Overview
This step-by-step article describes how to use Device Manager to configure hardware devices installed in a Windows Server 2003-based computer.
Device Manager displays information of the hardware installed in the computer to the graphical interface. You can use this tool to view and manage your hardware devices and their drivers. You must be logged in to the computer as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to add or remove devices and configure device properties in Device Manager.
When you install a Plug and Play device, Windows automatically configures the device to work properly with other devices installed in your computer. During the configuration process, Windows assigns a unique set of system resource settings to the device. The following are four types of resources that can be used by devices:
Interrupt Request (IRQ) Line Number Direct Memory Access (DMA) Channel Input/Output (I/O) Port Address Memory Address Range
Each resource assigned to a device is given a unique value. Occasionally, two devices will need the same resource, in which case a device conflict will occur. If a device conflict occurs, you can manually configure the device to assign a unique resource to each device. Sometimes, depending on the specific device driver and computer, two devices may also share a single resource (for example, an interrupt on a Peripheral Component Interconnect [PCI] device).
When you install a non-Plug and Play device, Windows does not automatically configure resource settings for that device. You may need to manually configure these settings, depending on the device type. Before configuring your settings, contact your hardware manufacturer or refer to the documentation that came with your device for more information.
Typically, Windows automatically recognizes devices and their resource requests and then automatically allocates resource settings for the hardware. In most cases, there is no need to modify the hardware's resource settings. Do not change the resource settings of your Plug and Play device unless necessary. After the resource is manually configured, the resource settings are fixed in the system. Therefore, Windows cannot modify resource allocations when needed, nor can it allocate resources to another device.
How to configure a device in Device Manager
To configure a device in Device Manager, follow the steps below.
Important note: Be careful when configuring resource settings for your device. If the resources are misconfigured, the hardware may be disabled and the computer may stop working. Resource settings can only be changed if the resources you are using are unique and do not conflict with the settings of other devices, or the hardware manufacturer provides specific resource settings for the device. - Log in to the computer as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group.
- Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
- In the console tree, under System Tools, click Device Manager.
installed in the computer equipment listed in the right pane. - Double-click the type of device you want to configure, for example, "Port (COM & LPT)".
- Right-click the device you want to configure and click Properties.
- Click the Resources tab.
- Click to clear the Use automatic settings check box.
Note: "Use automatic settings" check box is unavailable and appears dimmed in the following two devices: no other settings to configure the device, the device is controlled by Plug and Play resources without the need for user modify. - In the Set Based on box, click the hardware configuration you want to modify, such as Basic Configuration 0000.
- In the Resource Settings box, under Resource Types, click the type of resource you want to modify, such as Interrupt Request.
- Click Change Settings.
- In the Edit Resource dialog box, type the resource value you want and click OK.
- Repeat steps 8 through 11 to configure additional resource settings for your device.
- Exit Device Manager.
How to view resource settings in Device Manager
To view resources and list of devices that use resources by type or connection type, follow these steps: - Click Start, Point to Administrative Tools and click Computer Management.
- In the console tree, under System Tools, click Device Manager.
installed in the computer equipment listed in the right pane. The default view lists devices by type. - Use one of the following methods:
- To view a list of resources by type, on the View menu, click Sort Resources by Type.
- or - - To view a list of resources by connection type, click the "Resources by connection" in the View menu. When
troubleshooting
use Device Manager to search for device conflicts
the same resources are allocated to two or more devices, namely device conflict. You can use Device Manager to search for device conflicts. To do this, follow these steps: - Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
- In the console tree, under System Tools, click Device Manager.
installed in the computer equipment listed in the right pane. - Double-click the type of device you want to test, such as Sound, Video, and Game Controller.
- Right-click the device you want to test to check for conflicts, and then click Properties.
- Click the Resources tab.
all conflicts associated with the device are in the "Conflicting device list" listed.
Windows Hardware Troubleshooting
Use Windows Hardware Troubleshooting to help you diagnose and resolve hardware conflicts or other hardware-related issues. To start Hardware Troubleshooting, follow these steps: - Log in to the computer as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group.
- Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
- In the console tree, under System Tools, click Device Manager.
installed in the computer equipment listed in the right pane. - Double-click the type of device for which you want to diagnose the failure, for example, a modem.
- Right-click the device for which you want to diagnose the failure and click Properties.
- Click the General tab.
- Click Troubleshooting.