Chapter 9: Managing Devices

Highlights

The Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system provides features that simplify installing, configuring, and managing computer hardware. Plug and Play is a feature that automatically configures devices, loads device drivers, and works with other Plug and Play devices to allocate resources, all without user intervention. Windows XP Professional supports devices that use the USB and IEEE 1394 buses, as well as devices that connect over other buses. Understanding hardware management features and support in Windows XP Professional helps you install, configure, and troubleshoot hardware devices.

Related Information

• For information about Universal Plug and Play, see Connecting Remote Offices in this book.

• For more information about using printers, see Enabling Printing and Faxing in this book.

• For more information about power management on portable computers, see Supporting Mobile Users in this book.

• For more information about troubleshooting hardware problems that prevent your system from starting, see Troubleshooting Startup in this book.