Ok, so I have been happily using arduino for about half a year with for the most part no problems. That was until I got Vista :(. Whenever I plug in the arduino vista doesn't give you the option search for and install drivers locally. It only searches online and "successfully" installs the wrong drivers. I was able to get rid of the drivers windows installed with a system restore, however how can I install the correct drivers now? (I think this may have been asked before, but I couldn't find it by searching.)
You go into control panel and into device manager, it used to be under administrative tools in xp but i'm not sure about vista.
Then you can right click on your arduino (probably a thing with an exclamation mark) and then update the drivers from there. It should give you the option to select where to take the drivers from...
Mowcius
Hmmm, when I try to update the drivers and choose the local files windows just proclaims the drivers are up to date then closes the wizard. When I delete the drivers windows installed device manager doesn't show that the arduino is plugged in.
I presume as soon as you plug it back in, it automatically finds drivers for you again?
Mowcius
Thanks for the help Mowicus, I just got it after fiddling around with device manager for a while. In case anybody else has this problem you have to first go to device manager to the com ports and click on the arduino. Then go to the drivers tab and uninstall the drivers windows installed. Now unplug the arduino safely and plug it back in, and go back to device manager and find the arduino. Now click the update drivers button (thanks mowicus) and select the right drivers from a local source. I think it wasn't showing that the arduino was plugged in because just because of a slow computer.
Ok, glad you got it working 
Mowcius