In parts one and two of this series on how to troubleshoot your PC's hardware issues, we discussed both how to get yourself started out on the right track and how to troubleshoot new devices you have never used in this particular computer system before. In this installation, Part 3, we will discuss how to troubleshoot devices you have installed to replace a device of the same make and model that was used in this particular c
2.) Did you just install this device to replace an old device of the same make and model?
The next steps to take are basically the same as they were for troubleshooting new devices, with a few extra things to check on. Again, begin with the following related questions:
• Did you install the driver for this device? All new computer hardware components require a device driver to work. A driver is a little program that tells your operating system how to use the device.
If you did not install the driver for this device, then you should go ahead and do so. You can find the driver either on the disk that the manufacturer provided and that came with the device, or by checking the manufacturer's website to download it. If that does not correct the problem, then take a look at the second question:
• Did you check for conflicts in the Device Manager after you installed the device? Even though the device may have appeared to install fine, it could still be having issues getting along with the other devices already installed and working properly on your computer system.
Check Device Manager for any conflicts. If you find one, proceed to the article on how to resolve device conflicts and attempt to solve the problem that way. If that does not correct the issue, you should look to see if any newer drivers are available on the manufacturer's website. If that further does not correct the problem or there are no newer drivers to use, then try the following:
• Did you remove or disable the old version of this device before installing the new one? If not, do so.
• Did you remove the old device driver before installing the new one? If not, proceed to the article on how to remove drivers from your computer.
If neither solution corrects the problem, attempt to install the device on another computer system to see if it works. If not, you may have been given a bad device and it may need replaced.
