Ever have a PC with a device that the MFR identifies as X....however, when attempting to load a driver for X (from any source,) the installation program says that it “cannot find any devices….blah, blah” !
I have, dozens of times over the past 20 years....about 6 months ago with an onboard video driver being the most recent. It can be very frustrating for end-users.
Did you know that you can "force" a device to install any driver you want ? With an .INF file and a text editor it is a bit involved, but not difficult.
It is IMPORTANT to note that one would only want to DO this with a driver file they are very confident will actually drive the device.....using this method to install an improper driver for a device will not make it work.....it will only make it "install."

This method is for XP only and equires the altering of the .INF text file. If your chosen device driver files which you unzip, do not contain an .INF file then they are not using the “windows” installer, but their own custom install program and this will not work.
There are 2 categories of .INF files.....drivers for a single model(s) with the same set of configuration files, (the easist to alter,) and .INF files with many device listings and multiple configuration file sections.

Step 1 = figure-out what the device is 'claiming' to be.

In XP
click -start- then right-click "my computer" and choose -manage-, when the "computer management" window opens, click on -device manager-
in the right-pane of the device manager, locate the device in question, and double-click it, then click the "details" tab. It should list a
line of characters that are similar to the below:

PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_437B&SUBSYS_2A3D103C&REV_01\3&267A616A&0&A2

The reason the device did not install, is because The above device identification was not found in the drivers .INF file.
The entire string is not usually checked, most do not go beyond the subsystem, some drivers do not search even that far.

PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_437B&SUBSYS_2A3D103C

With a text editor you need to open the .INF file of the driver you wish to hack for your device.
If the driver file does not have a complex structure with multiple sections and product install sections…..then all you have to do
is add the above information in the device identification section….

Example lines preceded by a semi-colon are NOT processed, and are considered “remarks”.


Given we need to install the above modem PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_437B&SUBSYS_2A3D103C


;******************************************************************
; Copyright © 1996-1998, Rockwell Semiconductor Systems, Inc.
; Copyright © 1999-2005 Conexant Systems Inc.
;******************************************************************
;
; MasterNT5.inf -- DATICM5K.inf >> tosEW6mk.inf
;
; Version: 7.25.00
; Capabilities: Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP
; Controller: HSFHWATI
; Daa Type: SMART
; Codec: LSD
; Hardware type: ATI
;******************************************************************
[Version]
Signature = "$CHICAGO$"
Class = Modem
ClassGUID = {4D36E96D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Provider = %Author%
CatalogFile = tosEW6mk.cat
DriverVer = 06/20/2005, 7.25.00.00

[ControlFlags]
ExcludeFromSelect= PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4378&SUBSYS_FF331179

[Manufacturer]
%Mfg% = HSF_MODEM

[HSF_MODEM]
%HSFModem% = ModemX, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4378&SUBSYS_FF311179



Therefore the [HSF_MODEM] section is altered to :

[HSF_MODEM]
%HSFModem% = ModemX, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4378&SUBSYS_FF311179
%HSFModem% = ModemX, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_437B&SUBSYS_2A3D103C

Save and close the text editor.

Now repeat the steps to install the device, usually uninstall the device again, and then “scan for hardware changes” in the Device Manager.

Now your device will install the drivers for the ModemX sub-categories that are listed elsewhere in the INF file, and it will do so just as if it was ID’d as the other model modem.


Tallon41