I tried another cable, same result. Keep in mind the computer is definitely recognizing that a device has been connected, both playing a sound and bringing up the dialog (upon connecting for the first time) for trying to install a driver (which fails). In my experience with a Blackberry where the connector on the device failed, the computer simply did not acknowledge that the device was connected at all. It really seems to be a software issue.

Or is the point that everyone else is having no trouble with the 64-bit Vista driver in W7 64, so there's clearly something uniquely wrong in my situation?

I guess I'll just live with the dust under the screen then. :/

Thanks again for the help.