Installing Devices and their Drivers

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Devices communicate with Windows by using software components called drivers. For a description of the device installation process, and how Windows selects a device driver for a newly install device, see the Device Management and Installation Overview in the Technical Reference.

Task requirements

The following is required to perform the procedures for this task:

• You might have to restart the computer to complete this task.

• Device Manager. Device Manager is included with the Windows operating system.

• PnPUtil.exe. The PnPUtil command-line tool is included with the Windows operating system.

To complete this task, you can perform the following procedures:

• Install a Plug and Play Device

• Install a Non-Plug and Play Device

• Update or Change a Device Driver

• Roll Back a Device Driver to a Previous Version

• Enable or Disable a Plug and Play Device

• Start or Stop a Non-Plug and Play Device Driver

• Change the Startup Type for a Non-Plug and Play Device Driver