateway Recovery Center

Note: If you are reinstalling a driver, you should first remove the driver using the Remove a driver in Device Manager process.

  1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, System Recovery, and then click Application Driver Recovery.

  2. In the Application Recovery Program window, click the driver you wish to install, and then click Install.

  3. In the Install dialog box, click OK to install another application or driver, or click Quit to exit the Application Recovery Program.

  4. Restart the computer.

  5. Check Device Manager to verify that a splat is not present on the device.

  6. Test the device.

Install a driver using Update Driver Software

Note: If you are reinstalling a driver, you should first remove the driver using the Remove a driver in Device Manager process.

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. Click the plus sign (+) next to the hardware device category. The list of devices expands below the main hardware device.

  4. Right-click the device to update.

  5. Click Update Driver.

  6. Select Yes, this time only, and then click Next.

  7. Select Install the software automatically, and then click Next.

  8. If the driver is available:

    • The Installing Device Driver Software dialog box opens.
    • If prompted, in the Driver installed successfully dialog box, click Yes to restart the computer.
    • Check Device Manager to make sure that a splat is not present on the device.
    • Test the device.

  9. If a driver is not available, the Cannot Continue the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box appears. Choose what you want to do:

    • To keep the current driver, click Finish.
    • To search in another location, click Back and follow the prompts.

Install a driver using the Drivers & Downloads page on the Gateway Web site

Note: If you are reinstalling a driver, you should first remove the driver using the Remove a driver in Device Manager process.

  1. Go to the Gateway Web site. Click Support, and then select Drivers & Downloads:

    http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/dlcenter.asp

  2. Click the Browse all Downloads tab.

  3. Type in the requested information, select Windows XP as the operating system, and then click Display Results.

  4. Click the driver you want, and then click Download Now.

  5. Save the file to your desktop.

  6. Double-click the downloaded filename.exe to expand the folder.

  7. Click Run. This expands the file and save it to the Cabs folder.

  8. In Device Manager, right-click the device to be updated.

  9. Select Update Driver Software.

  10. Select Browse my computer for the driver.

  11. Browse to the Cabs folder, select the subfolder with new driver, and then click OK.

    Note: The Cabs folder is usually located at C:\Cabs.

  12. Click Next. The software installs.

  13. Follow any onscreen prompts.

  14. Check Device Manager to make sure that a splat is not present on the device.

  15. Test the device.

Install a driver from the Device Manufacturer's Web site

Note: If you are reinstalling a driver, you should first remove the driver using the Remove a driver in Device Manager process.

  1. Do a Web search for the hardware manufacturer.

    Note: To reduce the chance of getting a virus, do not get a driver from a third party source unless instructed to do so by the hardware manufacturer.

  2. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to install the driver.

    The following process is common for this type of download:

  3. Go to manufacturer's Web site.

  4. Select the driver for download.

  5. Save the driver to your desktop.

  6. Expand the driver. Make sure to note where driver is expanded.

  7. In Device Manager, right-click the device to be updated.

  8. Click Update Driver.

  9. In the Welcome to the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, select No, not this time, and then click Next.

  10. In the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, select Install from a list or a specific location (Advanced), and then click Next.

  11. Click to clear the Search removable media check box, and then select the Include this location in the search check box. Click Browse, browse to the expanded driver folder, select the expanded driver, and then click OK.

  12. Click Next. The software installs.

  13. Follow any onscreen prompts.

  14. Check Device Manager to verify that a splat is not present on the device.

  15. Test the device.

Force the installation of a driver using the built-in Windows XP driver

Note: If you are reinstalling a driver, you should first remove the driver using the Remove a driver in Device Manager process.

  1. From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.

  2. In the System Properties window, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  3. Click the plus sign (+) next to the hardware device category. The list of devices expands below the main hardware device.

  4. Right-click the device to be updated.

  5. Click Update Driver.

  6. In the Welcome to the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, select No, not this time, and then click Next.

  7. In the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), and then click Next.

  8. In the Hardware Update Wizard dialog box, select Don't search. I will choose the driver to install, and then click Next.

  9. Click to clear the Show compatible hardware check box.

  10. If a driver is listed, select the driver from the box under Model. If the driver is not listed, under Manufacturer, select the device manufacturer, and then under Model select the device model.

  11. Select the driver, and then click Next.

  12. If a Driver Warning prompt appears, click Yes. The driver installs.

  13. Click Finish after installation is complete.

  14. Check Device Manager to make sure that a splat is not present on the device.

  15. Test the device.

If a device driver is updated, and now the device is not working, do a Driver Rollback

Device Driver Roll Back reinstalls the driver used previously and restores any driver settings that were changed when the new driver was added. It affects no other files or settings.

Note: Printer drivers cannot be restored with Device Driver Roll Back.

  1. From the Start menu, click Control Panel.

  2. In Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.

  3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

  4. In Device Manager, select the device for which Roll Back Driver needs to be used. From the Action menu, click Properties.

    Note: Most entries in Device Manager have the Roll Back Driver feature. In this example, the Display adapter is used.

  5. In the Properties dialog box for the selected device, click the Driver tab, and then click Roll Back Driver.

    Properties dialog box driver tab

  6. When prompted to roll back the previous driver, click Yes.

    Prompt to roll back the previous driver

  7. The driver is changed back to the previous driver. The Driver name, Driver Provider, Driver Date, Driver Version, and Digital Signer change to the corresponding driver. In the Properties dialog box for the selected device, click Close.

    Properties dialog box

  8. In the System Settings Change dialog box, to restart the computer, click Yes.

    System settings dialog box