Installing and Configuring Hardware

Hardware devices that you install on your computer can be roughly divided into two groups: Plug and Play and non-Plug and Play. Most devices manufactured since 1995 support Plug and Play. This means that when you attach the new device to your computer, it is recognized by Windows and you can use it right away. You do not need to manually configure a Plug and Play device.

To correctly install the new device, you may need to shut down your computer and connect the device to the appropriate port. Or you may need to restart your computer once the device is set up. You should always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions to make sure your device functions properly.


Installing hardware

To install a Plug and Play device

  1. Connect the device to the appropriate port or slot on your computer, according to the device manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Windows may prompt you to restart your computer, or the device manufacturer's instructions may ask you to restart your computer.

To install a non-Plug and Play device

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Add Hardware.
  2. Attach the non-Plug and Play device to your computer.
  3. In the Add Hardware Wizard, click Next.
  4. Click Add a new hardware device, and then click Next.
  5. Do one of the following:

  • Click Search for and install the hardware automatically (Recommended) if you want Windows to try to detect the new non-Plug and Play device you want to install.
  • Click Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) if you know the type and model of the device you are installing and you want to select it from a list of devices.
  • Click Next, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

Installing and using scanners and digital cameras

To install a scanner or digital camera

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Scanners and Cameras.
  2. If your camera is Plug and Play, the Scanner and Camera Wizard starts.
    –or–

    Double-click Add Device.

  3. Follow the instructions on your screen.

To test a scanner or digital camera

  1. Right-click the scanner or camera you want to test, and then click Properties. You must have a camera or scanner installed and connected to your computer to view properties.
  2. On the General tab, depending on which device you are testing, click Test Scanner or Test Camera. A message will tell you if the scanner or camera completed the test successfully.

To print a picture from your camera

  1. Plug your camera or scanner into your computer.
  2. If your camera or scanner is Plug and Play, the Scanner and Camera Wizard starts.
    –or–
    If your camera is not a Plug and Play device, or you are using a scanner, right-click the camera or scanner from which you want to print pictures, and then click the appropriate option for that device.
  3. Follow the instructions on your screen.
  4. In Picture Tasks, click Print pictures. After you click Finish in the Scanner and Camera Wizard, Windows opens the folder containing the pictures and the available picture tasks.

Installing and configuring game controllers

To install a USB game controller

  • Attach the game controller to the computer's USB port. The computer can be on when you attach the controller. Windows will detect the device when you attach it.

To install a game port game controller

Most game ports are preset when you install a game controller.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Click Add.
  3. In the Game controllers list, click the controller you attached, and then click OK.

  • If your controller is not in the Game controllers list and you have a device installation disk, insert the disk, reinstall the device, and follow the instructions on your screen.
  • If your controller is not in the Game controllers list, and you do not have a device installation disk, consult the device manual to see if a listed device is compatible with yours. If so, select the compatible device from the list, and then click OK. You can also click Custom and create a custom device from the options listed.

To assign a game controller to a different port

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Click Add, and then in the Game controllers list, click the controller you want to add.
  3. In the Game port list, click the game port the controller is attached to, and then click OK.

To activate the pedal or rudder of a game controller

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Under Installed game controllers, click the controller with the rudder or pedal you want to activate, and then click Remove.
  3. Click Add, and then click the controller with the rudder or pedal you want to activate.
  4. Select the Rudder/Pedals check box, and then click OK to reinstall the controller.

  • If the Rudder/Pedals check box is unavailable, your game controller does not support this feature.
  • You must first remove the controller before you can activate it so you can specify new settings for it.

To calibrate a game controller

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Under Installed game controllers, click the controller you want to calibrate, and then click Properties.
  3. On the Settings tab, click Calibrate, and then follow the instructions on your screen.
  4. To return the controller to the default settings, on the Settings tab, click Reset to default.

To test a game controller

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Under Installed game controllers, click the controller you want to test, and then click Properties.
  3. On the Test tab, test your controller by moving or pressing each control, including the stick, wheel, yoke, pads, and buttons as appropriate.

  • After you perform an action with the controller, view the results on the Test tab.
  • If the controller is not functioning properly, it may need to be calibrated. To calibrate it, on the Settings tab, click Calibrate.

To remove a game controller

If you have a USB controller, you can remove it by unplugging it from your computer.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Under Installed game controllers, click the controller you want to remove, and then click Remove.

To change the preferred device

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Game Controllers.
  2. Under Installed game controllers, click the controller you want to change, and then click Advanced.
  3. In the Preferred device list, click the device you want, and then click OK.

Installing and managing modems

To install a modem manually

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Phone and Modem Option.
  2. Click Add, and then follow the instructions on the Add New Hardware wizard.

To test a modem

This procedure sends standard commands to your modem and displays the responses that indicate features supported by your modem.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Phone and Modem Options.
  2. On the Modems tab, click the modem you want to test.
  3. Click Properties, click Diagnostics, and then click Query Modem.

To change modem hardware settings

These values are usually set correctly when the modem is installed.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Phone and Modem Options.
  2. On the Modems tab, click the modem that you want to configure, and then click Properties.
  3. Select the Advanced tab.
  4. Click Change Default Preferences.
  5. Click the Advanced tab.
  6. Under Hardware Settings, change the setting for Data bits, Parity, Stop bits, or Modulation, and then click OK.

Using CDs and other storage devices

To view the contents of a CD

Do one of the following:

  • Insert the CD into the CD recorder. Windows automatically displays the files and folders located on the CD.
  • If the CD is already in the drive, click Start, click My Computer, and then double-click the CD drive.

To copy files and folders to a CD

  1. Insert a blank, writable CD into the CD recorder.
  2. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
  3. Click the files or folders you want to copy to the CD. To select more than one file, hold down the CTRL key while you click the files you want. Then, under File and Folder Tasks, click Copy this file, Copy this folder, or Copy the selected items.

    If the files are located in My Pictures, under Picture Tasks, click Copy to CD or Copy all items to CD, and then skip to step 5.

  4. In the Copy Items dialog box, click the CD recording drive, and then click Copy.
  5. In My Computer, double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays a temporary area where the files are held before they are copied to the CD. Verify that the files and folders that you intend to copy to the CD appear under Files Ready to be Written to the CD.
  6. Under CD Writing Tasks, click Write these files to CD. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

To erase files from a CD-RW

Erasing the CD deletes all the files on the CD. You cannot select individual files to delete.

  1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
  2. Double-click the CD recording drive. Windows displays the files and folders located on the CD.
  3. Under CD Writing Tasks, click Erase this CD-RW. Windows displays the CD Writing Wizard.
  4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to delete the files on the CD-RW.

Setting up your mouse, keyboard, and other pointing devices

To reverse your mouse buttons

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Mouse.
  2. On the Buttons tab, under Button configuration, select the Switch primary and secondary buttons check box to make the right button the primary mouse button. Clear the check box if you want the left button to be the primary mouse button.

To adjust the double-click speed of your mouse

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Mouse.
  2. On the Buttons tab, under Double-click speed, drag the slider.
  3. Test the speed by double-clicking the image in the test area.

To change the appearance of your mouse pointer

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Mouse.
  2. On the Pointers tab, do one of the following:

  • To change all of your pointers at one time, select a new scheme under Scheme.
  • To change one pointer, select it in the Customize list. Click Browse, and then double-click the name of the new pointer you want to use for that task.
  • To make the pointer invisible while typing, select the Hide pointer while typing check box. The pointer disappears when you are typing and reappears when you move the mouse.

To improve the visibility of the mouse pointer

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Mouse.
  2. On the Pointer Options tab, under Visibility, you can set the following options:

  • To turn on Pointer Trails, select the Display pointer trails check box. Trails make the pointer easier to see when you are moving it.
  • To find the pointer more easily when it is not in motion, select the Show location of pointer when you press the CTRL key check box.
  • To adjust the length of the pointer trail, select the Show pointer trails check box and move the slider below the check box.

To adjust the speed of your mouse pointer

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then double-click Mouse.
  2. On the Pointer Options tab, under Motion, drag the slider.

  • Select the Enhance pointer precision check box to provide finer control of your pointer at short distances without losing the ability to move the pointer quickly across the screen. Clear the check box to turn off this feature.
  • You can have the mouse snap to default buttons (such as OK or Apply) in dialog boxes by selecting Automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box under Snap To.

To adjust the cursor blink rate

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Keyboard.
  2. On the Speed tab, drag the Cursor blink rate slider.

  • The test cursor to the left of the slider area blinks at the new rate.
  • To prevent the cursor (insertion point) from blinking, drag the slider to the left end of the bar. The cursor will remain visible, but will not blink.

To adjust the key repeat rate

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Keyboard.
  2. On the Speed tab, make changes as follows:

  • To adjust the amount of time that elapses before characters repeat when you hold down a key, drag the Repeat delay slider.
  • To adjust how quickly characters repeat when you hold down a key, drag the Repeat rate slider.

To update your keyboard driver

Update your driver if your keyboard has keyboard shortcuts that are not working properly. Keyboard shortcuts are found on newer keyboards and are used to start programs, navigate on the Web, and switch to lower power states.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Keyboard.
  2. On the Hardware tab, click Properties.
  3. On the Driver tab, click Update Driver.
  4. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. You can have Windows search for the driver, or point to the driver's location yourself.

Using speakers and microphones

To change the system sound volume

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds and Audio Devices.
  2. On the Volume tab, under Device volume, drag the slider right or left to increase or to decrease the system volume.
  3. To mute sound volume, select the Mute check box; to restore the sounds, clear the Mute check box.

To adjust the speaker volume

The number of speakers for which you can adjust the volume depends on your sound card.

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds and Audio Devices.
  2. On the Volume tab, under Speaker settings, click Speaker Volume.
  3. Move the slider controls to the right or left to increase or decrease the volume for each available speaker.
  4. To move each slider control at the same time while saving their relative positions, select the Move all slide indicators at the same time check box.
  5. To return the speaker volume to the default positions, click Restore Defaults.

To adjust the volume for multimedia playback devices

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds and Audio Devices.
  2. On the Audio tab, under Sound playback, click Volume.
  3. In the Master Out dialog box, drag the Volume slider for the appropriate device up or down to increase or decrease the output volume.

To adjust the volume for multimedia recording devices

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds and Audio Devices.
  2. On the Audio tab, under Sound recording, click Volume.
  3. In the Recording Control dialog box, drag the Volume slider for the appropriate device up or down to increase or decrease the input volume.

To set up a microphone

  1. Locate the sound connections and connect the microphone jack to the computer. Most computers use an internal sound card and often the connections will be in the back of the system.
  2. These will be a series of connections the same size and diameter as the microphone jack. One will be labeled as the microphone connection, either with a small icon that looks like a microphone or explicitly labeled as such.
  3. Plug the microphone into that connection.

To test the microphone connection to the computer

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices and then double-click Speech in Control Panel.
  2. Select the Speech Recognition tab.
  3. Speak directly into the microphone. The sound level should register in the Microphone Level indicator.