If Something Goes Wrong

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Resolving a hardware conflict

The device most recently connected to the system is the one most likely to be causing a conflict.

Resolving conflictsThere are several things you can do to resolve hardware conflicts:Get the most recent drivers from the manufacturer.Disable the device.For an older device, remove it from the computer.

Disable another system component and use its resources for the new device. See “Fixing a problem with Device Manager” on page 173.

Reconfigure the device so that its requirements do not conflict. Refer to the device’s documentation for instructions about changing settings on the device.

Fixing a problem with Device Manager

Device Manager provides a way to check and change the configuration of a device.

Changing the default settings using Device Manager can cause other conflicts that make one or more devices unusable. Device Manager is a configuration tool for advanced users who understand configuration parameters and the ramifications of changing them.

Checking device properties

Device Manager provides a way to view the properties of a device. Properties include the name of the manufacturer, the type of device, the drivers installed, and the system resources assigned to the device.

To check a device’s properties:1Click Start, Control Panel, System and Maintenance, and then Device Manager.2To view the device(s) installed, double-click the device type.3To view the properties, double-click the device.

The operating system displays the Device Properties dialog box, which provides an array of tabs. They may include:

The General tab, which provides basic information about the device.