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Computer Hardware

Computer hardware includes printers, scanners, cameras, external drives, flash drives, network adapters, and modems to name just some.

These devices need to be installed - this involves physically connecting them to the computer, getting the computer to recognize them, and then setting them up as per your requirements.

Modern computers make this process much easier than it used to be but issues can still occur. In this tutorial, we explain all you need to know.

Your Devices

To help you keep an eye on what hardware is installed on your computer, Windows provides several utilities. Two of these are:

  • Device Manager:
    the Device Manager can be accessed from the Control Panel. When opened, it shows a categorized list of all the types of hardware installed on the computer.
    To see details of the actual devices, click the arrow next to them.
  • Devices and Printers
    this can also be accessed from the Control Panel. When it opens, it shows all the devices on your PC.

Installing Devices

We mentioned in the introduction to this tutorial that modern computers are much better at installing hardware devices than they used to be, and indeed they are.

Usually, all that's required is that you connect the device to the appropriate port on the computer and then switch it on. Windows will search its built-in driver database for the device's driver and, assuming it has it, will install it automatically. The device should then be ready for operation.

However, things don't always go to plan, in which case you will have to do it the hard way as we describe below:

  1. Click the Start button and then click Settings.
  2. Click Connected devices.
  3. The Devices window opens - this show all the devices connected to your computer. See if the device you are attempting to install is listed. If it is, there should be a message that explains the problem.
  4. If your device isn't listed, click Add a device at the top of the window - Windows will now do a search for recently added devices and show a list of any it has found.
  5. If your device is in the list, click it and then follow the prompts - this will usually fix the problem.
  6. If your device isn't in the list, click the "Not finding what you're looking for?" link at the bottom.
  7. A Help page will open offering advice on how to resolve the issue.

If your device comes with an installation disc, this gives you another option. The procedure for this is:

  1. Place the installation disc in the CD/DVD drive.
  2. Open This PC and click on the CD/DVD drive to open the disc.
  3. A User Account Control box will open asking permission to proceed - click Yes.
  4. The device's installation screen will now open.
  5. Installation options vary according to the device but it's usually just a matter of following the prompts and clicking Next.

Updating Device Drivers

Supplied with virtually all devices, drivers are small programs that basically tell the computer what system resources the device requires in order to function properly. There are device drivers for printers, monitors, CD-ROM readers, disk drives, and so on. Having installed a device successfully, many people then basically forget all about it - as long as it works, that's all they are concerned about.

However, nothing stays still in the world of computing for long. A few months after marketing a device, the device's manufacturer may add new features to it that the original driver can't support. To be able to use the new features, you will need to update the driver. Drivers can also become corrupted so that the device doesn't work properly any more. This will require the driver to be reinstalled; however if an updated version is available, it makes sense to install that instead.

Many devices are capable of updating themselves - as soon as the manufacturer makes an update available, they will download and install it automatically (as long as the computer is connected to the Internet). Not all devices update themselves automatically though, so there may be times when you will have to do it manually.

Updating a Device Driver

If you have a device connected to your system that you think may benefit from a driver update, this is the way to go about it:

  1. Go to the Control Panel and open Device Manager.
  2. Locate the device to be updated and right-click on it.
  3. Click Update Driver Software.
  4. A window will open asking how you want to search for the driver.
  5. Click the first option, "Search automatically for updated driver software.
  6. Windows will now perform a search of both the Internet and your computer for a more recent driver. If it finds one, it will install it automatically; if it doesn't, you will get a message saying that you already have the best driver installed.

Uninstalling Devices

All devices eventually outlive their usefulness; at this point they will have to be removed from the system, i.e. uninstalled. There are two ways to do this - the correct way and the incorrect way.

The incorrect way is to just disconnect it from the computer and assume the job's done. This can give rise to two problems:

  • Windows will think the device is still installed but has a problem. As a result, you may get unwanted and unnecessary error messages.
  • The device's configuration details will still be held by Windows. Should you later replace the device with a more modern version, or a similar one from a different manufacturer, the original configuration settings may cause problems with the new device.

The correct way to do the job is to uninstall it in Windows before you disconnect it from the computer.

The procedure is:

  1. Click the Start button and then click Settings.
  2. Click Connected devices.
  3. The Devices window opens.
  4. Click the device to be installed and then click Remove device.

Windows will now delete all traces of the device's configuration details. Now you can safely disconnect it from your computer.

Connecting Bluetooth Devices

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless network technology that makes it possible to use a variety of wireless devices with your PC - Bluetooth headphones, speakers, phones, fitness trackers - to name just a few.

Establishing a Bluetooth Connection

Before you can use a Bluetooth device, it must first be paired with your computer, i.e, they need to be "introduced" so that they are on the same wavelength so to speak.

  1. Switch on your Bluetooth audio device and make it discoverable. The procedure for doing this will be in the device's documentation.
  2. Turn on Bluetooth on your PC, if it's not already. To do this, click Action Center on the Taskbar, and then the Bluetooth Connect button.
  3. Windows will now do a search for nearby Bluetooth devices and connect to any it finds.

If pressing the Connect button doesn't find your device, the following may resolve the issue:

  • Make sure your device actually supports Bluetooth.
  • If you don't see the Bluetooth Connect button in Action Center, try updating the device's driver as explained here.
  • Remove the device and then re-pair it as explained in Steps 1-3 above.
  • Check that the device is switched on and has been made discoverable. Consult the device's documentation to make sure you are doing it correctly.