Chapter 2
The Device Manager
IN THIS CHAPTER
Exploring the Device Manager
Finding hardware in Windows
Checking for bad hardware
Installing device drivers
Disabling and enabling hardware
Sometimes it’s obvious when hardware fails: The gizmo doesn’t work! You can reconnect a cord, swap out the hardware, or just look puzzled. The best way to confirm that you’re not going crazy (if you can get the PC to start) is to use the Device Manager. Even when you don’t suspect that a hardware problem exists, this handy tool can show you what’s up — or down. It even assists in other troubleshooting tasks, such as disabling hardware and updating driver software.
Your Pal, the Device Manager
The Device Manager isn’t a secret. In fact, it’s not the only place in Windows where you can obtain or modify hardware details, but it’s centralized. It gives you a quick overview of the PC’s hardware, plus quick access to various device Properties dialog boxes.
Opening the Device Manager
The Device Manager ...
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