Some of you may have received some new hardware from Santa and have installed it on your computer systems. For others, trying to install new hardware can be a nightmare experience. Since the days before Windows XP, installing new hardware was part luck and part black art. Though Microsoft touted Plug-n-Play, most of us used the term Plug-n-Pray.

For the most part, today’s hardware installs pretty much on its own. But, sometimes we still run into a piece of hardware that may be stubborn to install and cause us headaches. We call tech support for the hardware and still may have problems getting the hardware to work properly. Below is a list of things I recommend to try to get the hardware functioning for you.

• As Microsoft recommends: “When installing new hardware, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly.” I have tried to do things ‘my way’ only to discover they weren’t working. Even when the directions do not make sense, try following them anyway.
• Microsoft says: “It may seem logical to connect your new hardware to the computer first. However, many hardware accessories (like HP printers) require that you install software before you connect the hardware.”
• Check the manufacturer’s Web site for new drivers or software updates. This is critical. After the hardware is released, the manufacturer may have received complaints that something didn’t work, and it posts a fix to correct the problem.
• Still having problems? Try this. Shut down your system and remove the hardware. Then start your system and uninstall all of the hardware software and drivers. Then try the installation process again. Sometimes you may be pleasantly surprised that on the second or third try the hardware works.
• As Microsoft says, “If the device uses a USB connection, plug the device into a different USB port, and then reinstall the hardware. If the device works, the problem is with your computer’s port, not with the hardware.”
• Try a different cable. I once spent two hours trying to get a scanner to work only to discover that the USB cable that came with the unit was faulty.
• Microsoft recommends: “Connect the hardware to a different computer, if one is available.” If the hardware works on a different computer, the problem could be that the computer itself is faulty.
• And if the hardware fails to function on two or more systems, odds are are good that the part is faulty.

Good luck and happy computing.

[tags]hardware, software, computer, troubleshoot, fail, usb[/tags]