Installing Hardware in Windows XP

It is easier to install hardware in Windows XP than it is in any previous version of Windows. Support for Plug and Play devices that largely configure themselves and the inclusion of more hardware drivers than ever before with Windows XP means that users are more comfortable installing hardware themselves. However, there are still many details that you must get right, and often users will call on you to help a user
install and configure new hardware.

To install any new hardware, you must perform the following general steps:

1. Connect the device to the computer. Sometimes, this means opening the computer case and adding new memory or an expansion card. Other times, it simply mean plugging a new device into an external port and turning the device on.

2. Install the device drivers and other software in Windows so that the operating system can recognize and communicate with the device. Windows XP may already have the necessary drivers, or you may need to supply them.

3. Test the new device to make sure that it works properly and that it does not interfere with other devices on the computer.

The vast majority of devices that you encounter in windows xp are likely to be Plug and Play devices, which makes job a lot easier. However, if you have computers with older devices or older computers that have been upgraded to Windows XP, you may run into non-Plug and Play devices that require a little more effort to install than simply connecting the device.

You can use the Add Hardware Wizard to install and configure non-Plug and Play devices and Plug and Play devices that have been recently connected to the system (but for whatever reason were not detected automatically). You can also use the Add Hardware Wizard to access Windows XP troubleshooting tools for all installed hardware.

Adding a Device by using the Add Hardware Wizard

To install a new device by using the Add Hardware Wizard, follow these steps:

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel.

2. In the Control Panel window, select Printers And Other Hardware.

3. In the Printers And Other Hardware window, in the See Also list, select Add Hardware to start the Add Hardware Wizard. After reading the Welcome To The Add Hardware Wizard page, click Next.

4. The wizard searches the system for new devices and then asks whether the new hardware is attached to the computer,Select Yes, I Have Already Connected The Hardware, and then click Next.