WIA stands for Windows Imaging Acquisition. The Windows Imaging Acquisition package is an integral part of Windows Me and Windows XP (the WIA features are not available in Windows 98 or Windows 2000). Using a WIA Driver (similar in function to the Twain Driver) with Windows Me or Windows XP provides two advantages: (1) when you connect your camera to the computer, it will give you the option of download pictures using the Windows Scanners and Cameras Wizard, which will start automatically in Windows Me, and (2) your camera will show up in Windows Explorer as another storage device on the "tree" on the left side of the screen. It will show a camera icon and will be displayed below your hard drive and CDROM drive. As such, you will be able to see a list of the image files stored in your camera, and you may transfer them out as you would from any drive.

WIA Drivers were included on the Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk starting with Version 4.0. The WIA drivers will work with any Canon digital camera which has USB connectivity. If your camera is USB capable but your Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk does not contain WIA Drivers, you may download the latest version WIA Driver from our web site at http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/customer/driverdown.html.

Canon digital cameras shipped with any of several versions of the Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk, the intent being to provide the most current software available at the time the camera was packaged. In order to provide the most accurate answer to your question regarding WIA Driver installation, read the label of your Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk, and click on the matching version.

Version 4.0 or Version 5.0

Version 6.0

Version 7.0 or Version 7.1

Version 4.0 or Version 5.0

1. Install the USB TWAIN Driver. This is normally part of the software installation process. If you have already installed the Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk software and chose the default options, you have already done this step. The remaining steps detail the procedure to update the TWAIN Driver with the WIA Driver.
2. Attach the camera to the computer's USB port and set it to the PC connection mode. If the Device Event dialog appears or an application program starts, close it.
3. Open the Windows Control Panel and double-click the System icon to display the System Properties dialog.
4. In the System Properties dialog, click the Device Manager tab and select the View devices by Type option. Click the [+] mark beside the Imaging Device category and double-click the name corresponding to your camera model.
5. In the Properties dialog that opens, click the Driver tab, followed by the Update Driver button. The Update Device Driver Wizard will start.
6. In the Wizard's first window, select [Specify the location of the driver (advanced)] and click the Next button.
7. In the [Search for a better driver than the one your device is using now. (Recommended)] option, place a check mark in the [Specify a location] option.
8. Click the [Browse] button, navigate to the CD-ROM drive, select the [\WIA_USB\ENGLISH\WIN_ME] folder and click the Next button.
9. Click [Install one of the other drivers], and select the file from the CD-ROM drive you selected in the previous step as it appears in the Select Other Driver window.
10. Click the Next button and follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the update.
11. Restart the computer when prompted.

Version 6.0

If you are installing the Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk in Windows Me, at the point during software installation where you are given the opportunity to select the programs you wish to install, you will see the USB TWAIN Driver and the USB WIA Driver listed. The installation program should have already selected the USB WIA Driver, but if not, remove the check mark from the USB TWAIN Driver and place a check mark next to the USB WIA Driver. At the completion of the software installation, simply connect your camera to the computer, and Windows will automatically complete the WIA Driver installation for you.

Version 7.0 or Version 7.1

WIA Driver installation is automatic -- Windows will only install the WIA Driver in Windows Me and Windows XP. There is no option to install the 'plain' USB TWAIN Driver. Install the software from the Canon Digital Camera Solutions Disk, and, when complete, connect your camera to the computer. Windows will automatically complete the WIA Driver installation.