Drivers Won't Install Automatically. Manual only.

[Blizzard596]

I'm working on an XP system for a client and the only problem I am having is that whenever a new hardware device is detected, Windows will not automatically install the drivers, even though the drivers are present. I have to go through Device Manager and manually choose to install or update the drivers for every single item.
I assume this has something to do with Plug n Play, but the PnP service is running without any visible problems and I don't know where to go from here. A repair install of XP didn't do anything.

I should note that I have also installed Service Pack 3 with no change either.

 

[KSoD]

How often are they installing devices that this is a issue? I mean new hardware shouldnt be installed that often anyways. So having to go through and install drivers this way really shouldnt be a big deal.

But my question is, why are you oging this route and not using the provided driver installers? Do they not run or something? Can other software be installed?

Espically with new hardware, almost everything has a driver installer wizard that can be run that does this. So why are you forced to go to the Device Manager?

 

[Blizzard596]

How often are they installing devices that this is a issue? I mean new hardware shouldnt be installed that often anyways. So having to go through and install drivers this way really shouldnt be a big deal.

But my question is, why are you oging this route and not using the provided driver installers? Do they not run or something? Can other software be installed?

Espically with new hardware, almost everything has a driver installer wizard that can be run that does this. So why are you forced to go to the Device Manager?

This wouldn't be such a big problem except that you have to go through this every time you plug in a USB device. First windows detects the USB hardware and you have to manually install the driver for that, then 5 or 6 additional "unknown" devices show up and you have to do the same for each of those before you can use the device. That's the process you have to go through any time you plug in a flash drive, printer, etc. Something I could live with if it were my machine but for someone else who isn't familiar with driver installation, it's not going to work.

 

[KSoD]

Have you updated the chipset drivers? Have you checked for BIOS updates? How old of a install it is? Are you sure there no missing Registry entries?

 

[Blizzard596]

Have you updated the chipset drivers? Have you checked for BIOS updates? How old of a install it is? Are you sure there no missing Registry entries?

Due to time constraints, I ended up just doing a complete factory restore on the system.
I had reinstalled all available drivers and updates and I suppose it could have been a registry problem, but unfortunately, I guess we'll never know on this one. Full reinstall of Windows fixed it. Thanks for your suggestions, anyway.