Lesson 4: Installing Hardware Automatically

Windows 2000 supports both Plug and Play and non-Plug and Play hardware. This lesson introduces you to the automatic hardware installation features of Windows 2000.

After this lesson, you will be able to

Describe how to install hardware automatically.

Estimated lesson time: 15 minutes

Installing Plug and Play Hardware

With most Plug and Play hardware, you simply connect the device to the computer, and Windows 2000 automatically configures the new settings. However, you might occasionally need to initiate automatic installation for some Plug and Play hardware. You do this with the Add/Remove Hardware wizard.

Installing Non-Plug and Play Hardware

For non-Plug and Play hardware, Windows 2000 often identifies the hardware and automatically installs and configures it. For non-Plug and Play hardware that Windows 2000 doesn't identify, install, and configure, you initiate the automatic installation of the hardware with the Add/Remove Hardware wizard.

For automatic hardware installations, you can do the following:

Initiate automatic hardware installation by starting the Add/Remove Hardware wizard.

Windows 2000 queries the hardware about the hardware resources that it
requires and the settings for those resources. A hardware resource allows a hardware device to communicate directly with the operating system. Windows 2000 can resolve conflicts between Plug and Play hardware for hardware
resources.

Confirm the automatic hardware installation.

Once Windows 2000 finishes the installation, verify correct installation and configure the hardware.

Using the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard

You use the Add/Remove Hardware wizard to initiate automatic hardware installation and to troubleshoot devices. You also use the wizard for undetected hardware devices—both Plug and Play devices and non-Plug and Play devices.

You can do the following to start the Add/Remove Hardware wizard:

In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Hardware.

Click Next to close the welcome page.

Select Add/Troubleshoot A Device, and then click Next.

Windows searches for new devices.

After the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard starts, it searches for any new Plug and Play hardware and then installs any it finds. If the wizard can't find a new device, it displays the Choose A Hardware Device page, shown in Figure 4.12. If no new hardware devices are discovered, Windows 2000 prompts you to select one of the installed devices to troubleshoot it.

Figure 4.12 Troubleshooting with the Add/Remove Hardware wizard

Confirming Hardware Installation

After installing hardware, confirm the installation by using Device Manager.

You can do the following to start Device Manager:

Double-click the System icon in Control Panel.

Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

This allows you to view the installed hardware, as shown in Figure 4.13.

Windows 2000 uses icons in the right pane of the Computer Management
window to identify each installed hardware device. If Windows 2000 doesn't have an icon for the device type, it displays a question mark.

Figure 4.13 The Device Manager window showing devices listed by type

Expand the device tree to locate the newly installed hardware device. The device icon indicates whether the hardware device is operating properly. You can use the information in Table 4.5 to determine the hardware status.

Table 4.5 Device Manager Hardware Status

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you learned that Windows 2000 supports both Plug and Play and non-Plug and Play hardware. With most Plug and Play hardware, you connect the device to the computer, and Windows 2000 automatically configures the new settings. For non-Plug and Play hardware, Windows 2000 often identifies the hardware and automatically installs and configures it. For the occasional Plug and Play hardware device and for any non-Plug and Play hardware that Windows 2000 doesn't identify, install, and configure, you initiate automatic hardware
installation with the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard.