ROS needs easy driver install

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ROSRox
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Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:15 pm

ROS needs easy driver install

Post by ROSRox »

I think ROS is really coming along nicely. :) I want to use it on my computer, but I also want to make sure it will work. I think that after some more work gets done on the App and GUI part of ROS, the focus should shift to Drivers :idea: and how to make it easy to install them! :P That way, ANYONE could use ROS and it would be eye-catching and easier to advertise. :!: :D

Yah!
mikedep333
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:48 am
Location: United States

Post by mikedep333 »

I think that they should finish networking before anything else, but I definitely agree that a driver installer should be a high priority.
ROSRox
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Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:15 pm

Post by ROSRox »

Oh yes, networking should be #1 on the to do list, but I'm glad you agree. :)

Just last night, I tried to install ROS svc 0.3 on my 400Mhz... It froze when I got to ntoskrnl.exe. I even tried burning another copy at a different speed. It worked in Vpc2004... I think there was a driver that was conflicting or not corresponding with the hardware. Drivers make the OS.
mikedep333
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Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:48 am
Location: United States

Post by mikedep333 »

That sucks, but that's what happens when you try to use nightly SVN versions.

Anyway, for higher-level hardware, I think they should in the meantime at least post a collection or registry import files (.reg) for various drivers that do work. Moving the .sys into the appropriate directory and double clicking the .reg file is a pretty easy workaround for a full driver installer.

In the meantime, I like how the setup has an installer for the VMware graphics driver. That is easy to do and works fine (assuming you remembered to set the VMware OS option to windows 2000 or something.)
FloFri
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 1:55 am

Post by FloFri »

Thats right, i think an easy driver installation would be appreciated. The best network support is only of little value, when you can not test it on real hardware :)
I think the problem, why there is still no parser for driver infs is the fact, that you have to write a new parser for every kind of hardware.
Phalanx
Posts: 360
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 12:42 am
Location: Australia

Post by Phalanx »

mikedep333 wrote:That sucks, but that's what happens when you try to use nightly SVN versions.

Anyway, for higher-level hardware, I think they should in the meantime at least post a collection or registry import files (.reg) for various drivers that do work. Moving the .sys into the appropriate directory and double clicking the .reg file is a pretty easy workaround for a full driver installer.

In the meantime, I like how the setup has an installer for the VMware graphics driver. That is easy to do and works fine (assuming you remembered to set the VMware OS option to windows 2000 or something.)
Don't get ahead of yourself...
http://www.reactos.org/archives/public/ ... 05198.html

Also network can be better off with parts of the pnp/setup part of the OS, so sometimes you can't just do networking first, you still need the other part. Let the developers decide if the chicken or the egg came first.
FloFri
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 1:55 am

Post by FloFri »

:shock: COOL! I have to test this, when i am at home! Thx for the info!
doomy666999
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:53 pm

Post by doomy666999 »

yes i must say an easy way to install drivers should be on top of the to do list, with proper drivers for ReactOS it will flow better as a whole and feel just like any good OS should,

im using ReactOS as my primary operating system at the moment so getting it more functional as a solid base would be great,

functionality before features!

if need be i can use my pc as a test system for whatever driver install methord is tried, im running on:

P4 3.0Ghz
512MB RAM
256MB GeForce FX 5500
ASUS P5P800 Motherboard

if you want me to test out driver methords then just e-mail me or pm me or something!
ROSRox
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:15 pm

Great!!

Post by ROSRox »

Well, that's just swell. Now if only people like me could do it. :wink: lol
I kinda understand how to install the driver now, but I don't get the Hardware ID part or the whole thing about "C:\ReactOS\System32\Drivers\Driver.sys"

If this whole driver thing is as simple as I think it is, It should only take like 3 months before this community can release a simple gui-based driver install program for the noob users like myself in the latest release. :)

~Clay
mikedep333
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:48 am
Location: United States

Post by mikedep333 »

doomy666999 wrote: im using ReactOS as my primary operating system at the moment
Wow, you are quite adventurous. ReactOS is far too limited for me to use it now.
doomy666999
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:53 pm

Post by doomy666999 »

for me its a case of having to, i have no other operating system to use, i used to run an OEM version of winxp on two computers but now i cant, some new anti piracy feature im guessin, it now doesnt accept my product key, so i have one pc running winxp and another running on ReactOS,

so while im in this situation i might as well use my pc as a test pc for what ever ReactOS apps and updates are in development, its in my best interests that reactOS becomes easy to work with and functional as soon as possible.
tscherno
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 7:39 pm

Just complete Interfaces

Post by tscherno »

I think they rather should complete the API`s (and I will try to help where I can) etc. So you can take Windows drivers from your hardware vendors CD and install them.

Thats after all the aim of ROS, the ability to use the plenty avaible Windows stuff.

greetz
ts
GreatLord
Developer
Posts: 926
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Post by GreatLord »

Workin progress to make drv more easy to install PnP (Plug and Play). And it starting working but it need more work before it is complete.
mikedep333
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:48 am
Location: United States

Post by mikedep333 »

Just an example of the work being done on this:

Commit by cwittich :: r19070 reactos/lib/newdev/ (6 files):
started implementation of device driver installation wizard
GreyGhost
Posts: 295
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:16 pm

Post by GreyGhost »

Cool...I am gonna try it... :!:
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