Hardware Issues & Links for Drivers
- Video
- Security & Virus Protection
- Audio
- Plotters
- Motherboard Information, Drivers and Support
- Modems
- We haven't had many problems with modem drivers, except for a USRobotics 56k Voice/Video "Big Picture" ISA modem. Windows 2000 finds it correctly and installes the basic drivers, but it needs files for the audio portion of it. We were going to use it as a telephone answering device, but we have yet to locate the correct drivers for it.
Beware---Some of the 3Com/USR modem (Win modem, mostly) drivers are a nightmare to locate for ANY OS! One of the big problems for us was trying to determine exactly which model we had---and when we did, there was no information, support, or drivers available. Once we finally determined the model number, it wasn't even listed on either support site (3 Com or USR site). It was as if it had never existed. We eventually became desperate and downloaded their Update Tool. It installed, but was unable to locate the modem in Windows 2000, although it did detect it in Windows 98 and told us there was an update available, then proceeded to do nothing. After several tries, we gave up and uninstalled the program. There was a lot of time wasted there!
- ESS Technologies Modem Patch (Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, and NT4)
- Scanners
- Acer Peripherals has Windows 2000 drivers for their Prisa 320P (parallel port) scanners now. The download page has updated MiraScan software for all of their scanners.
(Note: They changed their name from Acer Peripherals to Acer Communications & Multimedia)
Click Here for the USA Acer Scanner driver download page.
- Acer Peripherals FINALLY has Windows XP drivers for their Prisa 320P (parallel port) and other scanners that actually work! The download page has updated MiraScan software for all of their scanners and operating systems.
They don't mention it, but you have to reboot after installing in order for them to work.
Note: The URL below is different than the one above. The link below is Acer Taiwan (it says Benq Worlswide). We KNOW these drivers work for Windows XP. I would suggest that if you're having problems with any of the Acer USA web site's drivers, try downloading drivers from the site below. (They're in English)
Click Here for the Taiwan Acer Scanner driver download page.
One of our users had some problems with a Canon scanner and the software that was supplied with it. Here is what he had to say:
"I have Windows 2000 Pro, and I discovered that the Canon Canoscan N656U
flatbed scanner is NOT compatible with W2000. I bought one at Circuit City
and returned it for a full refund within 48 hours. Getting it to work at
all was a struggle, then it only worked briefly until it quit working. I
just ordered an Acer 1240UT, (USB model) as I have had good luck with their
products in the past and I am aware that Acer, unlike Canon, has recently
upgraded their Mirascan software. One of the biggest things I like about
Acer is their being the ONLY scanner manufacturer who offers free toll-free
tech support. I trust I won't have a problem getting the Acer 1240UT to
work on my Windows 2000 professional.
With the Canon, the symptom of the problem was, the graphics program ie:
PSP, iPhoto Plus, not being able to locate the scanner's driver and as a
result, hanging up, to where I have to End Task it. In the Task Manager it
will look something like: iPhoto Plus (Not Responding). After spending
hours trying to get it to work permanently, I gave up, boxed it up and
returned it to the store for a refund. The Canon ScanGear software which
has never been upgraded for a whole year is very unstable in W2000 and
basically won't work for very long, if at all."
- CDRW
- Windows XP and 2000 drivers and help for the Philips CDD3610 (CDD3615) (PCA363RW) External Parallel Port CDRW Drive
Note about this drive: If you're tired of trying to get this drive to work in Windows 2000 as a parallel port drive, consider using it as an internal IDE drive. All you have to do is:
(1)Remove the exterior case
(2)Unplug the IDE, audio and power cables from the drive
(3)Take the drive out of the enclosure
(4)Install it in an empty drive bay.
This drive is simply an internal CDD3610 adapted to an external parallel port model. For Windows 2000 or XP to recognize it as a CDRW, as with any CDRW, you'll need to have ASPI drivers (download below) loaded, and that's all you need. It works.
Adaptec's new ASPI layer (v4.70) for using with Windows 98, Me, NT, 2k and XP (this one is available to all--get it while you can)
- NEW! Beta driver from Philips for the CDD3600 model (parallel port) CDRWs for Windows 2000.
Note: On some machines it works, on others, it doesn't, so you have been warned....
Click Here to Download
- CLICK HERE for the Philips download page for the CDD3600 model CDRWs for Windows 95 & 98 (drivers for all Philips CDRWs are here).
- CLICK HERE for the Philips Website Home.
- Miscellaneous Info
Miscellaneous Notes on Windows 2000 Installation and Management
-
It is safe to install Windows 98 after Windows 2000 is installed, as it doesn't overwrite the boot files or anything else undesirable. The only thing I can see that it does is that it places itself as the default OS & puts 2000 second. (but you can always change it back by looking at your old boot.ini and editing it very carefully)
- Rename that annoying "My Computer". Doesn't your computer deserve a name? Just right-click on the desktop icon, and click "rename". Call it whatever you want...
You can do the same with "Network Neighborhood" and all of the rest, except for the Recycle Bin. (that one takes more tweaking)
- Some programs require that you be logged on as Admistrator to install.
- Are you running more than one version of Windows and wasting valuable disk space with separate swap files? Read HERE about forcing all Windows operating systems to share the same swap file.
- Make sure you pay attention to what type of file system Windows 2000 is installing itself as. I installed Win2k unattended and didn't realize it had installed an NTFS file system by default until I tried to access it from a Windows 98 machine on the network...well, I was out of luck there.
- If you're going to upgrade your motherboard, plan on re-installing Windows 2000. (Unless there's a trick for that I've not learned yet---and there might well be! If you know of one, please inform me!!)
- Don't be afraid to use Internet Connection Sharing. It works exceptionally well, and there is not that much difference in bandwidth, unless one of the workstations happens to be downloading.
(We are not experts on this subject--not even close. We've just put this info here to help you save time & money---hopefully!)
Before DSL, we used connection sharing continually with 4 workstations connected at all times. The main thing to consider when you're first setting it up is which machine will be the host. (This will be the PC with the modem, etc.) You'll want to enable connection sharing on the host machine ONLY.
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