Device Manager
From HowToGeek
Device Manager is an administration utility in Windows that allows you to see all of the devices currently installed in your computer, and disable/update drivers for each.
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Summary
The device manager administration panel was introduced in Windows 95(?) and has been in every version since. You can browse through the list of devices by category (default) or by connection, which shows devices connected by the system bus they are attached to.
Originally Device Manager was a separate utility, but since Windows 2000 it has been a snap-in plugin for Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
In older versions of Windows, the "Scan for New Hardware" option was used to force the system to detect new hardware. It's less necessary to do so anymore, and the device manager panel is typically used to upgrade or downgrade drivers.
Accessing Device Manager
- XP: Right-click "My Computer" and select Properties. Select the hardware tab and then the Device Manager button.
- Vista: Right-click on "Computer" and select Manage, then select Device Manager in the left-hand pane.
or
- Run devmgmt.msc from the start menu search or run dialog.
Viewing Device Properties
Todo: Add screenshots for how to view the device properties and understand them.
Disabling a Device
Right-click on any device in the tree, and then select Disable from the menu.
Updating Device Drivers
Todo: add screenshot for updating a driver..
Rolling Back Device Drivers
Todo: add screenshot for rolling back a driver..
See Also
- Device Driver
- Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
- Remove Old Drivers After Upgrading to New Hardware
- Roll back Troublesome Device Drivers in Windows Vista
