Setting the search path for driver files

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Guest

I would like to be able to download drivers (from hp for example). Place
these files into a folder of there own, and get windows XP to know that it
needs to look at this folder when you install the driver. Any idea how to do
this?

Cheers!
 
XP has a default folder "DOWNLOADS". Within that folder, create a subfolder
"DRIVERS" then within that, another folder "HP"
When you download a driver, you are asked where you want to download it to -
you do not have to accept the default. Use "browse" to select where you want
it to go (in this instance, the folder C:\Downloads\Drivers\HP)

Alternatively, from within "browse" you can go to the parent folder, and
create a new folder there (see the little icons) i.e you could browse to
C:\Downloads\Drivers, then create a new folder)

Most drivers come in selfextracting form. The general idea is that you click
on the downloaded driver to automatically update your system. This avoids
the need to get XP to go looking, which can be a pain. Should
re-installation be necessary - delete the corrupt driver, re-install by
double-clicking the download.

Hope this helps - Len.
 
Ah, now realising that I didn't explain myself very well previously. I want
to be able to download the drivers and extract them to a folder called
c:\drivers\lj1300 for example. Add the printer so that it's available in the
list of printers, but when XP looks for the location for the drivers, get it
to look at the this folder, not the cd rom etc. Not sure that it's take easy
to pre-define the install source location if it's not one of the four that XP
uses by default. (cd rom, hard disk (search paths only I guess) floppy or
windows update.

Thanks for the feedback though, much appreciated.

Cheers

Richard
 
Richard, your concern appears to be with printer drivers only. Are you aware
that XP comes with a very comprehensive database of printer drivers? Which
means, if a "new" printer is connected, and you don't/cannot insert the
installation CD, the correct (or generic) driver is usually already there,
and installs automatically.

I don't know any way to circumvent the "self-extract" routine of a
downloaded driver, which automatically installs where it's actually needed,
(described in original reply) in order to extract to a user-defined location
(which is what you seem to want). Nor do I understand why you would need to
(unless it's last para below).

I have 5 different printers set as printer options, all correctly loaded
from installation CD's (and drivers updated automatically from either XP
automatic update, or (active) printer mfr website. Any one of the 5 can be
set as active, without need to re-install drivers.

My understanding is you want flexibility of choice between printers - if so,
just connect and install them one by one (using installation CD's if poss,
to get all the individual printer utilities), after which it's just a case
of making the currently connected printer "active" in the "printers" folder.

Just occured to me, which might explain why you want to over-ride XP - if
you have USB printers, ALWAYS use the SAME USB port to connect the printer
lead. Changing connection port "fools" XP into thinking it's new hardware
installation, since each USB port has a different address which is integral
to installation set-up.

Hope this helps! Sincerely, Len (wide open to correction from more
knowledgable contributors)
 
it's very doable. we do it so our drivers for all our standard PC
components are on the installation share, and windows looks through
them to autobuild correctly.
on a standalone, go into regedit and press F3. search for
"sourcepath". you can change where windows looks for windows
components (if installed off CD, it's the i386 folder on D) and on the
next line, you can change the default location for drivers.
hope this helps
ric
 
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