What is the Proper Newsgroup to ask Driver Installation Questions?

I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
(and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).

Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
(similar to the one for WinDbg)?

Thanks,
Don

Thomas
Tue Jul 10 15:37:40 CDT 2007


<0dbell@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184099212.158699.264150@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
> answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
> (and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).
>
> Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
> (similar to the one for WinDbg)?
>
> Thanks,
> Don
>
Here is as good a place as any.

The only alternative would be the OSR NTFSD mailing list. See
http://www.osronline.com/. That's where most of the professional driver
developers are found.

The DDK/WDK has a lot of installation samples if you look hard enough. Many
of the questions that are unanswered are from folks who simply don't like
the way drivers are installed and want to do something that isn't supported.
For example, trying to invent a way to eliminate the unsigned driver
warnings instead of getting a driver signed.

In other cases, the fellow with the answer simply may be doing other things.

Of course, if the question is sensible then one would hope that someone from
Microsoft would jump in.

Good luck,

Thomas F. Divine
http://www.rawether.net

Thomas
Tue Jul 10 15:47:34 CDT 2007

I meant the OSR NTDEV list - _NOT_ the NTFSD list.

Sorry!

Thomas

"Thomas F. Divine" <tdivine@NOpcausaSPAM> wrote in message
news:%238m5pIzwHHA.424@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
> <0dbell@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1184099212.158699.264150@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>>I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
>> answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
>> (and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).
>>
>> Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
>> (similar to the one for WinDbg)?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Don
>>
> Here is as good a place as any.
>
> The only alternative would be the OSR NTFSD mailing list. See
> http://www.osronline.com/. That's where most of the professional driver
> developers are found.
>
> The DDK/WDK has a lot of installation samples if you look hard enough.
> Many of the questions that are unanswered are from folks who simply don't
> like the way drivers are installed and want to do something that isn't
> supported. For example, trying to invent a way to eliminate the unsigned
> driver warnings instead of getting a driver signed.
>
> In other cases, the fellow with the answer simply may be doing other
> things.
>
> Of course, if the question is sensible then one would hope that someone
> from Microsoft would jump in.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Thomas F. Divine
> http://www.rawether.net
>
>

0dbell
Tue Jul 10 16:16:21 CDT 2007

On Jul 10, 4:47 pm, "Thomas F. Divine" <tdivine@NOpcausaSPAM> wrote:
> I meant the OSR NTDEV list - _NOT_ the NTFSD list.
>
> Sorry!
>
> Thomas
>
> "Thomas F. Divine" <tdivine@NOpcausaSPAM> wrote in messagenews:%238m5pIzwHHA.424@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
>
>
>
>
> > <0db...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:1184099212.158699.264150@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> >>I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
> >> answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
> >> (and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).
>
> >> Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
> >> (similar to the one for WinDbg)?
>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Don
>
> > Here is as good a place as any.
>
> > The only alternative would be the OSR NTFSD mailing list. See
> >http://www.osronline.com/. That's where most of the professional driver
> > developers are found.
>
> > The DDK/WDK has a lot of installation samples if you look hard enough.
> > Many of the questions that are unanswered are from folks who simply don't
> > like the way drivers are installed and want to do something that isn't
> > supported. For example, trying to invent a way to eliminate the unsigned
> > driver warnings instead of getting a driver signed.
>
> > In other cases, the fellow with the answer simply may be doing other
> > things.
>
> > Of course, if the question is sensible then one would hope that someone
> > from Microsoft would jump in.
>

Thomas, thank you very much for your quick and excellent answer! I
will shortly register and post my question(s) to the list you
mentioned.

The plausible reasons for not getting answers here were actually
mentioned earlier today by me:
http://tinyurl.com/34tmgg (see items #1 and #3 :-)).

Still, if and when I ask dumb questions (I am really a novice), I
would appreciate it if someone points that out to me - there is no
other way for me to learn. :-)

Thanks again!
Don

Don
Tue Jul 10 16:31:02 CDT 2007

Don,

Part of it is, that a lot of us do not use DPINST, since if it is a
simple driver we do not need it. So you need someone who has used it, and
who will comment. Unfortunately, the Microsoft folks who developed it do
not seem to be on the newsgroups.


--
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Website: http://www.windrvr.com
Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/WinDrvr
Remove StopSpam to reply

<0dbell@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184102181.900829.42280@r34g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 10, 4:47 pm, "Thomas F. Divine" <tdivine@NOpcausaSPAM> wrote:
>> I meant the OSR NTDEV list - _NOT_ the NTFSD list.
>>
>> Sorry!
>>
>> Thomas
>>
>> "Thomas F. Divine" <tdivine@NOpcausaSPAM> wrote in
>> messagenews:%238m5pIzwHHA.424@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > <0db...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:1184099212.158699.264150@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>> >>I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
>> >> answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
>> >> (and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).
>>
>> >> Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
>> >> (similar to the one for WinDbg)?
>>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Don
>>
>> > Here is as good a place as any.
>>
>> > The only alternative would be the OSR NTFSD mailing list. See
>> >http://www.osronline.com/. That's where most of the professional driver
>> > developers are found.
>>
>> > The DDK/WDK has a lot of installation samples if you look hard enough.
>> > Many of the questions that are unanswered are from folks who simply
>> > don't
>> > like the way drivers are installed and want to do something that isn't
>> > supported. For example, trying to invent a way to eliminate the
>> > unsigned
>> > driver warnings instead of getting a driver signed.
>>
>> > In other cases, the fellow with the answer simply may be doing other
>> > things.
>>
>> > Of course, if the question is sensible then one would hope that
>> > someone
>> > from Microsoft would jump in.
>>
>
> Thomas, thank you very much for your quick and excellent answer! I
> will shortly register and post my question(s) to the list you
> mentioned.
>
> The plausible reasons for not getting answers here were actually
> mentioned earlier today by me:
> http://tinyurl.com/34tmgg (see items #1 and #3 :-)).
>
> Still, if and when I ask dumb questions (I am really a novice), I
> would appreciate it if someone points that out to me - there is no
> other way for me to learn. :-)
>
> Thanks again!
> Don
>
>

0dbell
Tue Jul 10 17:15:57 CDT 2007

On Jul 10, 5:31 pm, "Don Burn" <b...@stopspam.windrvr.com> wrote:
>
> Part of it is, that a lot of us do not use DPINST, since if it is a
> simple driver we do not need it. So you need someone who has used it, and
> who will comment. Unfortunately, the Microsoft folks who developed it do
> not seem to be on the newsgroups.
>

Don, thank you for your comments. I am very curious by your statement:

> a lot of us do not use DPINST,
> since if it is a simple driver we do not need it.

What do you mean by "simple driver"? Non-virtual? (for example, is
"MSVAD Simple" considered simple or not?)

If you do not use DPINST what do you use to automate installation (for
drivers that have no hardware, i.e. ROOT enumerated)?

Thanks to the answer from Thomas, I found the following thread which
seems very similar to my situation. If I am lucky, the videocap falls
into the same exact category as the msvad sample:

http://www.osronline.com/showThread.cfm?link=57551

If I am lucky, it may even save me from posting my own question
there. :-)

Thanks,
Don

Don
Tue Jul 10 17:18:33 CDT 2007

DPINST and it related packages, are for installing a complex set of drivers
and applications. Most of us just have a driver and INF file and go with
it.


--
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Website: http://www.windrvr.com
Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/WinDrvr
Remove StopSpam to reply

<0dbell@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184105757.722257.88540@w3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 10, 5:31 pm, "Don Burn" <b...@stopspam.windrvr.com> wrote:
>>
>> Part of it is, that a lot of us do not use DPINST, since if it is a
>> simple driver we do not need it. So you need someone who has used it,
>> and
>> who will comment. Unfortunately, the Microsoft folks who developed it
>> do
>> not seem to be on the newsgroups.
>>
>
> Don, thank you for your comments. I am very curious by your statement:
>
>> a lot of us do not use DPINST,
>> since if it is a simple driver we do not need it.
>
> What do you mean by "simple driver"? Non-virtual? (for example, is
> "MSVAD Simple" considered simple or not?)
>
> If you do not use DPINST what do you use to automate installation (for
> drivers that have no hardware, i.e. ROOT enumerated)?
>
> Thanks to the answer from Thomas, I found the following thread which
> seems very similar to my situation. If I am lucky, the videocap falls
> into the same exact category as the msvad sample:
>
> http://www.osronline.com/showThread.cfm?link=57551
>
> If I am lucky, it may even save me from posting my own question
> there. :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Don
>

Maxim
Wed Jul 11 15:20:48 CDT 2007

This newsgroup is OK. If your question is not answered - this is usually
because the question is about some very subtle corner-case, and nobody ever hit
the same.

--
Maxim Shatskih, Windows DDK MVP
StorageCraft Corporation
maxim@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com

<0dbell@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1184099212.158699.264150@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> I noticed that while kernel programming questions are (almost) always
> answered, driver installation related questions are seldom answered
> (and when they are, the answers are usually wrong or misleading).
>
> Is there a dedicated newsgroup/forum to driver installation questions
> (similar to the one for WinDbg)?
>
> Thanks,
> Don
>