CHAPTER
25
IMPLEMENTING, MANAGING AND
TROUBLESHOOTING
HARDWARE DEVICES AND DRIVERS
Lesson 1:
Using Device Manager and System Information
Device Manager is one of the snap-ins located under System tools in Computer Management.
Device Manager provides you with a graphical view of the hardware installed on your computer.
Device Manager helps you to determine whether the hardware on your computer is working properly.
It lists devices with problems, and each device that is flagged is displayed with the corresponding
status information. Windows 2000 also provides the Hardware troubleshooter in online Help to
troubleshoot hardware problems.
Installing Devices
Windows 2000 Professional supports Plug and Play hardware. For most devices that are Plug
and Play compliant, as long as the appropriate driver is available and the BIOS on the computer
is a Plug and Play BIOS or an ACPI BIOS, Windows 2000 automatically detects, installs, and
configures the device.
Configuring and Troubleshooting Devices
Device Manager allows you to identify free resources and assign a device to that resource, disable
Windows 2000 automatically identifies Plug and Play devices and arbitrates their resource requests.
However, the resource allocation among Plug and Play devices isn’t permanent. If another Plug
and Play device requests a resource that has already been allocated, Windows 2000 again arbitrates
the requests to satisfy all resource requests.
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Using the System Information Snap-in
To use System Information, use the MMC to create a custom console and add the System Information
snap-in to it. When you add the snap-in to a custom console, you can focus it on the local machine
or on a remote machine.
Lesson Summary:
There are two Windows 2000 snap-in devices, the Device Manager and System Information.
Device Manager is used to configure and troubleshoot devices.
System Information quickly gathers and displays your system configuration and helps you to manage
and troubleshoot your computer.
Lesson 2:
Configuring, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting Driver Signing
Windows 2000 drivers and operating system files have been digitally signed by Microsoft to ensure
their quality. In Device Manager, you can look at the Driver tab to verify that the digital signer of
the Installed driver is correct. Some applications overwrite existing operating files as part of their
installation process.
Configuring Driver Signing
You can configure how the system responds to unsigned files by opening System in Control Panel
and clicking the Hardware Tab. There are three available settings:
Ignore. This option allows any files to be installed regardless of their digital signature
or the lack thereof.
Warn. This option displays a warning message before allowing the installation of an
unsigned file. This is the default option.
Block. This option prevents the installation of unsigned files.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting Driver Signing
Windows 2000 also provides SFC, a command-line utility that you can use to check the digital
signature of files.
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Using the File Signature Verification Utility
Windows 200 also provides a File Signature Verification Utility. To use this utility, click
Start/Run/sigverif (enter key)./Advanced. The File Signature Verification utility allows you
to view the file’s name, its location, its modification date, its type and its version number.
Lesson Summary:
One is a command-line utility: System File Checker. It has a number of optional parameters that
let you control how and when it will run. The second utility is a Windows utility, File Signature
Verification (sigverif).
Lesson 3:
Configuring computer with
Monitoring System Performance
Scaling
Adding Processors to your system to improve performance is called scaling.
This is really more of a Windows 2000 Server family of products issue than it is a Windows 2000
Professional issue because multiprocessor configurations are typically used for processor-intensive
applications, such as those found on database servers or Web servers.
Updating Drivers
You use Device Manager to upgrade drivers. You upgrade a driver whenever a newer version
f the driver is released. You also update drivers to convert your computer from a single processor
system to one that supports multiple processors, for example.
CAUTION This procedure upgrades only the driver on your computer. If your computer has
only a single processor, upgrading the driver isn’t going to make it a multiple processor computer.
In fact, a computer with only one processor can no longer function if you upgrade the driver to one
that supports multiple processors.
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Using Performance Console to Monitor System Performance
You can monitor the activity of your symmetric processing (SMP) system by using Performance
Console and its counters. Performance Console helps you to gauge a computer’s efficiency and
locate and resolve current or potential problems.
NOTE: You can select several counters at the same time by holding down the Control Key.
The shift key will select several counters in a row, or consecutively.
Lesson Summary:
to be more of an issue for the Windows 2000 Server family than it is for Windows 2000
Professional.
driver is released.
symmetric processing (SMP) system. Performance Console helps you to gauge
a computers efficiency and locate a resolve current or potential problems.
Lesson 4: Installing,
Managing, and Troubleshooting Devices
If you have a fax device, such as a fax modem installed, then Control Panel will have a Fax icon.
You can use the Fax icon to add, monitor and troubleshoot fax devices, including fax modems
and fax printers. Click FAX icon, and then select the Advanced Options tab.
NOTE: The Advanced Options tab appears only if you are logged on as Administrator or have
administrator privileges.
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Using the Fax Service Management Console
Using the Fax Service Management window, you can administer fax support on your local
computer or on other computers on your network. By default, you are set up to send a fax,
but not to receive a fax.
Faxing a Document
You can use any Windows-based application that contains a Print command to fax a document.
Click File and then click Print to open the Print dialog box. Select the Fax printer, and then click
Print to open the Send Fax wizard.
Monitoring a Fax
Open Fax in Control Panel and select the Status Monitor tab. Ensure that Display The Status
Monitor is selected and click OK.
Managing and Troubleshooting I/O Devices
Most scanners and cameras are Plug and Play devices, and Windows 2000 will install them
automatically when you connect them to your computer. If they aren’t installed automatically
when you connect your computer, or if they aren’t Plug and Play compatible, use the Scanner
and Camera Installation Wizard.
Mouse Devices
Double-click the Mouse icon in Control Panel to open the Mouse Properties, which you can
configure and troubleshoot your mouse.
The buttons tab allows you to configure your Mouse for a lefthanded or righthanded user.
The Pointers tab allows you to select or create a custom scheme for your pointer.
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Modems
To install or configure a modem, double-click Phone and Modem Options in Control Panel,
and select the Modems tab.
Universal Serial Bus Devices
To install USB device, a USB game controller, attach the USB game controller to a USB port.
You may have to enable BIOS to make the USB work.
You might also need to check the USB port entry in Device Manager, Click Universal Serial Bus
connection, right-click USB Hub, and then click Properties.
IrDA Devices and Wireless Devices
Most Internal IrDA devices should be installed by Windows 2000 Setup, or once you start
Windows 2000 after adding one of these devices. You must install in the Add/Remove
Hardware Wizard, in the Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, select the Wireless devices, then select the device you want, and set the
properties.
Keyboards
To configure your keyboard, double-click Keyboards in Control Panel. On the Input Locales tab,
you can add and remove locales and control the hot keys to switch between locales.
NOTE: The icons you see in Control Panel will depend on the devices you have installed on your
computer.
Lesson Summary:
add, monitor and troubleshoot fax devices.
be connected to your system, including: scanners and cameras, mouse devices, modems,
USB devices, IrDA devices, wireless devices and keyboards.