Edit Registry to Eliminate Driver Installation for Multiple IdenticalUSB Devices

My understanding is that when I plug a new USB device into windows xp,
the device's serial number is polled and(if found), a series of
registry entries are created. Later when I install the driver for
this new device, the driver is associated with the serial number of
the device. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I have over 100 USB devices with unique serial numbers. Each time I
connect a new one, I'm required to re-install the driver. My intent
is to gather the serial numbers from the manufacturer and replicate
the registry entries created by a single driver install, for all the
other USB devices. Can this be done? Is there a better way?

Thanks in advance,
-Kevin

no, you cannot do this. if you are refering to the keys under
hklm\system\currentcontrolset\enum\... then the layout of these keys are
private and undocumented and are not portable from one machine to the next.

d

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"kevincw01" <kevin@netkev.com> wrote in message
news:59b34621-0052-43c9-aff0-8aa6c272e9d1@c19g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> My understanding is that when I plug a new USB device into windows xp,
> the device's serial number is polled and(if found), a series of
> registry entries are created. Later when I install the driver for
> this new device, the driver is associated with the serial number of
> the device. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
>
> I have over 100 USB devices with unique serial numbers. Each time I
> connect a new one, I'm required to re-install the driver. My intent
> is to gather the serial numbers from the manufacturer and replicate
> the registry entries created by a single driver install, for all the
> other USB devices. Can this be done? Is there a better way?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> -Kevin

On May 21, 2:28 pm, "Doron Holan [MSFT]" <dor...@online.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> no, you cannot do this. if you are refering to the keys under
> hklm\system\currentcontrolset\enum\... then the layout of these keys are
> private and undocumented and are not portable from one machine to the next.
>
> d
>
> --
> Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. this alias is for
> newsgroup purposes only.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> "kevincw01" <ke...@netkev.com> wrote in message
>
> news:59b34621-0052-43c9-aff0-8aa6c272e9d1@c19g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
> > My understanding is that when I plug a new USB device into windows xp,
> > the device's serial number is polled and(if found), a series of
> > registry entries are created. Later when I install the driver for
> > this new device, the driver is associated with the serial number of
> > the device. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Even if the machines are identical and installed using a ghost image
of the same windows xp installation?
>
> > I have over 100 USB devices with unique serial numbers. Each time I
> > connect a new one, I'm required to re-install the driver. My intent
> > is to gather the serial numbers from the manufacturer and replicate
> > the registry entries created by a single driver install, for all the
> > other USB devices. Can this be done? Is there a better way?
>
> > Thanks in advance,
> > -Kevin

yes, even for identical machines. you are not allowed to manipulate the
enum key outside of the OS in any way in any context

d

--
Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. this alias is for
newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"kevincw01" <kevin@netkev.com> wrote in message
news:aa7f1116-be5f-45c6-ad0f-219b28539ee5@d19g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
> On May 21, 2:28 pm, "Doron Holan [MSFT]" <dor...@online.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
>> no, you cannot do this. if you are refering to the keys under
>> hklm\system\currentcontrolset\enum\... then the layout of these keys are
>> private and undocumented and are not portable from one machine to the
>> next.
>>
>> d
>>
>> --
>> Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. this alias is for
>> newsgroup purposes only.
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>>
>> "kevincw01" <ke...@netkev.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:59b34621-0052-43c9-aff0-8aa6c272e9d1@c19g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> > My understanding is that when I plug a new USB device into windows xp,
>> > the device's serial number is polled and(if found), a series of
>> > registry entries are created. Later when I install the driver for
>> > this new device, the driver is associated with the serial number of
>> > the device. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
> Even if the machines are identical and installed using a ghost image
> of the same windows xp installation?
>>
>> > I have over 100 USB devices with unique serial numbers. Each time I
>> > connect a new one, I'm required to re-install the driver. My intent
>> > is to gather the serial numbers from the manufacturer and replicate
>> > the registry entries created by a single driver install, for all the
>> > other USB devices. Can this be done? Is there a better way?
>>
>> > Thanks in advance,
>> > -Kevin
>

"kevincw01" <kevin@netkev.com> wrote in message
news:aa7f1116-be5f-45c6-ad0f-219b28539ee5@d19g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
> On May 21, 2:28 pm, "Doron Holan [MSFT]" <dor...@online.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
>> no, you cannot do this. if you are refering to the keys under
>> hklm\system\currentcontrolset\enum\... then the layout of these keys are
>> private and undocumented and are not portable from one machine to the
>> next.
>>
>> d
>>
>> --
>> Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. this alias is for
>> newsgroup purposes only.
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>>
>> "kevincw01" <ke...@netkev.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:59b34621-0052-43c9-aff0-8aa6c272e9d1@c19g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> > My understanding is that when I plug a new USB device into windows xp,
>> > the device's serial number is polled and(if found), a series of
>> > registry entries are created. Later when I install the driver for
>> > this new device, the driver is associated with the serial number of
>> > the device. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
> Even if the machines are identical and installed using a ghost image
> of the same windows xp installation?
>>
>> > I have over 100 USB devices with unique serial numbers. Each time I
>> > connect a new one, I'm required to re-install the driver. My intent
>> > is to gather the serial numbers from the manufacturer and replicate
>> > the registry entries created by a single driver install, for all the
>> > other USB devices. Can this be done? Is there a better way?
>>
>> > Thanks in advance,
>> > -Kevin
>


FWIW, I think I spotted one funny thing. I has a serial number string of
"S/N:xxxx" but that was mutated somewhere into "S#N:xxxx" and device names
(which we are not permitted to read) of a uses "#" as a field separaor so I
was always being asked for the device driver. Fixed that and it was happy
with different serial numbered devices.

Just my 2c worth.

Bill