15 Problems That Your Plague Your PC
And How to Solve Them


--by Karen Kenworthy, Contributing Editor, Fred Langa, Senior 
Consulting Editor, John Woram, Consulting Editor, Serdar 
Yegulalp, Technology Editor


** Problem No 1: Windows can't find my hardware. **

Solution:
Sometimes, Windows either fails to recognize new Plug-and-Play 
hardware or loses track of existing hardware after a crash or 
other problem. Check the manual to verify the device is 
installed correctly (plugged into the correct slot, powered on 
and so on).

If that's not your problem, right-click on My Computer and 
select Properties. Click on Device Manager and select the 
category and offending device (you may have to drill down a 
bit). If it's flagged with a red X or yellow exclamation point, 
use the Properties button to see what's causing the problem 
(e.g., a resource conflict).

If your hardware still won't work, click Remove. If Win98 asks 
to remove "files that are no longer needed" click Yes, and do a 
full power-off reboot. When you restart, Windows should 
redetect the hardware you just removed and install the proper 
drivers (it may ask for the hardware's setup disk). If it 
doesn't, use the Add New Hardware wizard to select the device 
and its drivers manually.

If even this fails, try the Web. Your problem could be an 
outdated driver, and you may find the answer in a vendor BBS 
area, FAQ or other resource.


 1998 Windows Magazine, April 1999, Page 112.