Device Manager is a utility in Microsoft Windows operating systems that displays a list of installed hardware and allows you to manage each device. It is primary used for troubleshooting issues related to hardware and peripheral devices. Device Manager can help identify the cause of device conflicts, device errors, or driver errors. Below are some steps that can be used to diagnose and fix problems related to Device Manager.
1. First and foremost, it is important reinstall the drivers of the device in order to ensure that they are up-to-date and are not causing any conflict. Reinstalling the drivers can be done by accessing the Device Manager. To access the Device Manager, go to Start Menu and click on Run. Now type “devmgmt.msc” and press ENTER. The Device Manager will now open up. In Device Manager, right click on the device name that needs to be updated and select Uninstall. This will uninstall the device. Once the device has been uninstalled, reboot the computer. Once the computer has restarted, the Device Manager will detect the device and then reinstall the previously uninstalled drivers automatically.
2. Check for hardware conflicts. It is important to check for hardware conflicts as this may be the cause of device errors. To do this, first open the Device Manager by following the steps mentioned in step 1. Now, look for yellow exclamation marks beside the names of the devices. These exclamation marks indicate a hardware conflict. If a conflict is identified, then one must troubleshoot the device and resolve the conflict.
3. Check for improper installation of device drivers. It is also possible that the problem lies with the device drivers and not with the hardware itself. To check for improper installation of the device drivers, one must access the Device Manager and look for devices with an exclamation mark beside the name. If such a device is found, then one should update the device drivers. This can be done by right-clicking the device and selecting Properties. In the Properties dialog box, click on the Driver tab. Now, click on the Update Driver button and follow the instructions to update the device drivers.
4. Check for Error Codes. Error codes are a great way to narrow down the cause of the problem. To view the error code associated with the device, open the Device Manager and right-click on the device that produces the error. Now, select Properties and then select the Details tab. Here, you will find the error code associated with the device. These codes can then be used to search for a more specific solution to the problem.
5. Disable the Device. If none of the above methods help to resolve the issue, one could try disabling the device. To disable the device, open Device Manager and right-click on the device name. Now, select Properties and select the Driver tab. Here, click on the Disable button. Once disabled, the device will not be used until it is manually enabled by the user.
These are some of the steps that can be used to diagnose and fix problems related to the Device Manager. If these steps do not solve the problem then it may be necessary to contact device manufacturer or Microsoft support for further assistance.