BB Tour 9630 not tethering in Win8 CP; BB DM 7 Not installing on Win7SP1 x64

Question

First the Win8 issue:
I can install and run Desktop Manager 7(DM7) in Win8 CP x64 just fine and dandy. The problem is that the phone refuses to connect to the internet via USB tether. In Device manager, under Modems, a Standard Modem entry is there and I check its settings (more on that later). I click on the Query Modem option, but I get repeated error messages about how the modem is unresponsive, etc. I have done everything except take a sledge hammer to my phone and system, but still nothing.
It gets better:
My wife's PC is Win7 Pro SP1 x64 and her phone (also a Tour 9630) and mine BOTH tether just fine and dandy, thank you (as a matter-of-fact, I am writing this while tethered). I have compared every single setting on her PC and mine and can verify that all settings are the same. Querying the modem yields expected results.
Stranger yet:
OK, so I figure maybe it just won't work in Win8 at the moment, I am dual-booting Win7/8 on my machine, and I know that, for whatever reason, tethering stopped working on my Win7 machine long ago. I figured that somehow the system got botched, so I decided to reinstall Win7 Pro x64 SP1 on my machine and then install DM7. The problem is that during the install process, the install manager says that the installation will be halted because the installation files could not be verified! WTF? I have downloaded the DM7 software twice and still nothing.
Now, the reason I am tethering in the first place is because AT&T decided to cut-off both phone AND DSL service when I ported my number to Ooma VoIP, and Comcast won't be out here until the 15th! In otherwords, we have ZERO broadband capability outside of tethering at the moment.
I tried using her phone on my PC but still saw the same results...failure.
In DM7, I setup the Mobile Internet options and choose Verizon Wireless as the carrier.
I also cannot setup a connection manually as it still fails (probably because the modem is not 'on'). Ironically, Device Manager states that the device is working properly and there are no conflicts that I can see!
PS: I read a post on here that talked about how to resolve the validation issue I am having, but I guess if one doesn't have internet access, it won't work (yeah I tried it and the certificate won't install/be verified).

Answer 1

FOUND THE SOLUTION:
http://tekblogs.com/tb/2007/08/18/vista-driver-problems-installing-a-usb-media-reader-a-solution/
My %SystemRoot%\INF folder was missing usbstor.inf.  By going to a file repository in the "Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository" and finding usbstor host folders, i was able to get a previously used .inf file to point Windows in the right direction. 
This is most definitely a *Windows* issue.  I had no troubles with upper and lower filters in the USB CLSID in the registry, so somehow the correct inf file was deleted and I was only able to find it in the repository.
Just a note: Roxio manager basically creates a virtual disk for its own internal use, using the RIM_USB.sys driver to communicate with the hardware.  CreateFileMapping system calls are used to map this device for reading/writing.  So Roxio can work without Windows explorer ever seeing it.  Windows NEEDS the usbstor.inf to be able to install the correct USB drivers in order to access the volumes on the BB.
A moderator should sticky or tag this post, because this issue is very widespread and I only found the solution after 2 weeks of searching.