Installing Hardware

You install new hardware (for instance, a sound card or hard drive) through a multistep configuration process. The fundamental steps are to configure the device at a physical level and at one or more logical levels so that the system can communicate with the device. A device will not function properly unless it is correctly installed.

interrupt

A type of signal that is used to get the attention of the CPU when I/O is required. An interrupt tells the CPU that the operating system is requesting that a specific action be taken. Interrupts are prioritized; higher-numbered interrupts are serviced first.

base memory

Memory addresses that are reserved and used to store low-level control software that is required by an add-on device.

I/O memory

Memory addresses that are reserved and assigned to add-on devices. Each assignment tells the CPU about the location of a specific device.

direct access memory (DMA)

DMA enables a device to transfer data directly to RAM without using the attention of the processor for the entire transfer period. The result is a faster and more direct method of data transfer.

Note 

Before you install any piece of hardware, take the precaution of wearing an antistatic wrist guard to protect the computer from any potential electrical shocks that might damage the circuitry.

When you install a piece of hardware, you should first properly configure it. You can determine configuration settings by reviewing the documentation that comes with the device. Traditionally, older hardware was configured through DIP switches and jumpers. Now this technology is fairly obsolete. Most hardware configuration is now done through software.

Each hardware device is unique and has its own settings that you need to configure. Common configuration settings include interrupts, base memory, I/O memory, and direct memory access (DMA). These items are covered in more detail in the following subsections.

Completing the physical installation of the device requires plugging it into the motherboard via a slot, cables, or both. Be sure that you have all the necessary accessories, such as screws or cables, when completing this step. If the device is a PC card, carefully plug it into an available bus slot of the same type, and secure it by screwing it into the case. It usually does not matter which slot you place the card into unless it is a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA), or MicroChannel Architecture (MCA) card; then it is identified by slot number.

After you have securely attached the device, you can begin the software configuration. In this step, you install the device drivers and set any configuration parameters that a particular operating system might need in order to communicate and interact with a device.

Note 

One reason Plug and Play technology is so important is that it automatically configures hardware devices for you. Windows 9x, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 all include support for Plug and Play.