Managing Hardware


Over the past several years , Windows and hardware compatibility have improved immensely, mostly because Windows XP is now ubiquitous and device driver writers have essentially only one target to aim at. Also, modern plug-and-play PCI bus hardware has now entirely replaced the previous generation of manually configured ISA bus devices, so configuration errors are nearly impossible , resource conflicts are essentially a thing of the past, and contention for resources a non-issue, as modern busses provide for many more interrupt and IO port options.

The end result is that I've found that I can summarize just about all you need to know about hardware management in just four bullet points:

  • Always check the manufacturer's instructions before you install or plug in a new device. Sometimes you need to install the driver software package before Windows sees the device for the first time.

  • If Windows crashes after you've installed the device, shut Windows down, remove the device and replace any original hardware. That should get you back on the air. The device driver was almost certainly at fault, and the manufacturer will most likely have a new one on its website. Install the update.

  • Driver problems are actually rare, but are most common in display adapters. If you've made several changes, suspect the display adapter first.

  • Cheap hardware devices always work. It's the expensive ones you have to watch out for.

There's a bit more to it than that, so I'll explain how to use the Windows Device manager to update drivers and diagnose problems. But the first time you run into trouble, come back to this page and see whether the issue wasn't covered in those four bullet points.

Using Device Manager

To manage hardware devices, Windows XP uses a tool callednot surprisinglyDevice Manager. This applet is very similar to that provided in Windows 98 or Windows Me. It can be accessed from the Computer Management application in the Administrative Tools menu folder, or, more commonly, from the Control Panel System applet's Hardware properties page as shown in Figure 5.10.

Figure 5.10. The Windows XP Device Manager.

You must be logged on as a Computer Administrator to use the tool; if you're not, but you know the Administrator password, you can use the Run As method to start it up. Click Start, Administrative Tools, right-click Computer Management, and select Run As. Then, check The Following User, select an administrator account and enter the password.

Note

If Administrative Tools doesn't show up under your Start menu, you can add the link. Right-click on Start, and then select Properties, Start Menus, Customize, Advanced, Display.


Viewing Devices

As you can see in Figure 5.10, devices are categorized into types. Each type has a + next to it that can be expanded to show the devices contained within the type. (Windows Explorer uses the same sort of display.) If Windows knows of any problems with any hardware devices, those categories will be opened by default, and Windows will display a yellow exclamation point icon next to each of the problem devices.

You can also view devices in the following formats:

  • Devices by connection This view lists devices based on their connection to each other. It may be useful to determine how multiple devices are connected to an external bus (USB or PCMCIA), for example.

  • Resources by type This view, which is the default, lists devices by the type of resourceDirect Memory Access (DMA) channel, Input/Output ports, Interrupt Request (IRQ), or Memory.

  • Resources by connection This view lists devices by the resource (Direct Memory Access [DMA] channel, Input/Output ports, Interrupt Request [IRQ], or Memory) and how they are connected.

Configuring Devices Manually

Sometimes, a device fails to function after the Windows XP PnP subsystem configures it. This is an extremely rare occurrence, but might occur if you are using a legacy ISA bus device. Windows XP allows you to manually configure a device, as long as it is not configured as an ACPI-compliant device, by following these steps:

1.
Open the Device Manager.

2.
Right-click the device and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

3.
Select the Resources property page shown in Figure 5.11.

Figure 5.11. The Resources device properties page in the Windows XP Device Manager.


4.
Clear the Use Automatic Settings check box (if the box is grayed out, the device is managed by ACPI and you can't configure it manually).

5.
Choose an alternate configuration in the Setting Based On list box. If no alternate configuration will work, you can then manually select a resource and click the Change Setting button to manually assign a resource. It's best to select resource settings that are not already in use by other devices. If in doubt, switch the Device Manager view to Resources by Type to see what DMA channels, interrupts, I/O addresses, and I/O ports are already in use.

6.
Repeat step 7 for each resource in question.

7.
Click the OK button to save your changes.

Forcing Detection and Reinstallation

If you've installed a new device and afterward discover that you should have installed its device drivers before the hardware, or if Windows for some reason fails to locate the correct driver for the device, or if you inadvertently mislead it so it can't find the correct driver, you can force Windows to begin the detection and installation process again. Here are the steps:

1.
In the Device Manager, locate the device, which will most likely have a yellow exclamation point icon next to it. Right-click it and select Uninstall.

2.
If the manufacturer provided a device driver installer disk or if you have downloaded such an installer, run it now. This usually puts the drivers in your Windows folder along with files that help Windows locate the correct driver the next time it identifies the device.

3.
If the device is an internal device and is not currently installed, shut down Windows and install it, and then restart Windows. For an external USB/Firewire device, just unplug and then plug the device back into a USB or Firewire port.

4.
Go back to the Device Manager, right-click your computer's name at the top of the device list, and select Scan For Hardware Changes. This will start the detection process and pop up the New Hardware Wizard. You should be able to select all the "automatic" choices, to let Windows locate and install the drivers itself.

Dealing with the Blue Screen of Death

When a regular application program crashes, Windows displays the familiar message "Such-and-such application has encountered a problem and needs to close," and then terminates the application. However, when a device driver or a part of the Windows kernel itself fails, Windows can't just carry on. It halts and displays an error message in white text on a blue screen, at which point all you can do is write down the cryptic message and cycle the power on your computer. This display is known as the Blue Screen of Death , and was so common with earlier versions of Windows that it was reduced to the acronym BSOD.

BSODs have three main sources: failed disk drives , failed memory chips, and buggy device drivers. If you get a BSOD after installing a new device or updating a device driver, restart Windows in Safe mode by pressing F8 immediately after your BIOS screen disappears. Then, either perform a device driver rollback, use System Restore to restore the most recent saved configuration, or use the Device Manager to delete the device. Restart Windows, and it should now boot up correctly. Get an updated driver from the device's manufacturer before attempting to reinstall it.

For detailed instructions about starting in Safe mode, how to deal with a BSOD, and using Driver Rollback, see Chapter 12, "Windows Troubleshooting."

For instructions on performing a system restore, see "Restoring a Point" p. 227.



Updating Device Drivers

If you suspect that a device driver is causing system problems, or if you find that a hardware vendor has released a newer version with additional features, you can use the Device Manager to perform a driver update.

Caution

Check the manufacturer's website for upgrade instructions, as they may use a different procedure than the one I'll describe here. If the manufacturer does describe its own procedure, ignore my instructions and follow their instructions carefully .


In the absence of specific manufacturer instructions, here are the steps:

1.
You will usually obtain a driver update as on a CD, or through a download from the manufacturer's website. The CD can be used as is. In the case of a download you will usually obtain either an .EXE installer file or a .ZIP file.

If you download an .EXE file, run it while logged on as a Computer Administrator. It may update the drivers itself and exit. Or, it may indicate that it wants to store extracted files in a directory. I usually direct such programs to store files in a folder named c:\drivers\ manufacturer substituting the device manufacturer's name.

If you get a .ZIP file, open it using WinZip, Windows Explorer, or another ZIP utility, and again, extract the files into c:\drivers\ manufacturer .

If you have the updated drivers on a CD, insert it now.

2.
Open the Device Manager, right-click the device you want to update, and select Update Driver.

3.
If you want, check the box to let Windows check Windows Update. Then, click Next.

4.
Select Install from a List or Specific Location (Advanced) and click Next.

5.
If the driver is on a CD, check Search Removable Media. If the driver is in your hard disk, check Include This Location in the Search, click Browse, and locate the manufacturer-specific folder in which you expanded the driver files.

6.
Click OK, and then follow the remaining prompts to complete the wizard. You may be asked to select the correct device from a list of devices supported by the same driver.

Windows will install the driver, and may or may not ask you to restart the computer.

Selecting an Older Device Driver

In some rare cases you may find that your hardware device's manufacturer has not provided a driver for Windows XP, even on its website; this should happen only in cases of older devices no longer being sold or supported. In this case, you may be able to install and use a Windows 2000 version of the driver, or a "Windows Driver Model" (WDM) driver. Windows Me drivers are WDM-compatible.

Before installing an older driver for your device, you should check for new versions. The very first place you should check is the Windows Update website. You can search the Windows Update website as part of the Device Manager Wizard. If you don't find a driver there, try the manufacturer website. If you don't know what the manufacturer website is, try one of the following websites :

http://www.driversplanet.com/

http://www.driverzone.com/

http://www.driverguide.com/

http://www.windrivers.com/

If you still can't find a newer certified Windows XP driver you can try to install either a Windows Driver Model (WDM) driver or a Windows 2000 driver. This usually requires a manual install using the following steps:

1.
Select the device in Device Manager and click Properties.

2.
Click the Update Driver button to start the Hardware Update Wizard.

3.
Enable the Install from a List or Specified Location (Advanced) radio button and click Next.

4.
Click Don't Search. It will choose the Driver to Install radio button. Click Next.

5.
Click the Have Disk button, and then Browse.

6.
Locate the disk and directory containing the driver's .INF file, and then click OK.

7.
Select the appropriate device, click the Next button, and then click Finish.

Replacing Hardware

Sooner or later, everyone has to replace some hardware on his computer. It might be the replacement of a malfunctioning network card, a disk drive that is starting to fail, or just installing a faster video card. If your version of Windows XP is not part of an Open License or Enterprise purchase, you may find that when you have replaced a new piece of hardware, your installation will require that you reactivate Windows XP to continue to use it.

Microsoft created Windows Product Activation (WPA) to discourage casual copying of Microsoft products. For security reasons, Microsoft does not provide much information on exactly what type of hardware is used to create the hardware key contained in your Windows XP product ID, but we do know that somehow the specific set of hardware devices in your computer factors into WPA's identification scheme. Nor is Microsoft providing information on exactly how many changes are allowed before the product will be required to be reactivated. What is important to know is that if you change your hardware sufficiently, you may be required to reactivate Windows, as it will think that it may have been illegally copied to another computer. We believe that as long as major hardware changes occur no more often than every six months, WPA will not get agitated. In any case, while it may be irritating and offensive, the worst that should happen is that you may have to make a toll-free call to Microsoft to get a verbal authorization code.

Note

For the curious , and technical minded, take a look at the Fully Licensed home page at http://www.licenturion.com/xp/. You'll find an in-depth discussion of the Installation ID and hardware key as well as an application to examine the Installation ID.


Troubleshooting Problem Devices

The key to troubleshooting devices is interpreting the messages that Device Manager provides. Between the message the Device Manager provides, the event log, and the information displayed in the following sections, you should be able to narrow down the source of the problem. I can tell you that in almost all cases, it's the device driver's fault.

To use this section, open the problem device's properties page in Device Manager, and view the General tab. Look at the error message displayed under Device Status, locate it in the lists of error messages that follow in this section, and then follow the corresponding fix-it procedure.

Note

If the addition of a new hardware device has damaged Windows so badly that you can't get it to start up, go to the end of this chapter and follow the instructions under "Restoring a Point."


Bad Driver or Incorrect Driver

Device Status says:

This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)

The bustype device loader(s) for this device could not load the device driver. (Code 2)

The driver for this device might be corrupted, or your system may be running low on memory or other resources. (Code 3)

The driver for this device might be bad, or your system may be running low on memory or other resources. (Code 3)

This device is not working properly because one of its drivers may be bad, or your Registry may be bad. (Code 4)

The driver for this device requested a resource that Windows does not know how to handle. (Code 5)

The drivers for this device need to be reinstalled. (Code 7)

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the file name that loads the drivers for the device. (Code 8)

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot find the file name that loads the drivers for the device. (Code 8)

This device is not working properly because the file name that loads the drivers for this device is bad. (Code 8)

Device failure: Try changing the driver for this device. If that doesn't work, see your hardware documentation. (Code 8)

This device is not working properly because the BIOS in your computer is reporting the resources for the device incorrectly. (Code 9)

Windows stopped responding while attempting to start this device, and therefore will never attempt to start this device again. (Code 11)

The driver information file name is telling this child device to use a resource that the parent device does not have or recognize. (Code 17), where <name> is the .INF file for the device.

Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18)

The drivers for this device need to be reinstalled. (Code 18)

Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the Registry) is incomplete or damaged. To fix this problem you can first try running a troubleshooting wizard. If that does not work, you should uninstall and then reinstall the hardware device. (Code 19)

Your Registry may be bad. (Code 19)

Windows could not load one of the drivers for this device. (Code 20)

This display adapter is not functioning correctly. (Code 23)

The loaders for this device cannot load the required drivers. (Code 23)

Windows can't specify the resources for this device. (Code 27)

The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)

Windows cannot install the drivers for this device because it cannot access the drive or network location that has the setup files on it. (Code 32)

Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37)

Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

Windows cannot access this hardware because its service key information in the Registry is missing or recorded incorrectly. (Code 40)

The software for this device has been blocked from starting because it is known to have problems with Windows. Contact the hardware vendor for a new driver. (Code 48)

Fix : Click on the device's Driver tab. Click the Driver Details button. If no driver has been installed click the Update Driver button. This will invoke the Hardware Update Driver Wizard and walk you through installing a driver for the device.

If this fails, close the dialog, right-click the device, and click Uninstall. You may need to install a driver manually using your manufacturer-supplied software. Usually this means executing a program (often called setup.exe or install.exe ) that will install a driver on the computer. See "Forcing Detection and Reinstallation," earlier in this section.

Code 39 may also indicate a problem with your hard disk itself; you might use CHKDSK to perform a disk check before continuing.

Bad Bus Detection

Device Status says:

Windows could not load the driver for this device because the computer is reporting two bustype bus types. (Code 2)

Your computer's system firmware does not include enough information to properly configure and use this device. To use this device, contact your computer manufacturer to obtain a firmware or BIOS update. (Code 35)

Fix : Check with your computer or motherboard manufacturer for a BIOS update.

Resource Conflict

Device Status says:

Another device is using the resources this device needs. (Code 6)

This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system. (Code 12)

This device is causing a resource conflict. (Code 15)

Windows cannot identify all the resources this device uses. (Code 16)

Windows could not identify all the resources this device uses. (Code 16)

Windows cannot determine which resources are required for this device. (Code 33)

This device is requesting a PCI interrupt but is configured for an ISA interrupt (or vice versa). Please use the computer's system setup program to reconfigure the interrupt for this device. (Code 36)

Fix : A resource (I/O port, interrupt, or DMA channel) conflict has occurred. It can also occur if a required resource was not allocated to the device, or if an incorrect device driver was selected.

Verify that the resources requested by the device are available using the Device Manager or System Information tool ( WinMSD.EXE ). If another device is using the requested resources, you can resolve the problem by disabling the conflicting device, reconfiguring either the conflicting device or the failed device using the Device Manager, or reconfiguring the conflicting or failed device using your BIOS configuration program.

Verify that the BIOS is not disabling a required interrupt or DMA channel or not reserving a resource for a legacy device. Resource problems of this type usually fall into three categories:

  • USB devices Verify that interrupts have not been disabled for the USB controller in the BIOS.

  • PCI bus devices Verify that the requested interrupt or DMA channel has not been reserved for a specific legacy (ISA) device.

  • ISA bus devices Verify that the required interrupt or DMA channel has been reserved by the BIOS for the device.

If the steps under "Bad Driver or Incorrect Driver" do not resolve the problem, you may need to manually configure resources, disable the conflicting device, or remove it physically from the computer.

Failed Hardware, Missing Hardware, or Incorrect Driver

Device Status says:

This device cannot start. (Code 10)

This device is either not present, not working properly, or does not have all the drivers installed. (Code 10)

This device is either not present, not working properly, or does not have all the drivers installed. (Code 13)

This device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed. (Code 24)

This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

This device is not working properly because < device > is not working properly. (Code 31)

Windows successfully loaded the device driver for this hardware but cannot find the hardware device. (Code 41)

Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45).

Fix : First, the peripheral may have failed or may not be installed correctly. To check for this possibility, remove the peripheral in question and physically reinstall it. If the peripheral is an internal peripheral on the PCI or ISA bus, clean the copper contacts using an eraser before reinstalling it. If the peripheral is connected via a cable, verify that all cable connections are clean, not damaged, and that the cables themselves are not routed by any device that may cause interference (power supply, monitor, speakers , and so on).

Second, the peripheral may have a resource conflict. Verify that the resources requested by the device are available. This can be accomplished using the Device Manager or System Information tool ( WinMSD.EXE ). If another device is using the requested resources you can resolve the problem by disabling the conflicting device, reconfiguring either the conflicting device or the failed device using the Device Manager, or reconfiguring the conflicting or failed device using your BIOS configuration program.

Finally, the device driver may not be installed correctly, or the wrong device driver (such as one designed for a prior version of Windows) may be installed. To resolve the former, first uninstall the device driver and then reinstall it as described previously for Error Code 1.

Restart Required

Device Status says:

This device cannot work properly until you restart your computer. (Code 14)

Windows is in the process of setting up this device. (Code 26)

Windows cannot gain access to this hardware device because the operating system is in the process of shutting down. (Code 46)

Fix : Restart Windows. If the problem persists after a restart, right-click the device, select Uninstall, and have Device Manager scan for new devices to reinstall it.

Device Driver Shutdown Problem

Device Status says:

Windows is removing this device. (Code 21)

Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because a previous instance of the device driver is still in memory. (Code 38)

Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware because there is a duplicate device already running in the system. (Code 42)

Fix : Wait for 15 seconds or so. If the device entry still appears, reboot the computer. If the problem persists, uninstall and reinstall the device driver as discussed in previous entries.

Disabled Device

Device Status says:

This device is disabled. (Code 22)

This device is not started. (Code 22)

Fix : Right-click the device in question and choose Enable from the pop-up menu.

Incomplete Windows Setup

Device Status says:

Windows is in the process of setting up this device. (Code 25)

Fix : This error message usually occurs during the initial setup of Windows XP during the first or second reboots. It usually indicates an incomplete file copy. Restart the computer. If that fails to resolve the situation, reinstall Windows XP.

Device Disabled by BIOS

Device Status says:

This device is disabled because the firmware of the device did not give it the required resources. (Code 29)

This device is disabled because the BIOS of the device did not give it the required resources. (Code 29)

Fix : Refer to the onscreen message provided by the peripheral's BIOS during startup (for example, Adaptec SCSI controllers may display a message instructing you to press Ctrl+A to access its BIOS setup), or refer to the peripheral documentation to enable the device.

Disabled Service

Device Status says:

A driver (service) for this device has been disabled. An alternate driver may be providing this functionality. (Code 32)

Fix : If the driver is actually a service, you can edit the startup value in the Registry by using the Service MMC snap-in to resolve the problem. For a device, you can either uninstall and then reinstall the driver as described for Error Code 18, or edit the Registry directly and change the start type.

Manual Device Configuration Required

Device Status says:

Windows cannot determine the settings for this device. Consult the documentation that came with this device and use the Resource tab to set the configuration. (Code 34)

Fix : Manually allocate the resources for this device.

Device Reported Problems

Device Status says:

Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)

An application or service has shut down this hardware device. (Code 44)

Fix : Restart the computer. Errors of this nature should be logged in the System or Application event log. If the error continues, review the event log to determine the cause of the error. If that doesn't help, request help from the manufacturer or try to get an updated driver.

Device Prepared for Removal

Device Status says:

Windows cannot use this hardware device because it has been prepared for "safe removal," but it has not been removed from the computer. (Code 47)

Fix : Remove and reinsert the peripheral, or restart the computer.

Registry Size Limit Exceeded

Device Status says:

Windows cannot start new hardware devices because the system hive is too large (exceeds the Registry Size Limit). (Code 49)

Fix : Your best bet is to add more memory (RAM) to your computer.

Using Driver Rollback

If after installing a device driver you find that the driver did not work, has caused a system instability, or caused another problem, you can easily replace it with the previous driver using driver rollback.

You can accomplish this task by following the directions found on p. 552 ("Device Driver Rollback") of Chapter 12, "Troubleshooting Windows."




Upgrading and Repairing Microsoft Windows
Upgrading and Repairing Microsoft Windows (2nd Edition)
ISBN: 0789736950
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 128

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