Clean Install

[Rpbertxyz]

Does the printer, scanner, network have to be unplugged during a clean install, or will Vista install this hardware? I am not sure about this.

Thank You Bob H.

[trulad]

I like to install the operating system with just the bare minimum components connected,then you can install the printer/scanner drivers before connecting them. once you connect them and turn them on Windows will install them.
trulad

[jonbth]

I idid a clean install of Vista with evertything plugged in, printer, etc. and it automatically installed the printer for me.

[glc]

As long as Vista has native drivers for a device, that's fine - but if it doesn't, you could have some issues.

[Rpbertxyz]

Well the scanner is no longer a problem, it's not supported by Vista. I'll just use the wife's scanner. The printer from HP has alternate drivers to be loaded after the install, so again no problem not having it hooked up during the install. The DSL networking I'll also install after loading up Vista.

Thanks everybody Bob H.

[jonbth]

I added a hard drive to my computer to install Vista and kept my old hard drive with Windows XP so I can still use all my programs even if they don't work in Vista.

[sunshine02]

You're right - I have some issues. I loaded Vista with my scanners attached - an Epson 1200U and a Minolta 5400 film scanner - and my Palm Pilot was connected. Vista didn't like it and will not recognize any of them. Vista makes a sound when the USB is plugged in but I get a 'hardware not found error' when I try the scanner program and the PDA won't sync. Would apprecitate suggestions.

[glc]

Start over.

[sunshine02]

Not what I wanted to hear...

Thanks.

[glc]

Sorry, but it may be faster than tearing the OS apart to try to fix that.

[regans cortina]

As the majority have said , it might be worthwhile checking before you install just what is supported under vista . Look at my sig . I left everything plugged in to mine , and all works like a dream . There is still a lot of hardware that is not supported , so to save yourself future problems , do some fact finding first . Itl be worth it in the end.

Hope this helps.

[sunshine02]

An update: I disconnected everything and reinstalled Vista; then I connected them one at a time. My printers, pen tablet, and joystick had no problems. The PDA that had not connected the first time, a Palm m125, did okay with the reinstall. Vista would recognize my film scanner, a Minolta Scan Elite 5400, and install the proper driver but the program that came with the scanner couldn't find it. Vista was unable to connect the flatbed scanner, an Epson Perfection 1200U because the inf file was improperly written. Quake4 had serious problems, which are already known. Since I have full retail versions of Vista and XP and XP can access photo files on the Vista partition, I decided the expedient route was to reinstall XP, and then reinstall the scanners and Quake4 into the XP OS. Thanks for eveyone's assistance.