How do I reinstall/add hardware on my computer?

Question

My CD-Rom and burner icons have disappeared from My Computer. The System Performance tab shows that I am operating in MS-DOS compatability mode and the two controllers (Primary and Secondary Ultra ATA Controllers) have yellow exclamation points over them. Updating their drivers did no good. What can I do now?

Terry

Answer

This question was answered on February 24, 2002. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

Terry,

You didn't mention if anything has been changed or added to your computer prior to these icons disappearing. It sounds as if the configuration settings for these devices have been changed somehow. Since you have the drivers, try uninstalling and reinstalling one of them (if this works then do the same for the other device).

Go to Start - Settings - Control Panel, double-click the System icon, then click the Device Manager tab. Double-click one of the items that has the yellow exclamation points over it, click the Remove button, then continue through the prompts to remove it from your system then reboot your computer. When your computer reboots, it should recognize new hardware on your system, then take you through the Hardware Wizard to add the hardware, which is what you want to do.

If the Add New Hardware Wizard does not start automatically, go into Control Panel and double-click Add New Hardware to start it. Clicking Next in the first two windows will let Windows search for new hardware.

A: If the device is found, click Yes,... select the device from the list, click Next, then Finish.

B: If the device is not found, click No,... then Next, then choose No,... to select hardware from a list, then click Next to choose the hardware you are installing. If asked for the driver, click Have Disk, enter the path (or Browse to where the driver is located and double-click the file), then click OK until you get to Finish. Your computer will need to be rebooted again. Always use Start - Shut Down... to reboot.

When your computer reboots, check the device to see if it is working properly. If it is working properly follow the same steps for the second device that was not being recognized.

If you would like more detailed advice and information about this and other problems, go to http://support.microsoft.com this is a very helpful site.

Author

Posted by Debbi of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on February 24, 2002