Vista hardware compatibility?

[Gareth]

Could someone explain in brief terms why some XP hardware drivers aren't
compatible with Vista. Sure the simple answer is that they are 2 different
operating systems but I thought that there should be basic assumptions about
hardware driver protocols shared between the 2 operating systems?

I've just discovered that my otherwise perfectly good 2 and a half year old
Netgear WG121 usb wireless adapter is of no use at all with Vista. I don't
understand why it isn't possible to find a generic driver workaround.

Could someone suggest a cheap usb wireless adapter that will work with
Vista?

Gareth.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Could someone explain in brief terms why some XP hardware drivers aren't
compatible with Vista. Sure the simple answer is that they are 2 different
operating systems....

Correct. Two different operating systems, with substantially different
file systems and security paradigms.

but I thought that there should be basic assumptions about
hardware driver protocols shared between the 2 operating systems?

Why? I'd expect just the opposite.

I've just discovered that my otherwise perfectly good 2 and a half year old
Netgear WG121 usb wireless adapter is of no use at all with Vista.

Contact NetGear for a Vista-compatibile driver.

I don't
understand why it isn't possible to find a generic driver workaround.

If the device's own manufacturer won't support it, why would anyone else?



--

Bruce Chambers

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[Geoff P]

No, don't blame Vista. Netgear have a choice - do they support customers
with 3 year old kit, or not?