Microsoft made deliberate changes to stop the old ones from working. Many new peripherals didn't have Vista drivers for several months due to problem of the hardware manufacturers getting the code from Microsoft to make suitable drivers. In many cases the drivers were not made by the manufacturers because they refused to pay the high fees Microsoft was charging for the code at first. It was only after way too many people complained about no hardware drivers that Microsoft cut the charges and the companies got the code to make the drivers that they started to appear.

In short, the troubles were all created by Microsoft in order they could line their pockets more.