My Playbook wont install drivers on Windows 7 x64

I purchased a 16GB Playbook online and I received it today and I connected to WiFi at home and had a little look and I have taken it to work with me.

The PB is asking for a software update which I haven't done yet as I don't know the work WiFi password but I will get it in a little while. But I've connected the device to my personal computer and the "installing drivers" window appears and the only thing it's doing it searching for a driver for "USB Mass Storage Device" then after a while it fails.

I'm thinking I need to connect to WiFi then update the device and then try the USB again but I've read other entries that are similar to my problem, I'm just wondering if there's anything I can try before I get the WiFi password?

*EDIT* Also I'm using The USB cable that came with the Playbook and it's plugged into my PC now but it comes on the device saying it wont charge..?

Thanks In Advance.

Hi Chris, and welcome to CB!

EDIT: Should have said that IMO, you have made an excellent choice of purchase, (as long as you are not an App addict). If you want to browse the web (get Origami Browser from the BB App Store it's free and a huge improvement on the standard one), do your emails, and consume music and video, books etc. then the PB is a brilliant device.

You won't really be able to get the PB to charge using the USB cable connected to a computer. There just isn't enough current available via a USB port. Having said that, I do find with mine that the battery does very slowly top up when connected this way if the PB is in standby with all wireless signals (WiFi and Bluetooth) turned off. - ie battery drain is at a minimum.

As far as the driver issue, I'm not sure. With mine, I think it just worked. Operates just like a USB external drive. I can't even remember it installing any drivers, but maybe it did it silently...(?)
DISLAIMER - I could be forgetting something as I hardly ever connect my PB via USB to the computer, I almost always use WiFi for file transfer etc. However, I have definitely had it working, and don't remember any problems.
My Laptop is running Windows7 with the latest service packs and updates.

Even though the installation of the drivers fails, are you definitely not seeing the PB appear on your computer as an additional drive once the USB cable is connected?

Maybe it will all sort itself out once you have allowed the PB to update to the latest version of the OS... be sure to let us know how it goes.

I have no idea what I did really but It was something like.. I went into the settings on the PB and pressed something that made my computer pop up installing more/different drivers and succeeded, seconds after that the Desktop manager detected the PB and all seems fine. I've now connected to WiFi and it's installing the latest OS update although there's ONLY "setup" and Browser on the menu screens, nothing else.

I've found a couple of forum posts where if you drag everything from the dock to below the dock and then drag everything back to the dock it disappears, i did that and it happened, I got an "array" error and rebooted the PB and the browser and Setup are back in the regular places, but why isn't EVERYTHING else coming up?

Why do I only have setup and browser??


*EDIT*

Just finished the update successfully and I think all of the basic apps are here;
Video chat,
Calculator,
File Manager,
Pictures,
Adobe Reader,
Docs To Go,
Videos,
Blackberry World,
Print To Go,
Accessories Store,
Bing Maps,
Help,
Weather,
Calendar,
Zinio,
Music Store,
NFB,
YouTube,
Clock,
PressReader,
Kobo Books,
Facebook,
Voice Notes,
Camera,
Contacts,
Music,
Twitter,
Messages,
Setup.

Is that <b>ALL</b> of them?

Hi Chris and firstly welcome to the forum. You will get almost any help you require here from the members even if they act a little strange at the moment.

Start with the basics, your device OS version that you think you've updated to?

From the main screen press the "gear icon" (settings) in the top right hand corner of your screen.
Select "about" from the menu
Your OS version is displayed on the third line down.

It should read 2.1.0.1526 (UK version)

Secondly the drivers in DTM are a little hit and miss with either Windows 7 or 8. Cut the pain now and download link from the BB site. It's far more stable and will do most things you require to get you started on your new pb, backup, restore, sync pictures videos data.

Any problems just shout out, someone will always be here to help. It may be a cat, gooseberry, dog, grumpy baby etc etc but you will get help.

Once again welcome to the mad house.

ps oh I forgot, not that it matters because your using the correct usb cable, but although usb cables look the same they are not? Some just charge, some are just data transfer (yours) and some both charge and transfer data. Just for your information.

Hi Chris,

A few random thoughts that occured, reading the list of basic apps (I can't think off the top of my head of any that are missing).

Check out NFB (National Film Board of Canada) - there are some excellent videos on here, ranging from very funny cartoons to serious and thought provoking documentaries.

I'd recomend registering with Zinio (Its an online magazine service). I have never purchased anything for 'real' cash, but they keep sending me free vouchers. I'd guess I have had about �50 of free magazines out of them so far...

Delete the FaceBook app. It is rubbish. If you want to use FaceBook, just access it through the Browser, it is much easier.

In "about" my OS version is indeed 2.1.0.1526,

I think I should be okay with it now, I made a post and then continued trying things on the PB and it seems alright now. The only thing is that I used the usb cable to move some PDF's and I opened Adobe Reader and selected one of them and it appeared in the "Recent" list, I pressed to open it and it didn't do anything, I couldn't swipe up to get back to the home screen at all, but it still let me browse for more documents so I have to restart :/.

Other than learning exactly how to use the device I should be alright now.

Thanks for responding so quickly though, It's good to know that some members on this forum will respond in a timely fashion if I ever need to create a topic in the future. :)

Originally Posted by Chris Burgess

In "about" my OS version is indeed 2.1.0.1526,

I think I should be okay with it now, I made a post and then continued trying things on the PB and it seems alright now. The only thing is that I used the usb cable to move some PDF's and I opened Adobe Reader and selected one of them and it appeared in the "Recent" list, I pressed to open it and it didn't do anything, I couldn't swipe up to get back to the home screen at all, but it still let me browse for more documents so I have to restart :/.

Other than learning exactly how to use the device I should be alright now.

Thanks for responding so quickly though, It's good to know that some members on this forum will respond in a timely fashion if I ever need to create a topic in the future. :)

That's why we are all here Chris, that's why we're all here. Enjoy your pb and don't get bogged down by "I want it to do this" until you know how to use the pb. Wander around it, check setting and look at everything. Once that's done get the apps your require to give you the ability to use your pb however you wish.

Good luck and remember we are always here.

It sounds as if everything is working as it should now.

Sometimes, before the entire OS is installed or updated, you will find that many/most icons/apps are NOT installed and that following through with the OS upgrade completes the install of the missing apps.

If you have any other questions, just ask (or see if a Search may turn up existing threads).

Welcome.