Archive for July 2011

A computer’s Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is software through which the operating system communicates with hardware devices. Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) is the current standard for the way the BIOS works. Windows supports not only ACPI but also some BIOS versions based on older Advanced Power Management (APM) designs. Some machines aren’t capable of…

Hardware Profiles tell your Windows computer which devices to start and what setting to use for each device. You can have more than one hardware profile on a Windows XP/2003 computer.  Hardware profiles are useful if you have a portable computer and use it in a variety of locations.  When you first install Windows Server…

Driver signing is a digital imprint that is Microsoft’s way of guaranteeing that a driver has been tested and will work with the operating system.  Digitally signing a file is the process by which you can guarantee that a particular file comes from the source that it claims to come from.  The application of driver…

When a physical device such as a PCI card is inserted into a machine it may still require installing within the operating system. A logical device can be “removed” while the physical device remains connected! Plug and Play (PnP) devices are fairly easy to work with. A computer can usually deal with these without much…

Hardware Support; Windows XP/2003 includes support for numerous devices, including DVD, multiple monitors, cameras and wireless communication. Plug and Play (PnP); Plug and Play is a standard that allows hardware to configure itself, with the least amount of user-intervention. Universal Serial Bus (USB); Allows you to connect devices to your computer without restarting.  USB1 runs…