How to Troubleshoot Hardware Problems with Device Manager

Windows XP works with countless different printers, scanners, digital cameras, and other devices. It does so with the help of drivers, unique software programs that help your operating system communicate with individual pieces of hardware. If your computer starts to freeze, crash, or if a hardware device stops working, you can troubleshoot the problem with the Device Manager.

Device Manager shows you how the hardware on your computer is installed and configured, and how the hardware interacts with your computer's programs.

You'll typically use Device Manager to check the status of your hardware and update device drivers on your computer. Advanced users who have a thorough understanding of computer hardware might also use Device Manager's diagnostic features to resolve device conflicts and change resource settings.

Note You may need to be logged on as an administrator or be a member of the Administrators group in order to use some or all of the features in Device Manager. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

To access Device Manager:

•	Right–click My Computer, click Manage, and then click Device Manager. The Device Manager opens as shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Opening the Device Manager

To view the status of a device:

1.	Open Device Manager.
2.	Double–click the type of device you want to view.
3.	Right–click the specific device you want, and then click Properties.
4.	On the General tab, under Device status is a description of the device status, as shown in Figure 2 below. Figure 2. Checking status of a device

If the device is experiencing a problem, you’ll see the type of problem in the Device status box. You might also see a problem code and number and a suggested solution. If you call a support line, this number can be useful for determining and diagnosing the problem.

For information on how to resolve hardware device problems, click Troubleshoot to start the Hardware Troubleshooter.

To install a new driver from Device Manager:

1.	Open Device Manager.
2.	Double-click the type of device you want to update or change.
3.	Right-click the specific device driver you want to update or change.
4.	Click Update Driver to open the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the wizard instructions.

Note If you install a new driver and your system becomes unstable, you can easily uninstall the driver and reinstall the old driver with Driver Rollback. For more information, read How to Roll Back a Device Driver.

To uninstall a device:

1.	Open Device Manager.
2.	Double–click the type of device that you want to uninstall.
3.	Right–click the specific device you want to uninstall, and then click Uninstall.
4.	In the Confirm Device Removal dialog box, click OK.

When you're done uninstalling the device, turn off your computer, and remove the device from the computer.

Note Many devices on the market today are Plug and Play, which means when you plug the device in your computer will recognize it and automatically prompt you to install the drivers you need. You won't usually use Device Manager to uninstall a Plug and Play device. Simply disconnect the Plug and Play device from your computer. You might have to restart your computer. Check the device manufacturer's instructions for more information.

Product documentation

For further information about using Device Manager, see the Windows XP documentation. To access documentation while using Device Manager, press F1 on your keyboard to go directly to the Device Manager section.