Chapter 8. Managing hardware devices and drivers
Managing a computer’s hardware configuration is largely about installing and maintaining operating system components, hardware devices, and device drivers. However, managing the hardware configuration of computers running Windows 7 and later is very different from managing the configuration of computers designed for earlier releases of Windows. Many aspects of Windows 8.1 are automatically monitored and updated and don’t need to be configured or maintained in the same way as they were previously. Windows 8.1 uses the following features:
Automatic maintenance that fixes problems identified by the operating system or reports them through Action Center
Windows SmartScreen to warn users before running unrecognized apps from the Internet
Built-in diagnostics to monitor hardware devices, physical memory, networking, and performance
Problem reporting to try to automatically resolve configuration and performance issues
Problem diagnosis to offer solutions to issues that cannot be automatically resolved
Automatic updating of operating system components
Driver updating to obtain necessary drivers and driver updates for detected hardware devices
Improved automatic diagnostics for application and drive compatibility issues
From the moment you install Windows 8.1, these features start working to help you monitor and maintain computers. As an administrator, you can use these features to help guide your configuration and maintenance efforts. Separate tools are provided for managing the areas monitored by diagnostics, including hardware diagnostics, memory diagnostics, networking diagnostics, and performance diagnostics.
For configuring and maintaining hardware devices and drivers, you can also use Device Manager, Devices And Printers, and the Add Devices And Printers Wizard. You’ll use these tools whenever you install, uninstall, or troubleshoot hardware devices and drivers. Other tools are available for managing specific types of hardware devices, such as keyboards, and video cards. To manage automatic updating and driver updating, you use Windows Update, which is provided as a Control Panel utility.
Working with the automated Help and support system
Automated Help and support fundamentally changes how the operating system works and how you support it. As an administrator, you should be sure to understand how the Help architecture works and how it can be configured.
Using automated Help and support
Windows 8.1 builds on the extensive diagnostics and problem resolution architecture that was developed for Windows 7 and extended for Windows 8. Although early releases of Windows included some Help and diagnostics features, those features were, for the most part, not self-correcting or self-diagnosing. The current framework, on the other hand, can detect many types of hardware, memory, and performance issues and resolve them automatically or help users through the process of resolving them.
Windows now includes more reliable and better-performing device drivers that prevent many common causes of hangs and crashes. Improved I/O cancellation for device drivers ensures that the operating system can recover gracefully from blocking calls and that fewer blocking disk I/O operations occur.
To reduce the downtime and restarts required for application installations and updates, Windows can use the update process to mark in-use files for update and then automatically replace the files the next time an application is started. In some cases, Windows can save the application’s data, close the application, update the in-use files, and then restart the application. To improve overall system performance and responsiveness, Windows uses memory efficiently, provides ordered execution for groups of threads, and provides several process-scheduling mechanisms. By optimizing memory and process usage, Windows ensures that background processes have less impact on system performance.
By default, Windows uses SmartScreen, which displays a prompt asking for administrator approval before running an unrecognized app from the Internet. If you don’t want to require administrator approval, you can configure this feature to display a warning instead, or you can turn SmartScreen off completely.
Windows provides improved guidance on the causes of unresponsive conditions. By including additional error-reporting details in the event logs, Windows makes it easier to identify and resolve issues. To automatically recover from service failures, Windows uses service-recovery policies more extensively than previous versions did. When recovering a failed service, Windows automatically handles both service and nonservice dependencies. Windows starts any dependent services and system components prior to starting the failed service.
In early releases of Windows, an application crash or hang is marked as Not Responding, and it is up to the user to exit and then restart the application. Windows now attempts to resolve the issue of unresponsive applications by using Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA) and Restart Manager. PCA can detect installation failures, run-time failures, and drivers blocked because of compatibility issues. To help resolve these issues, PCA provides options for running an application in compatibility mode or for getting help online through a Microsoft website. Restart Manager can shut down and restart unresponsive applications automatically. Thanks to Restart Manager, you might not have to intervene to try to resolve issues with frozen applications.
Note
Diagnostic Policy Service and Program Compatibility Assistant Service must be running and properly configured for automated diagnostics and compatibility assistance to work properly. In the Computer Management console, you can configure these services by using the Services extension. One way to open Computer Management is by pressing the Windows key, entering compmgmt.msc, and then pressing Enter. This shortcut works so long as the Apps Search box is in focus.
Real World
Technically, the top-level nodes in Computer Management are snap-in extensions. Each was added to a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to create the console. Want to learn how? Enter MMC at a prompt. In the new console window, select Add Or Remove Snap-in on the File menu. While working with the Add Or Remove Snap-in dialog box, select Computer Management under Available Snap-ins, and then select Add. When prompted, select Local Computer and then select Finish. Next, in the Add Or Remove Snap-in dialog box, select Computer Management under Selected Snap-ins, and then click Edit Extensions. You can view each individual snap-in extension—and how the console was created by Microsoft.
Failed installations and nonresponsive conditions of applications and drivers are also tracked through Action Center. In these cases, the built-in diagnostics mechanisms can sometimes provide a problem response. You can view a list of current problems at any time by performing one of the following actions:
Tap or click the Action Center icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then tap or click Open Action Center.
In Control Panel, tap or click Review Your Computer’s Status under the System And Security heading.
In Action Center, shown in Figure 8-1, you get a list of problems organized into two broad areas: Security and Maintenance.
Problems are color-coded:
Red is a warning about an important problem that requires your attention. For example, if the computer doesn’t have virus protection software, this is a red warning.
Orange is a caution about a problem that you might want to look at. For example, if a computer hasn’t been scanned recently by Windows Defender, this is an orange warning.
You can tap or click the Security or Maintenance heading to expand the section and view more detailed information. Expanding the Security area displays the following information:
The status of the network firewall, Windows Update, virus protection, and the computer’s spyware and unwanted software protection
The configuration of Internet security settings, User Account Control (UAC), Windows SmartScreen, and Network Access Protection
Expanding the Maintenance area displays information about the following:
Links for managing the configuration of problem reports
The status of File History and the computer’s drives
The status of Automatic Maintenance and links for managing maintenance
If you have just set up a computer and want to check for problems, or if you suspect a computer has problems that haven’t been diagnosed, you can initiate automatic problem detection by following these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click the Maintenance heading, and then scroll down.
Below the list of current problems, you’ll find an area labeled Check For Solutions To Problem Reports and a set of related links. Tap or click Check For Solutions to start the automated problem-reporting process. When this process is complete, Action Center is updated to include all newly discovered problems, and solutions are provided if known.
If automated diagnostics detects problems for which there are no solutions available, you can view additional information about the problems. In the Problem Reporting dialog box, tap or click View Problem Details to get more information about the problems detected, as shown in Figure 8-2. If you want to do your own troubleshooting, tap or click the links provided to extract data so that you can analyze the problems later. The data is extracted to the Temp folder in the logged-on user’s profile. You need to make a copy of this data before you proceed.
In the Problem Reporting dialog box, tap or click Send Information to send this information to Microsoft, or tap or click Cancel to exit Problem Reporting without sending the information to Microsoft. If you send the information to Microsoft, the troubleshooting data is extracted to the Temp folder in the logged-on user’s profile, sent to Microsoft, and then deleted from the Temp directory. The amount of data extracted and sent can be a significant amount.
In Action Center, you can resolve detected problems that have known solutions by following these steps:
Each problem has a solution button or link. With Security problems, you can typically find programs online or scan the computer by using protection software. With Maintenance problems, you generally tap or click View Problem Response to display a page providing more information about the problem.
When you view the More Information page, keep the following in mind: When a driver or software issue is causing a problem, you’ll find a link to download and install the latest driver or software update. When a configuration issue is causing a problem, you’ll find a description of the problem and a step-by-step guide for modifying the configuration to resolve the problem.
When you have resolved a problem by installing a driver or software update, you can elect to archive the message for future reference by selecting the Archive This Message check box before you tap or click OK to close the More Information page.
When you are working with Action Center, you can get a reliability report for the computer to determine its past history of hardware and software problems. By reviewing this history, you can determine how stable the computer is and what devices or programs have caused problems. To access and work with Reliability Monitor, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click the Maintenance heading, and then scroll down.
Below the list of current problems, you’ll find an area labeled Check For Solutions To Problem Reports and a set of related links. Tap or click View Reliability History.
As shown in Figure 8-3, you then get a graphical depiction of the computer’s stability. You can view the history by days or weeks. The default view is days. To view the history by weeks, tap or click the Weeks option for View By. The computer’s stability is graphed with values ranging from 1, meaning poor reliability, to 10, meaning excellent reliability.
Events that could have affected stability are shown in the graph with information and/or warning icons. Tapping or clicking an icon displays details for the event in the Reliability Details list. As shown in Figure 8-3, events are listed by Source, Summary, and Date. Under Action, you’ll find a link. If Windows was able to resolve the problem automatically, you’ll get the View Problem Response link. Tapping or clicking this link displays information on how Windows resolved the problem. In other cases, you’ll get the View Technical Details link. Tapping or clicking this link provides more information about the stability issue (as shown in Figure 8-4).
At the bottom of the Reliability Monitor window you’ll find these additional options:
Save Reliability History. Enables you to save complete details about the computer’s stability for future reference. The information is saved as a Reliability Monitor report and is formatted as XML. Tap or click Save Reliability History, and then use the dialog box provided to select a save location and file name for the report. You can view the report in Windows Internet Explorer by double-tapping or double-clicking the file.
View All Problem Reports. Opens the Problem History window that shows a history of all problems that have been identified and their status. If you want to clear the history, tap or click Clear All Problem Reports.
Check For Solutions To All Problems. Starts the automated problem reporting process. When this process is complete, Action Center is updated to include all newly discovered problems, and solutions will be provided if known.
Customizing automated Help and support
Windows 8.1 provides many controls that enable you to customize the way automated Help and support works. At a basic level, you can control which types of notification messages are displayed in Action Center. To fine-tune the feature, you can control the ways problem reporting and troubleshooting work.
Each user who logs on to a computer has separate notification settings. To specify the types of notifications that are displayed in Action Center, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click Change Action Center Settings in the left pane.
On the Change Action Center Settings page, shown in Figure 8-5, select the check boxes for the types of notifications you want the user to get, and clear the check boxes for the types of notifications you don’t need the user to get.
By default, usage information is sent to Microsoft as part of the Customer Experience Improvement Program. If you don’t want to participate in this program, tap or click Customer Experience Improvement Program Settings, tap or click No, I Don’t Want To Participate In The Program, and then tap or click Save Changes.
Tap or click OK.
In a standard configuration, each user who logs on to a computer has separate problem reporting settings. However, administrators also can specify that all users have the same reporting settings. To customize the way problem reporting works for the currently logged-on user or for all users, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click Change Action Center Settings in the left pane.
On the Change Action Center Settings page, under Related Settings, tap or click Problem Reporting Settings.
You get the current configuration of problem reporting for the logged-on user. If you are able to modify the settings, the computer is configured so that each user can choose his or her problem report settings. If the settings are unavailable, the computer is configured so that all users have the same problem report settings.
If the computer has per-user problem report settings, select the problem report settings you want to use for the currently logged-on user, and then tap or click OK to save the settings. The options are:
Automatically Check For Solutions
Automatically Check For Solutions And Send Additional Report Data, If Needed
Each Time A Problem Occurs, Ask Me Before Checking For Solutions
Never Check For Solutions
If the computer has per-computer problem report settings, tap or click Change Report Settings For All Users. Next, select the problem report settings you want to use for all users, and then tap or click OK to save the settings. The options are as follows:
Automatically Check For Solutions
Automatically Check For Solutions And Send Additional Report Data, If Needed
Each Time A Problem Occurs, Ask Me Before Checking For Solutions
Never Check For Solutions
Allow Each User To Choose Settings
When problem reporting is enabled, you can exclude programs from problem reporting. To do this, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click Change Action Center Settings in the left pane.
On the Change Action Center Settings page, under Related Settings, tap or click Problem Reporting Settings. Next, tap or click Select Programs To Exclude From Reporting.
On the Advanced Problem Reporting Settings page, you get a list of any programs that are currently excluded. You can now do the following:
Add programs to exclude them from reporting. Tap or click Add, use the dialog box provided to navigate to and select the executable (.exe) file for the program, and then tap or click Open.
Remove programs to stop excluding them from reporting. Tap or click the program in the list provided, and then tap or click Remove.
Each user who logs on to a computer has separate Windows SmartScreen settings. To configure how the SmarScreen works, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click Change Windows SmartScreen Settings in the left pane.
In the Windows SmartScreen dialog box, specify how you want SmartScreen to work. By default, Windows displays a prompt asking for administrator approval before running an unrecognized app from the Internet. If you don’t want to require administrator approval, you can display a warning instead or turn SmartScreen off completely.
Tap or click OK.
Each user who logs on to a computer has separate Automatic Maintenance settings. To configure how maintenance works, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click the Maintenance heading, and then scroll down.
Below the list of current problems, you’ll find an area labeled Automatic Maintenance. Tap or click Change Maintenance Settings.
On the Automatic Maintenance page, shown in Figure 8-6, you’ll get the current settings for maintenance.
Use the Run Maintenance Tasks Daily At selection list to set the preferred start time for daily maintenance.
To enable Windows to wake the computer from sleep mode to run maintenance, select the check box provided.
Automatic Maintenance is built on the Windows Diagnostics framework. By default, Windows periodically performs routine maintenance at 3:00 A.M. if the computer is running on AC power and the operating system is idle. Otherwise, maintenance will start the next time the computer is running on AC power and the operating system is idle. Because maintenance runs only when the operating system is idle, maintenance can run in the background for up to three days. This enables Windows to complete complex maintenance tasks.
In Action Center, the Maintenance pane shows the status of Automatic Maintenance and provides management options as well. The status information shows the last run date and specifies whether any corrective action is needed. If maintenance is running, you’ll get a status of maintenance in progress. If there’s a problem with maintenance, you’ll be notified of that as well. Tap or click Start Maintenance to start maintenance manually.
Automatic Maintenance operates as a scheduled task. In Task Scheduler, you’ll find this task in the scheduler library under MicrosoftWindowsDiagnosis, and you can get detailed run details by reviewing the information provided on the task’s History tab.
Each user who logs on to a computer has separate troubleshooting settings. To configure how troubleshooting works, follow these steps:
In Action Center, tap or click the Maintenance heading, and then scroll down.
Below the list of current problems, tap or click Troubleshooting. In the left pane of the Troubleshooting page, tap or click Change Settings.
On the Change Settings page, shown in Figure 8-7, you’ll find the current settings for troubleshooting. By default, Windows periodically checks for routine maintenance issues and displays reminders when the System Maintenance troubleshooter can resolve problems. For example, the troubleshooter might notify the user that there are unused files and shortcuts that can be cleaned up.
By default, when the user starts a troubleshooter, troubleshooting begins automatically. If you’d rather have the user confirm that she wants to start troubleshooting, clear the Allow Troubleshooting To Begin Immediately When Started check box.
Tap or click OK to save your settings.
Troubleshooters help to automatically identify and resolve problems with the operating system. Automated troubleshooting relies on Windows PowerShell and related system services. So long as Windows PowerShell is installed, which is the case by default, and the required services are available, automated troubleshooting will work.
Standard troubleshooters include the following:
DirectAccess troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from using DirectAccess to connect to a workplace
Hardware And Devices troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from properly using a device
Homegroup troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from viewing computers or shared files in a homegroup
Incoming Connections troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that block incoming connections
Internet Connections troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from connecting to the Internet and accessing the web
Internet Explorer Performance troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that are affecting the overall performance of Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer Safety troubleshooter. Identifies issues with settings that could compromise the security of the computer and the safety of the user when browsing the web
Network Adapter troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems related to Ethernet, wireless, and other network adapters
Playing Audio troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from playing audio
Power troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems to fix a computer’s power settings
Printer troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from using a printer
Program Compatibility troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent older programs from running on the computer
Recording Audio troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from recording audio
Search And Indexing troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems with the search and indexing features of Windows
Shared Folders troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems with accessing shared files and folders on other computers
System Maintenance troubleshooter. Performs routine maintenance if the user does not
Windows Update troubleshooter. Diagnoses and resolves problems that prevent the computer from using Windows Update
Tip
In Group Policy, administrators configure Access-Denied Assistance policies to help users determine who to contact if they have trouble accessing files and to display custom access-denied error messages. Use Enable Access-Denied Assistance On Client For All File Types to enable access-denied assistance for all file types. Configure how access-denied assistance works by using Customize Message For Access-Denied Errors. These policies are found in the Administrative Templates policies for Computer Configuration under SystemAccess-Denied Assistance.
In Action Center, you can access any of the available troubleshooters by scrolling down and then tapping or clicking Troubleshooting. As shown in Figure 8-8, troubleshooters are organized by category. These categories include the following:
Programs. For troubleshooting compatibility issues with applications designed for earlier versions of Windows.
Hardware And Sound. For troubleshooting issues with hardware devices, audio recording, and audio playback.
Network And Internet. For troubleshooting issues with connecting to networks and accessing shared folders on other computers.
System And Security. For troubleshooting issues with Windows Update, power usage, and performance. Tap or click Run Maintenance Tasks to clean up unused files and shortcuts and perform other routine maintenance tasks.
Table 8-1 lists Administrative Templates policies for managing Action Center and related features. In Group Policy, you can configure how automated troubleshooting and diagnostics work by using the Administrative Templates policies for Computer Configuration under SystemTroubleshooting And Diagnostics.
Working with support services
To support automated diagnostics and problem resolution, Windows 8.1 provides separate components and tools for working with and managing diagnostics, problem reporting, and user assistance. These components all rely on the availability of the support services installed with the operating system. If you access the Services node under Services And Applications in the Computer Management administrative tool, you’ll find a bundle of services dedicated to system support.
Table 8-2 provides an overview of key support services in Windows 8.1. Problem detection, troubleshooting, and resolution features are largely supported by the Diagnostic Policy Service and the Diagnostic System Host service. A third, related service, the Diagnostic Service Host service, starts only as needed.
Name | Description |
Application Experience | Processes application compatibility cache requests for applications |
Application Information | Enables users to run applications with additional administrative privileges |
Application Management | Processes installation, removal, and enumeration requests for software deployed through Group Policy |
Background Intelligent Transfer Service | Transfers files in the background by using idle network bandwidth |
Diagnostic Policy Service | Enables problem detection, troubleshooting, and resolution for Windows components |
Diagnostic Service Host | Enables diagnostics that need to run in a LocalService context |
Diagnostic System Host | Enables diagnostics that need to run in a LocalSystem context |
Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support | Provides support for system-level problem reports |
Program Compatibility Assistant Service | Provides support for the Program Compatibility Assistant |
Secondary Logon | Enables users to start processes under alternate credentials |
Superfetch | Helps maintain and improve performance by prefetching component and application data based on usage patterns |
Monitors system events and provides notification services | |
Task Scheduler | Enables a user to configure and schedule automated tasks |
Themes | Enables the computer to use themes and provides the user experience for themes management |
User Profile Service | Responsible for loading and unloading user profiles during logon and logoff |
Windows Error Reporting Service | Enables errors to be reported when programs stop responding and enables solutions to be retrieved |
Windows Event Log | Responsible for logging events |
Windows Management Instrumentation | Provides system management information |
Windows Modules Installer | Supports Windows updates of recommended and optional components |
Windows Remote Management | Enables Windows PowerShell for remote use, and the WS-Management protocol for remote management |
Windows Time | Used to synchronize system time with Coordinated Universal Time |
Windows Update | Enables updating of Windows components and other programs |
As is clear from the number of support services, the automated Help system built into Windows 8.1 is fairly complex. The system is designed to automatically monitor system health, perform preventative maintenance, and report problems so that they can be resolved. Related performance and reliability data can be tracked in Performance Monitor and in Reliability Monitor.
Support services provide the foundation for the enhanced support features in Windows 8.1. If critical services are not running or not configured properly, you might have problems using certain support features. You can view these and other services in Computer Management by completing the following steps:
In Control Panel, tap or click System And Security, tap or click Administrative Tools, and then double-tap or double-click Computer Management.
Press and hold or right-click the Computer Management entry in the console tree, and then tap or click Connect To Another Computer. You can now select the system whose services you want to view.
Expand the Services And Applications node by tapping or clicking it. Select Services, as shown in Figure 8-9. You should now get a complete list of services installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by service name. The key columns in this dialog box are as follows:
Name. The name of the service. Only services installed on the system are listed here. Double-tap or double-click an entry to configure its startup options.
Description. A short description of the service and its purpose.
Status. An indication of whether the status of the service is running, paused, or stopped. (Stopped is indicated by a blank entry.)
Startup Type. The startup setting for the service. Automatic services are started at startup. Users or other services start manual services. Disabled services are turned off and can’t be started while they remain disabled.
Log On As. The account the service logs on as. The default in most cases is the LocalSystem account.
The Services pane has two views: Extended and Standard. To change the view, use the tabs at the bottom of the Services pane. In Extended view, quick links are provided for managing services. Tap or click Start to start a stopped service. Tap or click Restart to stop and then start a service. If you select a service in Extended view, you’ll get a service description that details the service’s purpose.
Starting, stopping, and pausing services
As an administrator, you’ll often have to start, stop, or pause Windows 8.1 services. To start, stop, or pause a service, follow these steps:
In Computer Management, expand the Services And Applications node by tapping or clicking it, and then select the Services node.
Press and hold or right-click the service you want to manipulate, and then select Start, Stop, or Pause.
Note
You can also choose Restart to have Windows stop and then start the service after a brief pause. Additionally, if you pause a service, you can use the Resume option to resume normal operation. When services that are set to start automatically fail, the status is blank, and you’ll usually receive notification about this. Service failures can also be logged to the system’s event logs. In Windows 8.1, you can configure actions to handle service failure automatically. For example, you can have Windows 8.1 attempt to restart the service for you.
Configuring service startup
You can set Windows 8.1 services to start manually or automatically. You can also turn them off permanently by disabling them. You configure service startup by following these steps:
In Computer Management, expand the Services And Applications node, and then select the Services node.
Press and hold or right-click the service you want to configure, and then tap or click Properties.
On the General tab, use the Startup Type drop-down list to choose a startup option from the following choices, and then tap or click OK:
Automatic. Starts the service at startup
Automatic (Delayed Start). Delays the start of the service until all nondelayed automatic services have started
Manual. Enables the service to be started manually
Disabled. Turns off the service
Configuring service logon
You can configure Windows 8.1 services to log on as a system account or as a specific user by following these steps:
In Computer Management, expand the Services And Applications node, and then select the Services node.
Press and hold or right-click the service you want to configure, and then tap or click Properties.
Select the Log On tab. Do one of the following, and then tap or click OK.
Select Local System Account if you want the service to log on by using the system account (the default for most services). If the service provides a user interface that can be manipulated, select Allow Service To Interact With Desktop to enable users to control the service’s interface.
Select This Account if you want the service to log on by using a specific user account. Be sure to enter an account name and password in the text boxes provided. Use the Browse button to search for a user account.
Configuring service recovery
Windows 8.1 automatically configures recovery for critical system services during installation. In most cases, you’ll find that critical services are configured to restart automatically if the service fails. You cannot change these settings because they are not available.
To configure recovery options for any other service, follow these steps:
In Computer Management, expand the Services And Applications node, and then select the Services node.
Press and hold or right-click the service you want to configure, and then tap or click Properties.
Tap or click the Recovery tab.
You can now configure recovery options for the first, second, and subsequent recovery attempts. The following options are available:
Take No Action. The operating system won’t attempt recovery for this failure but might still attempt recovery of previous or subsequent failures.
Restart The Service. Windows will stop and then start the service after a brief pause.
Run A Program. This enables you to run a program or a script in case of failure. The script can be a batch program or a Windows script. If you select this option, set the full file path to the program you want to run, and then set any necessary command-line parameters to pass in to the program when it starts.
Restart The Computer. This shuts down and then restarts the computer. Before you choose this option, double-check the computer’s Startup and Recovery options. You want the system to select defaults quickly and automatically.
Configure other options based on your previously selected recovery options, and then tap or click OK. If you elected to run a program as a recovery option, you need to set options in the Run Program panel. If you elected to restart the service, you need to specify the restart delay. After stopping the service, Windows 8.1 waits for the specified delay period before trying to start the service. In most cases, a delay of 1 to 2 minutes is sufficient.
Disabling unnecessary services
As an administrator, your job is to safeguard computer and network security, and unnecessary services are a potential source of security problems. For example, in many of the organizations that I’ve reviewed for security problems, I’ve found users’ computers running Worldwide Web Publishing Service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Publishing Service when these services weren’t needed. Unfortunately, these services can enable anonymous users to access computers and can also open the computers to attack if not properly configured.
If you find unnecessary services, you have a couple of options. For services installed through features, you can remove the related feature to remove the unnecessary component and its related services. You can also simply disable the services that aren’t being used.
To disable a service, follow these steps:
In Computer Management, expand the Services And Applications node, and then select the Services node.
Press and hold or right-click the service you want to configure, and then tap or click Properties.
On the General tab, select Disabled from the Startup Type drop-down list.
Disabling a service doesn’t stop a running service; it prevents it from being started the next time the computer is started, which means that the security risk still exists. To address this, tap or click Stop on the General tab in the Properties dialog box, and then tap or click OK.
Managing services by using preferences
Rather than managing services on individual computers, you can use Group Policy preference items to configure services on any computer that processes a particular Group Policy Object (GPO). When you configure a service through preferences, the default value in most instances is No Change, meaning the setting is changed only if you specify a different value. As you can when you are configuring services manually, you can use Group Policy preferences to do the following:
Start, stop, and restart services
Set startup to manual, automatic, automatic (delayed start), or disabled
Specify the logon account to use
Set recovery options to handle service failure
To create a preference item to control a service, follow these steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor. Expand Computer ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings.
Press and hold or right-click the Services node, point to New, and then tap or click Service. This opens the New Service Properties dialog box, shown in Figure 8-10.
In the Service Name box, enter the name of the service you want to configure. The service name is not the same as the display name. If you are unsure of the service name, tap or click the options button to the right of the text box, and then select the service from the list of available services on your management computer. Keep in mind that some services running on your management computer might not be available on users’ computers, and vice versa.
Use the options provided to configure the service as you want it to be configured on users’ computers. Settings are processed only if you select a value other than No Change.
Use the options on the Common tab to control how the preference is applied. Often, you’ll want to apply the service configuration only once. If so, select Apply Once And Do Not Reapply.
Tap or click OK. The next time policy is refreshed, the preference item will be applied as appropriate for the GPO in which you defined the preference item.
Installing and maintaining devices: the essentials
Many different types of devices can be installed in or connected to computers. The following are the key device types:
Cards/adapters. Circuit cards and adapters are plugged into expansion slots on the motherboard inside the computer case or, for a laptop, into expansion slots on the side of the system. Most cards and adapters have a connector into which you can plug other devices.
Internal drives. Many different types of drives can be installed, from DVD drives to hard disks. Internal drives usually have two cables. One cable attaches to the motherboard, to other drives, or to interface cards. The other cable attaches to the computer’s power supply.
External drives and devices. External drives and devices plug into ports on the computer. The port can be standard, such as LPT1 or COM1; a port that you added with a circuit card; or a high-speed serial port, such as a USB port, eSATA, or an IEEE-1394 port (commonly called a FireWire port). Printers, scanners, USB flash drives, smartphones, and most digital cameras are attachable as external devices.
Memory. Memory chips are used to expand the total amount of physical memory on the computer. Memory can be added to the motherboard or to a particular device, such as a video card. The most commonly used type of memory is RAM.
Devices installed on the computer but not detected during an upgrade or installation of the operating system are configured differently from new devices that you install.
Installing preexisting devices
Windows 8.1 detects devices that were not automatically installed when the operating system was upgraded or installed. If a device wasn’t installed because Windows 8.1 didn’t include the driver, the built-in hardware diagnostics will, in many cases, detect the hardware and then use the automatic update framework to retrieve the required driver the next time Windows Update runs, provided that Windows Update is enabled and you’ve enabled driver updating as well as operating system updating.
Although driver updates can be downloaded automatically through Windows Update, they are not installed automatically. After upgrading or installing the operating system, you should check for driver updates and apply them as appropriate before trying other techniques to install device drivers. The basic steps to check for updates are as follows (a complete discussion of working with automatic updating is covered in Chapter 9):
In Control Panel, tap or click System And Security, and then tap or click Windows Update.
In Windows Update, tap or click the Check For Updates link.
Typically, device driver updates are considered optional updates. The exceptions are for essential drivers, such as those for video, sound, and hard disk controllers. To address this, you should view all available updates on a computer, rather than only the important updates, to determine whether device driver updates are available. To install available device driver updates, follow these steps:
In Control Panel, tap or click System And Security, and then tap or click Windows Update.
In Windows Update, tap or click Check For Updates in the left pane. When Windows 8.1 finishes checking for updates, you might find that there are important updates as well as optional updates available, as shown in Figure 8-11. Tap or click Install Updates to install the important updates.
Because driver updates are usually listed as optional, you should note whether any optional updates are available. If optional updates are available and you tap or click the related link, you might find that some or all of the optional updates are driver updates, as shown in Figure 8-12.
By default, optional updates are not selected for installation. To ensure that an update will be installed, select the related check box, and then tap or click Install to download and install the selected updates.
After you’ve installed the device driver, Windows 8.1 should detect the hardware within several minutes and install the device automatically. If Windows 8.1 detects the device but isn’t able to install the device automatically, you might find a related solution in Action Center. You will then be able to view the problem response.
Installing internal, USB, FireWire, and eSATA devices
Most available new devices are Plug and Play compatible. This means that you should be able to install new devices easily by using one of the following techniques:
For an internal device, review the hardware manufacturer’s installation instructions because you might need to install device driver software prior to installing the device. Next, shut down the computer, insert the device into the appropriate slot or connect it to the computer, restart the computer, and then let Windows 8.1 automatically detect the new device.
For a USB, FireWire, or eSATA device, simply insert the device into the appropriate slot or connect it to the computer, and then let Windows 8.1 automatically detect the new device.
Note
Windows 8.1 expects USB, FireWire, and eSATA devices to be Plug and Play compatible. If a device isn’t Plug and Play compatible, you might be able to install the device by using software from the manufacturer.
Depending on the device, Windows 8.1 should automatically detect the new device and then silently install a built-in driver to support it. Notifications are displayed only if there’s a problem. Otherwise, the installation process just happens in the background.
The device should then run immediately without any problems. Well, that’s the idea, but it doesn’t always work that way. The success of automatic detection and installation depends on the device being Plug and Play compatible and a device driver being available.
Windows 8.1 includes many device drivers in a standard installation, and most of the time the device should be installed automatically. If driver updating is enabled through Windows Update, Windows 8.1 checks for new drivers automatically when you connect a new device or when Windows 8.1 first detects the device. Because Windows Update does not automatically install device drivers, you need to check for updates to determine if a driver is available for you to install.
Note
For details on whether to use Windows Update to check for drivers automatically, see the section The Hardware tab in Chapter 2. As discussed in Chapter 9, Windows Update must be enabled for this feature to work.
You’ll know the device installed because it will be available for you to use. You also can confirm device availability in Devices And Printers. To open Devices And Printers, tap or click View Devices And Printers in Control Panel under the Hardware And Sound heading. For USB devices that do not have a custom driver, you often can use the generic Winusb.sys driver, which is the default USB driver included with Windows 8.1. When you connect a USB device that doesn’t have a custom driver, Windows might use the generic Winusb.sys driver automatically. If this driver isn’t used automatically, you can manually select it as discussed in Installing a device by using the generic USB driver later in this chapter.
However, the generic USB driver really isn’t for USB devices with their own classifications. Devices with their own classifications include audio devices, audio/video devices, Human Interface Devices (HID), image devices, printers, mass storage devices, smart cards, and wireless host or hub controllers. These devices have their own generic drivers, which can be installed by using a process similar to that discussed in Installing a device by using the generic USB driver later in this chapter.
Real World
Human Interface Devices are interactive input devices that are used to directly control computers, including:
Sensory devices such as accelerometers and gyroscopes.
Front-panel controls such as knobs, switches, buttons, and sliders on devices, such as the volume controls on speakers and headsets.
Controls found on devices such as interactive displays, barcode readers, smartphones, and other consumer electronics.
Controls, games, and simulation devices such as data gloves, throttles, steering wheels, and rudder pedals.
Keyboards and pointing devices such as standard mouse devices, trackballs, and joysticks.
Human Interface Devices are a device class over USB and also a replacement for PS/2. Window 8.1 supports HID clients for mouse and mapper drivers, keyboard and keypad drivers, system control drivers (such as power buttons and laptop lid open/close sensors), consumer device controls, pen devices, touch screens, sensors, and UPS batteries. Windows 8.1 supports USB, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, and Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) as transports for HID. Windows 8.1 no longer supports legacy interactive input devices, such as HID minidrivers for game port devices and gameport bus drivers.
When a device has a custom driver, Windows 8.1 might automatically detect the new device, but the Driver Software Installation component might run into problems installing the device. If this happens, the installation silently fails. You’ll know installation failed because the device will not be available for you to use. In Devices And Printers, you should get warning icons for both the computer and the device (as shown in Figure 8-13). In this case, if you touch or point to the computer device, you should get error status messages, such as the following:
Status: Driver is unavailable Status: Driver Error
Tap or click the computer device and the details pane should show the Needs Troubleshooting status.
You can perform the same procedures with the device you are trying to install. Touch or point to the computer device to get error status messages. Tap or click the device and the details pane to show the Needs Troubleshooting status. You might also get the following:
Status: Setup incomplete. Connect to the Internet.
To begin troubleshooting, tap or click Troubleshoot. This option is listed at the top of the Devices And Printers window when you select the computer or the device. The troubleshooter will walk you through solving the problem step by step. The most likely reason for device installation failure is that the device driver needed to be downloaded from the Internet. If so, the troubleshooter should rather quickly determine this and prompt you to install the driver, as shown in Figure 8-14.
If Windows 8.1 doesn’t detect and install the device, check the manufacturer’s website for compatible installation software. After you have installation software for the device, run it, and then follow the prompts. The device should then be installed properly.
Note
If Windows cannot install a device, there might be a problem with the device itself or the driver or a conflict with existing hardware. For additional details on troubleshooting, see the section Troubleshooting hardware, later in this chapter.
After you’ve successfully installed a device, you might need to periodically perform maintenance tasks for the device and its drivers. When new drivers for a device are released, you might want to test them in a development or support environment to determine whether the drivers resolve problems that users have been experiencing. If the drivers install without problems and resolve outstanding issues, you might want to install the updated drivers on computers that use this device. The driver update procedure should be implemented as follows:
Check the device and driver information on each system prior to installing the new driver. Note the location, version, and file name of the existing driver.
Create a System Restore point, as discussed in Chapter 10, in the section Backing up and recovering system state by using System Restore.
Install the updated driver and optionally restart the computer. If the computer and the device function normally after the restart, the update can be considered a success.
If the computer or the device malfunctions after the driver installation, use the standard Device Manager features to roll back to the previously installed driver. If the computer cannot be restarted and the driver cannot be restored, recover the system by starting with the last known good configuration, and then restore the system to the System Restore point that you created in step 2.
Installing Bluetooth, wireless, and network devices
You can connect most Bluetooth, wireless, and network devices to a computer, including wireless network, storage, phone, keyboard, mouse, and media-extender devices. Often, these devices include installation software, but before you use the installation software, you should be sure it is compatible with Windows 8.1. If it isn’t, you should check the device manufacturer’s website for updated software.
Windows 8.1 supports Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, and I2C transports. Before these devices can be used, they must be discovered and paired with Windows 8.1. To discover and pair a device with Windows 8.1, complete the following steps:
Display the PC Settings screen. With touch UI, slide in from the right, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC Settings. With the mouse and keyboard, press Windows key + I, and then click Change PC Settings.
In PC Settings, select Devices and then select Add A Device to have Windows search for available devices.
Select the device. Keep in mind that some devices require you to enable Bluetooth and then attempt to pair on the device.
Some devices connect directly to a computer. Others connect to a computer via a network. To connect a wireless device directly to a computer, do the following:
Most wireless and Bluetooth devices require you to connect a receiver to the computer. Some devices might share a receiver. For example, with a wireless keyboard and mouse desktop pack, you might need to plug a shared receiver into a USB slot on the computer.
Position the computer and receiver so that the receiver is within range of the device to which you want to connect. For example, a keyboard or mouse might need to be within 6 feet of the receiver, but the receiver for a wireless adapter might need to be within 100 feet of a wireless router.
Configure the device as necessary, and check that it is powered on. If you’re trying to add a wireless network device, it must be configured for your wireless network before you can add it to a computer. Some wireless network devices need to be put into a discovery mode known as Wireless Protected Setup (WPS) before they can be detected.
The device should be detected and installed automatically. If the device isn’t detected and installed, open Devices And Printers. In Devices And Printers, be sure that the device isn’t already listed as available. If the device isn’t available yet, tap or click Add Devices And Printers, and then follow the prompts.
If you have trouble connecting the device, try the following as part of troubleshooting:
Make sure the device isn’t turned off, low on battery power, or in sleep mode. Some wireless devices have a button on them that you need to push to force a connection. Others, such as a Bluetooth phone, might have a setting in their software menu that you need to select to make them available. The receiver for a device might also have a button that you can press to force the receiver to scan for compatible wireless devices.
If wireless and Bluetooth capability is integrated into the computer, make sure that the wireless or Bluetooth transmitter is turned on. Many laptops have an external switch for turning the transmitter on or off.
If you suspect that the device is out of range, try moving it closer to the computer. If there’s a wall between the device and the computer, try putting the device and the computer in the same room.
If a positional issue is causing the problem, you can resolve the problem by moving the cables and devices that could be causing electromagnetic interference, including power cables for other devices, large speakers, or desk lamps. If the problem persists, make sure the device is positioned away from air conditioning units, microwave ovens, and similar items.
To connect a wired or wireless device to a computer via a network, do the following:
Connect the device to the network and turn it on. Then configure its initial settings as appropriate for the network. For example, you might need to configure TCP/IP settings to use DHCP, or you might need to use a static IP address.
Wait up to 90 seconds for the device to be detected. The device should be detected and installed automatically. If the device isn’t detected and installed, open Devices And Printers. In Devices And Printers, check whether the device is already listed as available. If the device isn’t available yet, tap or click Add Devices And Printers, and then follow the prompts.
If you have trouble connecting the device, try the following as part of troubleshooting:
Make sure that a firewall isn’t blocking connectivity to the device. You might need to open a firewall port to enable access between the computer and the device.
Make sure the device is turned on and connected to the same network as the computer. If your network consists of multiple subnets connected together, try to connect the device to the same network subnet. You can determine the subnet by looking at the computer’s IP address.
Make sure the device is configured to broadcast its presence on the network. Most network devices automatically do this.
Make sure the network device has an IP address and proper network settings. With DHCP, network routers assign IP addresses automatically as devices connect to the network.
Note
Not all detectable devices can be added to a computer. To find out if a device is able to be connected to your computer, check the information that came with the device or go to the manufacturer’s website.
Real World
Network discovery affects whether your computer can find other computers and devices on the network and whether other computers on the network can find your computer. By default, Windows Firewall blocks network discovery, but you can enable it by following these steps:
In Control Panel, tap or click Network And Internet.
Tap or click Network And Sharing Center.
In the left pane, tap or click Change Advanced Sharing Settings.
Under Network Discovery, tap or click Turn On Network Discovery for the Domain profile (and/or other profiles as appropriate), and then tap or click Save Changes.
Installing local and network printers
Windows 8.1 supports standard printers and three-dimensional (3-D) printers. 3-D printing involves creating 3-D content and passing it through the Windows spooler and driver filters to a 3-D manufacturing device, such as a 3-D printer. Most 3-D printing interfaces support submitting 3-D content in Open Packaging Conventions (OPC) format and submitting 2-D content in XML Paper Specification (XPS) format.
You can connect printers to computers in several different ways. Which option you choose depends on the printer. Some printers connect directly to a computer and are referred to as local printers. Others connect to a computer via a network and are referred to as network printers. Network printers include all printers on a network, such as Bluetooth and wireless printers, as well as printers that are connected to another computer and shared on the network.
Most printers have installation software that you use to initially configure the printer. For a printer that connects directly to a computer, you usually run this software once, and the software sets up the printer and configures a connection to the printer so that it can be used. For a network printer, you usually run this software once on your management computer to prepare the printer for use and then create connections to the printer on each computer that will use the printer.
Setting up a local printer
With a printer that has a USB connection, you connect the printer directly to the computer, and Windows should automatically detect and install it. If your printer connects by using a serial or parallel port, you might have to install the printer manually. To install a printer manually, follow these steps:
Turn on the printer. In Devices And Printers, check that the printer isn’t already listed as available. If the printer isn’t available yet, install it by following the remaining steps in this procedure.
In Devices And Printers, tap or click Add A Printer. The Add Printer Wizard attempts to detect the printer automatically. If the wizard finds the printer with which you want to work, tap or click it in the list provided, follow the prompts, and skip the rest of the steps in this procedure. If the wizard doesn’t find the printer, tap or click The Printer That I Want Isn’t Listed.
Tap or click Add A Local Printer Or Network Printer With Manual Settings, and then tap or click Next.
In the Use An Existing Port list, select the port to which the printer is connected, and then tap or click Next.
Do one of the following:
Select the printer manufacturer and model, and then tap or click Next.
If the printer isn’t listed but you have the installation media, tap or click Have Disk, and then browse to the folder where the printer driver is stored. For help, consult the printer manual.
If you don’t have the installation media, tap or click Windows Update, and then wait while Windows checks for available drivers.
Complete the additional steps in the wizard, and then tap or click Finish. You can confirm that the printer is working by printing a test page.
You can manage local printers by using Group Policy preferences. I recommend this approach only for situations in which you can carefully target computers so that only computers that actually have local printers are configured.
To create a preference item to create, update, replace, or delete local printers, follow these steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor. To configure preferences for computers, expand Computer ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Printers. To configure preferences for users, expand User ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Printers.
Press and hold or right-click the Printers node, point to New, and then tap or click Local Printer. This opens the New Local Printer Properties dialog box.
In the New Local Printer Properties dialog box, select Create, Update, Replace, or Delete in the Action list.
In the Name box, enter the name of the printer. If you are creating a printer, this is the name that will be used for the new local printer. If you are updating, replacing, or deleting a printer, this name must match the targeted local printer.
In the Port list, select the port to which the local printer is connected.
In the Printer Path box, enter the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to a shared printer that is of the same type as the local printer you are configuring. The preference item will use this as an installation source for the printer driver.
Use the options on the Common tab to control how the preference is applied. Because you are enforcing a control, you will generally want to apply the setting every time Group Policy is refreshed. In this case, do not select Apply Once And Do Not Reapply.
Tap or click OK. The next time policy is refreshed, the preference item will be applied as appropriate for the GPO in which you defined the preference item.
To create a preference item to manage a shared local printer, follow these steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor. Expand User ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Printers.
Press and hold or right-click the Printers node, point to New, and then tap or click Shared Printer. This opens the New Shared Printer Properties dialog box.
In the New Shared Printer Properties dialog box, select Create, Update, Replace, or Delete in the Action list. If you are creating a Delete preference, you can specify that you want to delete all shared printer connections by setting the action to Delete and selecting Delete All Shared Printer Connections.
In the Share Path box, enter the UNC path of the shared printer. Optionally, choose a local port to which you want to map the shared connection. If you are using the Delete action, the shared printer associated with that local port is deleted. Alternatively, with the Delete action you can elect to unmap all local ports.
Optionally, set the printer as the default printer. If you are creating, updating, or replacing a shared printer connection and want the connection to be available each time the user logs on, choose the Reconnect option.
Use the options on the Common tab to control how the preference is applied. Because you are enforcing a control, you will generally want to apply the setting every time Group Policy is refreshed. In this case, do not select Apply Once And Do Not Reapply.
Tap or click OK. The next time policy is refreshed, the preference item will be applied as appropriate for the GPO in which you defined the preference item.
Setting up NFC, wireless, Bluetooth, or network printers
Tablets and other devices running Windows 8.1 can connect to NFC-enabled printers without having to install drivers. When a printer has a Near Field Communications (NFC) tag and this tag is enabled, users can connect to the printer simply by tapping their device against the printer.
If a printer uses a wireless or Bluetooth connection, you can prepare the computer and the printer as you would any similar device. Use the techniques discussed in the section Installing Bluetooth, wireless, and network devices, earlier in this chapter, except connect to the printer in the same way that you connect to a network printer.
Make sure the printer is powered on and in a discoverable mode. You might need to manually turn on the printer’s Bluetooth or wireless capabilities. If the printer has a wired connection, you might not be able to use its built-in dynamic addressing features. In this case, you might need to manually configure the printer’s TCP/IP settings.
In Devices And Printers, be sure that the printer isn’t already listed as available. If the printer isn’t available yet, follow these steps to connect to it:
In Devices And Printers, tap or click Add A Printer. The Add Printer Wizard attempts to detect the printer automatically. If the wizard finds the printer with which you want to work, tap or click it in the list provided, follow the prompts, and skip the rest of the steps in this procedure. If the wizard doesn’t find the printer, tap or click The Printer That I Want Isn’t Listed.
In the Add Printer Wizard, tap or click Add Bluetooth, Wireless Or Network Discoverable Printer.
In the list of available printers, select the printer you want to use, and then tap or click Next.
If prompted, install the printer driver on your computer. Tablets and other devices running Windows 8.1 can connect to printers that support Wi-Fi Direct without having to install drivers. In these configurations, these devices try to form a peer-to-peer network with the printer, which is then used for printing.
Complete the additional steps in the wizard, and then tap or click Finish. You can confirm that the printer is working by printing a test page.
If you have trouble connecting to the printer, try the following as part of troubleshooting:
Be sure that a firewall isn’t blocking connectivity to the printer. You might need to open a firewall port to enable access between the computer and the printer.
Be sure the printer is turned on and connected to the same network as the computer. If your network consists of multiple subnets connected together, try to connect the printer to the same network subnet. You can determine the subnet by looking at the computer’s IP address.
Be sure the printer is configured to broadcast its presence on the network. Most network printers automatically do this.
Be sure the printer has an IP address and proper network settings. With DHCP, network routers assign IP addresses automatically as printers connect to the network.
You can manage network printers by using Group Policy preferences. To create, update, replace, or delete a connection to a network printer, follow these steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor. To configure preferences for computers, expand Computer ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Printers. To configure preferences for users, expand User ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Printers.
Press and hold or right-click the Printers node, point to New, and then tap or click TCP/IP Printer to open the New TCP/IP Printer Properties dialog box.
In the New TCP/IP Printer Properties dialog box, select Create, Update, Replace, or Delete in the Action list.
Do one of the following:
If you want to connect to the printer by IP address, enter the IP address in the IP Address box.
If you want to connect to the printer by its Domain Name System (DNS) name, select Use DNS Name, and then enter the fully qualified domain name of the printer.
In the Local Name box, enter the local name of the printer. If you are creating a printer connection, this is the name that will be displayed on users’ computers. If you are updating, replacing, or deleting a printer connection, this name must match the targeted printer.
In the Printer Path box, enter the UNC path to a shared printer that is the same type of printer as the network printer you are configuring. The preference item will use this printer as an installation source for the printer driver.
Optionally, set the printer as the default printer.
Use the options on the Port Settings tab to specify the protocol, port number, and other options used by the printer.
Use the options on the Common tab to control how the preference is applied. Because you are enforcing a control, you will generally want to apply the setting every time Group Policy is refreshed. In this case, do not select Apply Once And Do Not Reapply.
Tap or click OK. The next time policy is refreshed, the preference item will be applied as appropriate for the GPO in which you defined the preference item.
Getting started with Device Manager
You use Device Manager to view and configure hardware devices. You’ll spend a lot of time working with this tool, so you should get to know it before working with devices.
To access Device Manager and obtain a detailed list of all the hardware devices installed on a system, complete the following steps:
In Control Panel, tap or click System And Security, tap or click Administrative Tools, and then double-tap or double-click Computer Management.
Note
To work with a remote computer, press and hold or right-click the Computer Management entry in the console tree, and then tap or click Connect To Another Computer. Choose Another Computer, and then enter the fully qualified name of the computer with which you want to work, or tap or click Browse to search for the computer with which you want to work. Tap or click OK.
In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node and then select Device Manager. As shown in Figure 8-15, you should get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type, showing an alphabetical list sorted by device class. By using options on the View menu, you also can organize devices by connection, resources by type, or resources by connection.
Expand the device type to get a list of the specific instances of that device type. Select a device to work with it.
After you open Device Manager, you can work with any of the installed devices. If you press and hold or right-click a device entry, a shortcut menu is displayed. The options available depend on the device type, but they include the following:
Properties. Displays the Properties dialog box for the device
Uninstall. Uninstalls the device and its drivers
Disable. Disables the device but doesn’t uninstall it
Enable. Enables a device if it’s disabled
Update Driver Software. Starts the Hardware Update Wizard, which you can use to update the device driver
Scan For Hardware Changes. Tells Windows 8.1 to check the hardware configuration and determine whether there are any changes
Tip
The device list shows warning symbols if there are problems with a device. A yellow warning symbol with an exclamation point indicates a problem with a device. A red X indicates a device that was improperly installed. A white circle with a down arrow indicates a device disabled by the user or an administrator for some reason.
You can use the options on the View menu in the Computer Management console to change the default settings for which types of devices are displayed and how the devices are listed. The options are as follows:
Devices By Type. Displays devices by the type of device installed, such as disk drive or printer. The device name is listed below the type. This is the default view.
Devices By Connection. Displays devices by connection type, such as devices connected to a computer’s Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.
Resources By Type. Displays the status of allocated resources by the type of device using the resource. Resource types are direct memory access (DMA) channels, I/O ports, interrupt requests (IRQs), and memory addresses.
Resources By Connection. Displays the status of all allocated resources by connection type rather than device type. This view would enable you, for example, to trace resources according to their connection to the PCI bus, root ports, and so on.
Show Hidden Devices. Adds hidden devices to the standard views. This displays non–Plug and Play devices, as well as devices that have been physically removed from the computer but haven’t had their drivers uninstalled.
Working with device drivers
For each hardware component installed on a computer, there is an associated device driver. The job of the device driver is to describe how the operating system uses the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) to work with a hardware component. The HAL handles the low-level communications tasks between the operating system and a hardware component. By installing a hardware component through the operating system, you are telling the operating system about the device driver it uses, and from then on, the device driver loads automatically and runs as part of the operating system.
Device driver essentials
Windows 8.1 includes an extensive library of device drivers. In the base installation of the operating system, these drivers are maintained in the file repository of the driver store. Some service packs you install will include updates to the driver store. On 32-bit computers, you’ll find the 32-bit driver store in the %SystemRoot%System32DriverStore folder. On 64-bit computers, you’ll find the 64-bit driver store in the %SystemRoot%System32DriverStore folder and the 32-bit driver store in the %SystemRoot%SysWOW64DriverStore folder. The DriverStore folder also contains subfolders for localized driver information. You’ll find a subfolder for each language component configured on the system. For example, for localized US English driver information, you’ll find a subfolder called en-US.
Every device driver in the driver store is certified to be fully compatible with Windows 8.1 and is digitally signed by Microsoft to assure the operating system of its authenticity. When you install a new device that is Plug and Play–compatible, Windows 8.1 checks the driver store for a compatible device driver. If one is found, the operating system automatically installs the device.
Every device driver has an associated Setup Information file. This file ends with the .inf extension and is a text file containing detailed configuration information about the device being installed. The information file also identifies any source files used by the driver. Source files have the .sys extension. You might also find .pnf and .dll files for drivers, and some drivers have associated component manifest (.amx) files. The manifest file is written in XML, includes details about the driver’s digital signature, and might also include Plug and Play information used by the device to automatically configure itself.
Every driver installed on a system has a source (.sys) file in the Drivers folder. When you install a new device driver, the driver is written to a subfolder of the Drivers folder, and configuration settings are stored in the registry. The driver’s .inf file is used to control the installation and write the registry settings. If the driver doesn’t already exist in the driver store, it does not already have an .inf file or other related files on the system. In this case, the driver’s .inf file and other related files are written to a subfolder of DriverStoreFileRepository when you install the device.
Using signed and unsigned device drivers
Every device driver in the driver cache is digitally signed, which indicates that the driver has passed extensive testing by the Windows Hardware Quality Lab. A device driver with a digital signature from Microsoft should not cause your system to crash or become unstable. The presence of a digital signature from Microsoft also ensures that the device driver hasn’t been tampered with. If a device driver doesn’t have a digital signature from Microsoft, it hasn’t been approved for use through testing, or its files might have been modified from the original installation by another program. This means that unsigned drivers are much more likely than any other program you’ve installed to cause the operating system to freeze or the computer to crash.
To prevent problems with unsigned drivers, Windows 8.1 warns you by default when you try to install an unsigned device driver. Windows can also be configured to prevent installation of certain types of devices. To manage device driver settings for computers throughout an organization, you can use Group Policy. When you do this, Group Policy specifies whether and how devices can be installed.
You can configure device installation settings on a per-computer basis by using the Administrative Templates policies for Computer Configuration under SystemDevice Installation.
Tracking driver information
Each driver being used on a system has a driver file associated with it. You can view the location of the driver file and related details by completing the following steps:
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node.
Select Device Manager. You should now get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to manage, and then tap or click Properties. The Properties dialog box for that device opens.
On the Driver tab, tap or click Driver Details to display the Driver File Details dialog box. As shown in Figure 8-16, the following information is displayed:
Driver Files. The full file paths to locations where the driver files exist
Provider. The creator of the driver
File Version. The version of the file
Installing and updating device drivers
To keep devices operating smoothly, it’s essential that you keep the device drivers current. You install and update drivers by using the Found New Hardware, Add Hardware, and Update Driver Software Wizards. By default, these wizards can search for updated device drivers in the following locations:
The local computer
A hardware installation disc
The Windows Update site or your organization’s Windows Update server
In Group Policy, several policies control how information about devices is obtained and how Windows searches for drivers:
Turn Off Access To All Windows Update Features under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemInternet Communication ManagementInternet Communication Settings. If this policy setting is enabled, all Windows Update features are blocked and not available to users. Users will also be unable to access the Windows Update website.
Turn Off Windows Update Device Driver Searching under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemInternet Communication ManagementInternet Communication Settings. By default, Windows Update searching is optional when a device is being installed. If you enable this setting, Windows Update will not be searched when a new device is installed. If you disable this setting, Windows Update will always be searched when a new device is installed if no local drivers are present.
Specify Search Order For Device Driver Source Locations under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice Installation. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, you can set the source location search order for device drivers on each computer. If you enable this policy, you can specify that Windows Update should be searched first, last, or not at all when driver software is being located during device installation.
Configure Device Installation Time-Out under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice Installation. If you disable or do not configure this policy, Windows 8.1 waits five minutes for a device installation task to complete before terminating the installation. If you enable this policy, you can specify the amount of time Windows 8.1 waits before terminating the installation.
Prevent Device Metadata Retrieval From The Internet under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice Installation. If you disable or do not configure this policy, Windows 8.1 retrieves device metadata for installed devices from the Internet and uses the information to help keep devices up to date. If you enable this policy setting, Windows 8.1 does not retrieve device metadata for installed devices from the Internet.
You can install and update device drivers by completing the following steps:
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node.
Select Device Manager in the Computer Management console. You should get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to manage, and then tap or click Update Driver Software. This starts the Update Driver Software Wizard.
As shown in Figure 8-17, you can specify whether to install the drivers automatically or manually by selecting the driver from a list or specific location.
If you elect to install the driver automatically, Windows 8.1 looks for a more recent version of the device driver and installs the driver if it finds one. If a more recent version of the driver is not found, Windows 8.1 keeps the current driver. In either case, tap or click Close to complete the process, and then skip the remaining steps.
If you choose to install the driver manually, you can do the following:
Search for the driver. Tap or click Browse My Computer For Driver Software to select a search location. Use the Browse... dialog box to select the start folder for the search, and then tap or click OK. If you select Include Subfolders, you might have better results. With this option selected, all subfolders of the selected folder are searched automatically, and you could then select the drive root path, such as C, to search an entire drive.
Choose the driver to install. Tap or click Let Me Pick From A List Of Device Drivers On My Computer. The wizard then shows a list of compatible hardware. Tap or click the device that matches your hardware. To view a wider array of choices, clear the Show Compatible Hardware check box. You’ll get a full list of manufacturers for the type of device with which you are working. As shown in Figure 8-18, you can scroll through the list of manufacturers to find the manufacturer of the device, and then select the appropriate device in the right pane.
After selecting a device driver through a search or a manual selection, continue through the installation process by tapping or clicking Next. Tap or click Close when the driver installation is complete. If the wizard can’t find an appropriate driver, you need to obtain one and then repeat this procedure. Keep in mind that in some cases, you need to restart the system to activate the newly installed or updated device driver.
Installing a device by using the generic USB driver
When you connect a USB device that doesn’t have a custom driver, Windows might use the generic Winusb.sys driver to install the device automatically. If this driver isn’t used automatically, you can manually select this driver by completing the following steps:
In Device Manager, press and hold or right-click the device you want to install, and then select Update Driver Software.
In the Update Driver Software Wizard, select Browse My Computer For Driver Software.
Select Let Me Pick From A List Of Device Drivers On My Computer.
In the Model list, select USB Input Device and then tap or click Next. Select Close when the driver installation is complete.
Enabling and disabling types of devices
By using Group Policy preferences, you can manage which hardware devices can be used on computers to which a GPO applies. You manage devices by enabling or disabling them according to the following specifications:
Device class. A device class encompasses a broad range of similar devices, such as all DVD drives.
Device type. A device type applies to specific devices within a device class, such as the NEC DVD-ROM RW ND-3530A ATA device.
Note
If you want to manage devices by type, you need to configure a management computer with the devices you plan to work with and then create the preference items on that computer. A management computer is a computer with management options installed, including the Remote Server Administrator Tools (RSAT).
To create a preference item to enable or disable devices by class or type, follow these steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor. To configure preferences for computers, expand Computer ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Devices. To configure preferences for users, expand User ConfigurationPreferencesControl Panel Settings, and then select Devices.
Press and hold or right-click the Devices node, point to New, and then tap or click Device. This opens the New Device Properties dialog box.
In the New Device Properties dialog box, select one of the following options in the Action list:
Use This Device (Enable). Choose this option if you want to enable devices by class or type.
Do Not Use This Device (Disable). Choose this option if you want to disable devices by class or type.
Tap or click the Options button to the right of Device Class, and then do one of the following:
Select a device class to manage devices by class.
Expand a device class node, and then select a device type to manage devices by type.
Use the options on the Common tab to control how the preference is applied. Because you are enforcing a control, you will generally want to apply the setting every time Group Policy is refreshed. In this case, do not select Apply Once And Do Not Reapply.
Tap or click OK. The next time policy is refreshed, the preference item will be applied as appropriate for the GPO in which you defined the preference item.
Restricting device installation by using Group Policy
In addition to enforcing code signing and search restrictions, Group Policy settings can be used to enable or prevent installation of devices based on device class. Devices that are set up and configured in the same way are grouped into a device setup class. Each device setup class has a globally unique identifier (GUID) associated with it. To restrict devices by using Group Policy, you need to know the GUID for the device setup class that you want to restrict.
The registry contains a key for each standard device setup class under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass. The registry keys are named according to the class GUID. When you select a class GUID registry key, the Class value specifies the device setup class that the GUID identifies. For example, if you select {4d36e965-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}, you’ll find that the device setup class is for CD-ROM devices.
The policy settings for managing device installation are found under Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice InstallationDevice Installation Restrictions and include the following:
Allow Administrators To Override Device Installation Restriction Policies
Allow Installation Of Devices That Match Any Of These Device IDs
Allow Installation Of Devices Using Drivers That Match These Device Setup Classes
Prevent Installation Of Devices Not Described By Other Policy Settings
Prevent Installation Of Devices That Match Any Of These Device IDs
Prevent Installation Of Removable Devices
Time (In Seconds) To Force Reboot When Required For Policy Changes To Take Effect
You can configure these policies by completing the following steps:
Open a GPO for editing in the Group Policy Management Editor.
Expand Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesSystemDevice InstallationDevice Installation Restrictions.
Double-tap or double-click the appropriate policy to view its Properties dialog box.
Set the state of the policy as Not Configured if you don’t want the policy to be applied, Enabled if you want the policy to be applied, or Disabled if you want to block the policy from being used (all as permitted by the Group Policy configuration).
If you are enabling the policy and it has a Show option, tap or click Show to use the Show Contents dialog box to specify which device IDs should be matched to this policy, and then tap or click OK. In the Registry Editor, the GUID for a device setup class is the entire key name, including the braces ({ and }). You can copy the key name and paste it into the Show Contents dialog box by following these steps:
Open the Registry Editor. One way to do this is by pressing the Windows key, typing regedit, and then pressing Enter. This works so long as the Apps Search box is in focus.
In the Registry Editor, press and hold or right-click the key name, and then select Copy Key Name.
In the Show Contents dialog box, tap or click twice in the Value box so that the cursor changes to an insertion point. Press and hold or right-click, and then tap or click Paste.
Delete the path that precedes the GUID value. The value you delete should be HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass.
If you want to add the GUID for another device setup class, repeat steps b–d.
Tap or click OK.
Rolling back drivers
Sometimes you’ll find that a device driver you installed causes device failure or other critical problems on a system. Don’t worry: you can recover the system and use the previously installed device driver by following these steps:
If you are having problems starting the system, you need to start the system in safe mode as discussed in the section Troubleshooting startup and shutdown in Chapter 10.
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node.
Select Device Manager in the Computer Management console. You should now get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to manage, and then tap or click Properties. This opens the Properties dialog box for the device.
Tap or click the Driver tab, and then tap or click Roll Back Driver. When prompted to confirm the action, tap or click Yes.
Tap or click OK to close the device’s Properties dialog box.
Removing device drivers for removed devices
Usually when you remove a device from a system, Windows 8.1 detects this action and automatically removes the drivers for that device. However, sometimes when you remove a device, Windows 8.1 doesn’t detect the change, and you must remove the drivers manually. You can remove device drivers by completing the following steps:
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand to the System Tools node.
Select Device Manager in the Computer Management console.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to remove, and then tap or click Uninstall.
When prompted to confirm the action, tap or click OK.
Uninstalling, reinstalling, and disabling device drivers
Uninstalling a device driver uninstalls the related device. When a device isn’t working properly, sometimes you can completely uninstall the device, restart the system, and then reinstall the device driver to restore normal operations. You can uninstall and then reinstall a device by completing the following steps:
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node.
Select Device Manager in the Computer Management console. You should get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to manage, and then tap or click Uninstall.
When prompted to confirm the action, tap or click OK.
Restart the system. Windows 8.1 should detect the presence of the device and automatically reinstall the necessary device driver. If the device isn’t automatically reinstalled, reinstall it manually, as discussed in the section Installing and updating device drivers, earlier in the chapter.
To prevent a device from being reinstalled automatically, disable the device instead of uninstalling it. You disable a device by pressing and holding or right-clicking it in Device Manager, and then tapping or clicking Disable.
Enabling and disabling hardware devices
When a device isn’t working properly, you might want to uninstall or disable it. Uninstalling a device removes the driver association for the device, so it temporarily appears that the device has been removed from the system. The next time you restart the system, Windows 8.1 might try to reinstall the device. Typically, Windows 8.1 reinstalls Plug and Play devices automatically, but it does not automatically reinstall non–Plug and Play devices.
Disabling a device turns it off and prevents Windows 8.1 from using it. Because a disabled device doesn’t use system resources, you can be sure that it isn’t causing a conflict on the system.
You can uninstall or disable a device by completing the following steps:
Start Computer Management. In the Computer Management console, expand the System Tools node.
Choose Device Manager in the Computer Management console. You should get a complete list of devices installed on the system. By default, this list is organized by device type.
Press and hold or right-click the device you want to manage, and then choose one of the following options:
Uninstall
Disable
If prompted to confirm the action, tap or click Yes or OK as appropriate.
Troubleshooting hardware
Built-in drivers diagnostics in Windows 8.1 can detect many types of problems with hardware devices. If a problem is detected, you might get a Problem Reporting balloon telling you there is a problem. Tapping or clicking this balloon opens Action Center. Action Center can also be accessed in Control Panel by tapping or clicking the System And Security link and then selecting Action Center.
Whenever a device is installed incorrectly or has another problem, Device Manager displays a warning icon indicating that the device has a problem. If you double-tap or double-click the device, an error code is displayed on the General tab of the device’s Properties dialog box. As Table 8-3 shows, this error code can be helpful when trying to solve device problems. Most of the correction actions assume that you’ve selected the General tab in the device’s Properties dialog box.