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Beware of the Ideacom driver update


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#1
Broni

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HERE

I was a little surprised this morning to see Windows Vista offer me this optional driver update via Windows Update:

Posted Image

I don’t have a touch screen on this particular machine, so I was immediately suspicious. Sure enough, a bit of searching turns up plenty of reports (like this one at DSL Reports) from people who installed the driver without thinking, to then discover that their existing PS/2 mouse or notebook touchpad stopped functioning. The phantom update appears to be afflicting both XP and Vista systems.

If you install this inadvertently and find yourself with a nonfunctional mouse, the obvious solution is to use System Restore to roll back to the point before the driver was installed. However, at least one report I read online says this option doesn’t work. I haven’t tested so can’t say for sure whether this is true. Another option, which reportedly does work on Vista, is the Roll Back Driver option. From Device Manager, select the defective device (probably under the Human Interface Devices category), right-click and choose Properties, click the Driver tab, and then click Roll Back Driver.

As an alternative, you can uninstall the driver from Device Manager. If you have a USB mouse, plug it in and use it to navigate through Device Manager. If you don’t have a USB mouse to use, you’ll have to do all this with the keyboard, as follows:

1. Press the Windows logo key to open the Start menu and then type device.
2. Use the Down arrow key if necessary to select Device Manager from the search results list and press Enter.
3. If you see a UAC prompt, press the Left arrow key to move the focus to the Continue button, and then press Enter.
4. Press Tab to move the focus into the device list. Use the Down arrow key to move to the Human Interface Devices category, press the Right arrow key to expand that category, and then use the Down arrow key to select the IdeaCom device.
5. Press Enter to open the shortcut menu for this device (or use Shift+F10, is the universal keyboard shortcut that simulates a right-click, and then use the arrow keys to select Properties from the menu and press Enter).
6. From the Device dialog box, press Ctrl+Tab to move through the tabs until the Driver tab is visible.
7. Note that the R is underlined on the Roll Back Driver button text, indicating that it is an accelerator key. Press Alt+R to begin the driver rollback.

If you actually have an IdeaCom touch screen, of course, this advice doesn’t apply.
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#2
Troy

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I had a customer who installed this, thinking it was fine, because it came with Microsoft Updates...

His mouse was a USB device, and there was no way I could get a mouse to work. After about 5 minutes of that, I eventually navigated (with the keyboard) to the Device Manager and uninstalled the device and it's driver (I didn't roll back).

After a reboot, everything was back to normal. I have no idea why so many people were offered this update, and why so many people have documented it online... I never got it myself. Weird... :)

It was annoying, though, because I fixed it so fast. When you charge per hour like me... Sometimes you want the problem to take a long time to fix so you can make some good money! :)

Cheers anyway, and if you got it, good luck!

Troy
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#3
Broni

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I was offered this through Vista updates.
In any case, I always keep telling people:
NEVER, EVER, install any driver update offered through Windows Updates.
Why does M$ keep doing this, it's beyond me.
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#4
Troy

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I actually find it a very handy feature, especially in a new install when you can run Windows Updates and get the drivers for hardware which you haven't finished installing yet.

If you get it from Microsoft, you know it's been WHQL certified. Although it is a problem when it incorrectly identifies which drivers your computer actually needs... :)
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#5
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I saw quiet a few computers screwed by M$ drivers updates.
I always recommend going to either computer maker, or device maker site to get drivers.
But....that's me :)
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#6
Troy

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Yes, I agree that's the recommended method, but sometimes it's just convenient (and faster) for Microsoft Updates to do it for me... As long as I check and make sure there's nothing included that shouldn't be.

For the average user, I usually recommend not doing this though...
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#7
Broni

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Now, we are in full agreement :)
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