installing drivers
Any tips or best practices on how to install/deploy device drivers with win 2000 desktops?
We have a variety of crazy hardware devices that are constantly being approved for use and it would be great if I could deploy the drivers rather than a local hands on install or reimage.
TIA
We have a variety of crazy hardware devices that are constantly being approved for use and it would be great if I could deploy the drivers rather than a local hands on install or reimage.
TIA
0 Comments
[ + ] Show comments
Answers (3)
Please log in to answer
Posted by:
Robo Scripter
20 years ago
There is a wealth of information on this subject on this site and others that should not be a problem. Do your homework and pick the method that works for your environment.
One word of Warning!
If the device drive is not signed do not attempt to deploy it. Such devices should be discouraged strongly.
Regards,
One word of Warning!
If the device drive is not signed do not attempt to deploy it. Such devices should be discouraged strongly.
Regards,
Posted by:
thales
20 years ago
i got the same question with win xp how can deploy device if is not signed?
Posted by:
Robo Scripter
20 years ago
Deployment of Drivers is not the problem. The problem is installing them.
No before we get all upset and I get all kinds of “what do you think I was talking about†hate mail.
Lets look at this a moment.
The purpose of remote software distribution, in the general corporate environment today, is to cut support cost. Additional benefits are the ability to standardize software products and supported hardware products.
This constitutes the Microsoft TCO reduction model.
With the introduction of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 and beyond.
The OS plug and play security has been tuned to prohibit the installation of hardware drivers that do not follow the prescribed Driver standards as set forth by Microsoft. Only driver developers who have adopted these standards, and have paid the Microsoft Tribute, are granted the coveted digital signature on their drivers.
The rest of the device world can frankly go fish.
The problem is, as I said before, not that you can’t distribute the drivers, any body can dump files into the driver folder of a remote system. It is that unless the targeted user is a Local Administrator to the system they do not have the authority to install the driver. There is to date no way around this that I have found. Frankly given the wealth of certified hardware and the danger that can be realized from some of the older device drivers I’m not sure that it was ever worth the effort to install Un-Signed drivers.
So as I said before:
If the device drive is not signed do not attempt to deploy it. Such devices should be discouraged strongly.
Otherwise get prepared to promote users and/or make a lot of remote system calls to support driver that are going to eventually cause some unknown but always costly error at the worst possible time.
Regards,
No before we get all upset and I get all kinds of “what do you think I was talking about†hate mail.
Lets look at this a moment.
The purpose of remote software distribution, in the general corporate environment today, is to cut support cost. Additional benefits are the ability to standardize software products and supported hardware products.
This constitutes the Microsoft TCO reduction model.
With the introduction of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 and beyond.
The OS plug and play security has been tuned to prohibit the installation of hardware drivers that do not follow the prescribed Driver standards as set forth by Microsoft. Only driver developers who have adopted these standards, and have paid the Microsoft Tribute, are granted the coveted digital signature on their drivers.
The rest of the device world can frankly go fish.
The problem is, as I said before, not that you can’t distribute the drivers, any body can dump files into the driver folder of a remote system. It is that unless the targeted user is a Local Administrator to the system they do not have the authority to install the driver. There is to date no way around this that I have found. Frankly given the wealth of certified hardware and the danger that can be realized from some of the older device drivers I’m not sure that it was ever worth the effort to install Un-Signed drivers.
So as I said before:
If the device drive is not signed do not attempt to deploy it. Such devices should be discouraged strongly.
Otherwise get prepared to promote users and/or make a lot of remote system calls to support driver that are going to eventually cause some unknown but always costly error at the worst possible time.
Regards,
Rating comments in this legacy AppDeploy message board thread won't reorder them,so that the conversation will remain readable.