Lesson 1: Troubleshooting Post-Installation Configuration Issues

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Lesson 1: Troubleshooting Post-Installation

Configuration Issues

Post-installation troubleshooting involves ensuring that all devices and applications installed

on the Windows Vista computer are working properly. Often, you can ascertain this only by

using the computer for some time after the initial installation. Only if you have used the com-

puter for some time can you be sure that a particular hardware device is unreliable or that a

particular application seems to be in the habit of failing. Post-installation troubleshooting also

involves tailoring the computer to best suit your needs. This often means adjusting the screen

resolution, color settings, desktop background, and refresh rate to something you feel com-

fortable with, just as you’d adjust all the settings—like mirrors, seat, and steering wheel—in

your car to ensure that you are not uncomfortable when driving.

After this lesson, you will be able to:

■ Resolve device configuration issues.

■ Resolve display settings issues.

■ Resolve visual appearance issues.

Estimated lesson time: 40 minutes

Device Manager Troubleshooting

Although Windows Vista makes it very simple to connect and use a hardware device, a lot of

complex behind-the-scenes activities occur when you perform such a connection. The device

and Windows Vista must negotiate which hardware resources the device will use to commu-

nicate with the computer. In the past it was necessary for the person installing the hardware

device to manually configure its settings by configuring hardware jumpers. Today, hardware

device resource allocation is accomplished through software. Windows Vista’s Device Man-

ager is the primary tool used to perform this management and configuration. Device Manager

is also the tool that you will most likely use to resolve device configuration issues.

Opening Device Manager

Although Device Manager has its own separate console, it is also visible as a node of the Com-

puter Management Console. To open Device Manager, use one of the following methods:

Method One: Using the Control Panel

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. Ensure that the Control Panel is configured to use Classic View.

3. Double-click the Device Manager icon.

4. Click Continue to close User Account Control.