Introduction

The devices (or components) that make up a computer must communicate effectively, without interference. Having two or more devices trying to use the same communication channel causes errors or even system crashes, so it's critical that the devices are configured correctly.

In the early days of network administration, it was common for configuration errors to occur because these settings were performed manually, and the work was error prone. The development of the Plug and Play specification and the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standard for system boards made the whole process automatic. It is very worthwhile for an administrator to insist that only devices that conform to these standards be used.

This chapter discusses installing and configuring hardware devices, ensuring that the drivers loaded to operate the devices are uncorrupted and come from reputable sources, and troubleshooting hardware issues.