The drivers install OK but still appear with a yellow warning in Device Manager ? or they don't install ?

If you F8 as you boot there's an option to not enforce driver digital signing which might help.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

The drivers install OK but still appear with a yellow warning in Device Manager ? or they don't install ?

They appear to install fine, but then the yellow warning remains.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

If you F8 as you boot there's an option to not enforce driver digital signing which might help.

Ah ha, this has worked a treat. Will this keep the signing disabled?

Any ideas how I can get Windows Update to work again?

If I click on 'Check for updates', I get 'Windows Update cannot current check for updates because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer'.

I've done that and also checked the service and it's running as it should be.

Any thoughts?

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/ is worth a try

I believe the Driver Enforcement option is until a reboot - give it a try and see. There are ways to make it a permanent status if required. http://sabrent.com/support/knowledgebase.php?article=14

Edited by yarwell (Tue 09-Apr-13 10:12:05)

In reply to a post by yarwell:

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/ is worth a try

Unfortunately, it didn't work due to an error preventing Windows Update from working correctly, followed by an unexpected error.

I've a feeling I might be left with having to purchase a new OS...?

In reply to a post by yarwell:

I believe the Driver Enforcement option is until a reboot - give it a try and see. There are ways to make it a permanent status if required. http://sabrent.com/support/knowledgebase.php?article=14

Great, useful to know.

Does your laptop come with a restore disc? Most laptops do.

Have you tried scannow?

In reply to a post by DavidFinbarr:

Have you tried scannow?

Interesting that site says: "Note: In some situations, especially in Windows XP and Windows 2000, you may also need access to your original Windows installation CD or DVD."

Hope the OP doesn't need an installation disk with his OS - certainly I've needed a XP disk on several occasions when running scannow on XP machines However if corrupt OS files are discovered it is sometimes possible to delete them and copy clean files into the same folder from another machine...

Another alternative would be to install Ubuntu on the laptop if all the required programs that the OP uses are compatible rather than buy a Windows OS if that became necessary?

I never needed it (Win 8). I couldn't get into "settings" thankfully scannow fixed the issue.

In reply to a post by DavidFinbarr:

I never needed it (Win 8). I couldn't get into "settings" thankfully scannow fixed the issue.

This could also be a sign something is wrong with the hardware, so don't go and purchase a new Windows just yet.

Get a copy of Windows 7 and even if you don't have a license you get 30 days or whatever to play with it - do this first and see whether the issue gets fixed before buying something for the laptop.