The Device Manager provides a graphical view of the hardware that is currently installed on the computer. It provides a central point of administration to change the way the hardware is configured. The device drivers and resources associated with that hardware are listed in the properties of each device.
The Device Manager allows you to check the status of computer hardware and update device drivers on the computer. It contains diagnostic features to resolve device conflicts and change resource settings. To access the Device Manager, you must open the System applet from the Control Panel. The Device Manager button is located on the Hardware tab.
The Device Manager enables you to maintain, configure, and troubleshoot the devices physically connected to the computer system.
When viewing Driver properties, you can determine the file version of the device driver. An icon appears next to device drivers to indicate they are digitally signed by Microsoft.
Windows device drivers and operating system files have been digitally signed by Microsoft to ensure their quality. A Microsoft digital signature is an assurance that a particular file is from that manufacturer and has been verified by Microsoft to function properly with Windows XP.
You should ensure the latest device driver for each of the devices is loaded in Windows XP. Manufacturers frequently update their drivers to fix problems and take advantage of operating system features. These drivers are usually available from the manufacturer's Web site, and Microsoft also maintains driver files for many devices on its Web sites.
You use the Roll Back feature when problems are encountered after installing a driver. You can access the Roll Back feature from the Drivers tab within the Properties dialog box of the device.
Each device has its own device driver, but you can take some standard steps to troubleshoot driver problems. If a problem occurs with a device, a status box is displayed on the device in the device list. If the Device Status box displays a problem, click Troubleshoot to launch the Windows XP troubleshooter for this device type. 61. Storage devices are used to save programs, files, or data. They range from floppy disks to Zip drives to DVDs.
If a user receives an error indicating insufficient disk space is available, try using the Disk Cleanup utility within Windows XP.
Disk storage utilities used for maintenance are Disk Defragmenter, Scan Disk, Check Disk, and Disk Cleanup.
Disk errors that occur in a network environment are connectivity problems and access permissions.
You can install a printer using the Add a Printer Wizard, regardless of whether it is a local or network printer.
