To access Device Manager:

For XP:
• Right–click My Computer, click Manage, and then click Device Manager. The Device Manager opens as shown in Figure 1 below.

For Vista:
• Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.‌ If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.


Figure 1. Opening the Device Manager

• If there is a problem with a device, it is listed in the hardware tree under Computer. Also, the problem device has a symbol that indicates the type of problem:
-- A black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field indicates the device is in a problem state. Note that a device that is in a problem state can be functioning.
-- A problem code explaining the problem is displayed for the device.
-- A red "X" indicates a disabled device. A disabled device is a device that is physically present in the computer and is consuming resources, but does not have a protected-mode driver loaded.

For example:

To view the status of a device:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Double–click the type of device you want to view.
3. Right–click the specific device you want, and then click Properties.
4. On the General tab, under Device status is a description of the device status, as shown in Figure 2 below.


Figure 2. Checking status of a device

If the device is experiencing a problem, you’ll see the type of problem in the Device status box. You might also see a problem code and number and a suggested solution.

Explanation of the error codes that are generated by Device Manager



For information on how to resolve hardware device problems, click Troubleshoot to start the Hardware Troubleshooter.

To install a new driver from Device Manager:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Double-click the type of device you want to update or change.
3. Right-click the specific device driver you want to update or change.
4. Click Update Driver to open the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the wizard instructions.

Note: If you install a new driver and your system becomes unstable, you can easily uninstall the driver and reinstall the old driver with Driver Rollback. For more information, read How to Roll Back a Device Driver (posted below).

To uninstall a device:

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Double–click the type of device that you want to uninstall.
3. Right–click the specific device you want to uninstall, and then click Uninstall.
4. In the Confirm Device Removal dialog box, click OK.

When you're done uninstalling the device, turn off your computer, and remove the device from the computer.

Note: Many devices on the market today are Plug and Play, which means when you plug the device in your computer will recognize it and automatically prompt you to install the drivers you need. You won't usually use Device Manager to uninstall a Plug and Play device. Simply disconnect the Plug and Play device from your computer. You might have to restart your computer. Check the device manufacturer's instructions for more information.

Product documentation

For further information about using Device Manager, see the Windows XP documentation. To access documentation while using Device Manager, press F1 on your keyboard to go directly to the Device Manager section.

How to Roll Back a Device Driver

Windows XP knows how to work with thousands of different hardware devices like digital cameras, video cards, and scanners. Because each of these devices is unique, your operating system needs a unique way of communicating with each one. It does so with a program called a driver.

If you're using a piece of hardware for the first time or if you're suddenly having problems with a trusty piece of hardware, the first step you may want to take is to update your drivers. This means replacing your old driver with a new one. Unfortunately, an updated driver may not fix the problem and, in some cases, it may do more harm than good.

However, each time you update a driver, Windows XP automatically saves a copy of the previous driver on your computer. If you think a recent driver update may be making your computer unstable, you can use the Driver Rollback feature to get rid of the new driver and replace it with the last one that worked. Driver Rollback permits only one level of rollback (only one prior driver version can be saved at a time); this feature is available for all device classes, except printers.

To roll back a driver:

1. Log on as Administrator.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.
4. Navigate to the driver you wish to roll back, right click the name of the driver and choose Properties, as shown in Figure 1 below.


Figure 1. Choosing a driver to roll back

5. Click the Driver tab and then click Roll Back Driver, as shown in Figure 2 below.


Figure 2. Rolling back a driver

Note: If there's no previous version of the driver installed for the selected device, the Roll Back Driver button will be unavailable.

Tips for fixing common driver problems


I just installed a new hardware device, and it's not working correctly.


If hardware isn't working properly, you might need a new driver - whether you installed the device recently or have had it installed since you acquired your computer. Every device needs a driver that allows it to communicate with your computer. Sometimes drivers need to be updated. All your drivers must be compatible with this version of Windows.

In most cases, drivers come with Windows or can be found by going to Windows Update in Control Panel and checking for updates. If Windows doesn't have the driver you need, you can usually find it on the disc that came with the hardware or device you want to use, or on the manufacturer's website.


There are several things you can try if you have a device that is not working correctly:


• Check if updated drivers are available through Windows Update. When you check Windows Update, click View available updates to determine if an updated driver is available for your device. For more information.
• Make sure that the hardware device is compatible with your computer and with your version of Windows. If the device is not compatible, you will need to find the correct driver. Check the information that came with your device. You can also search for the device on the Windows Vista Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) website. This website contains a comprehensive list of computers and devices that have been tested to work with Windows Vista.



• Many devices require special drivers to work properly. Be sure that you have installed any software discs that came with the device.
• Restart the computer. Restarting might be necessary if the driver requires it or if the driver did not install correctly.
• If the device is a universal serial bus (USB) device, disconnect it and then plug it in to a different USB port. Windows should detect the device and install the drivers, and will notify you if the device drivers did not install properly.


I just installed new drivers for my hardware from Windows Update, and want to make sure I get future updates.


It’s important to set Windows to download and install updates automatically. But even if you have Windows Update set to automatically install important updates for your computer, it still might not be set to install all the updated drivers it finds for your hardware, since not all these are classified as important. To get all driver updates, you have to turn on recommended updates, too. If you follow these steps, you might never have to check for driver updates yourself or struggle to get a device to work.

To turn on automatic updating

1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Update.
2. In the left pane, click Change settings.
3. Click Install updates automatically (recommended).
4. Under Recommended updates, select the check box for Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates, and then click OK. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.




I can't connect to the Internet to update my drivers.


You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

If you do not have a connection to the Internet, you might need to update your network adapter driver manually. If you have the disc that came with the device, place it in the CD drive and follow the steps to manually update the driver.

If you can't find the disc, try to connect to the Internet from another computer and download the device driver from the device manufacturer's website. Once you have the device driver files, copy them to the computer with a problem. Follow these steps to manually update the driver.

1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In Device Manager, locate the device under Network adapters, and then double-click the device name.
3. Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver.
4. In the Update Driver Software wizard, click Browse my computer for driver software.
5. Click the Browse button and go to the location on your computer where you saved the new driver files.
6. Click OK, and then click Next to install the driver.


I get an error message about Internet protocol (IP) bindings.


IP binding problems are typically caused by an out-of-date network adapter driver. To fix this problem, update the network adapter driver by following these steps:

1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.‌ If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. Double-click Network adapters.
3. Right-click the network adapter name, and then click Update Driver Software.

My Speakers do not work:

1. Make sure your speakers are plugged in,turned on, and properly connected to the computer. You've probably checked this, but it's amazing how little problems like this (or the computer's sound being muted) manage to confound people.
2. Plug the speakers in to another computer, if possible. If the speakers work with the other computer, proceed to the next step. If they don't, you've probably got a problem within the speakers themselves.
3. Check to see if your PC is still under warranty. If it is, do not proceed. The help provided below may void your warranty. Contact your service provider if this is the case.
4. Check your sound drivers.



• Open your Device Manager.
• Expand the Sounds, video, and game controllers heading to find your sound card. The name will depend on what sound card is installed on your PC. It will most likely have a name containing audio. It should look something similar to the example above. You'll know immediately if there is a major driver error because an exclamation point (!) will show over the card's icon.
• Double-click on the name of the sound card to open a new window. In the new properties window click on the Drivers tab. If there is no Drivers tab then you chose the wrong sound device. Go back and try again. On the Drivers tab, click the Driver Update button. Follow the Wizard's onscreen instructions to update your driver. You can also contact the manufacturer of your PC for the most recent audio drivers. They can usually be found online. See steps above.
• If you already have the most recent driver, click the Uninstall Driver button. Then restart your computer. When you restart your computer, the driver should reinstall automatically. If it does not, install it manually with software (or a download) from the manufacturer.
5. Check the Windows Troubleshooter. On the Drivers tab mentioned in the step above, there is a button for troubleshooting the device. Click on that button, and follow the instructions on screen.
6. Check the sound card itself. Properly shut down your PC and then disconnect all cables on the back of your PC, including the power cable. Open up the CPU, making sure to touch a grounded metal object (a doorknob or metal desk will work, for example) before opening up the case. This will discharge any static electricty you have built up, which could damage your computer.
• Locate the audio plug on the back of your PC. The sound card should be in the corresponding location on the inside of the PC. Remove the sound card and put it back in. The Microsoft site has detailed directions for installing a sound card; to remove one, simply do the reverse. Once you have the sound card back in, reattach the cables you unplugged earlier and boot your PC.

Speaker Tips

• If your sound card is built into the motherboard do not try to remove it. Your entire mother board will be needed to be replaced if the sound card is the problem. Another option is to buy a seperate PCI sound card and then install it.
• If you're having problems with speakers emitting a static or crackling noise, it may be caused by a high speed internet box. Moving the box away from the speakers or the speakers away from the box may help if this is the case.
• In some cases, you will be receiving high amounts of static from the CD Player and / or Line in channels. This can be corrected simply by lowering the volume or muting these channels in Volume control (StartAll programsAccessoriesEntertainmentVolume control)