Hardware/Software Installation
After installing new hardware/software components go to the manufacturer's Web page and see if there are updated drivers, a list of frequent asked questions (FAQ), or troubleshooting tips. Also go to the Control Panel, select the System icon followed by the Device Manager tab. Your new component should be listed under the appropriate device heading. If you see an exclamation point, then you have a problem. If needed, press the [+] symbol to open the device's "directory." Now, right-click the device and select Properties. Here you'll find a series of tabs and choices depending upon the product type. Go through the tabs and see if any error messages appear there. If possible, you might be able to fix any problem(s) at this juncture. If not, make a note of the specific error(s) and look in the manual or contact the manufacturer for instructions.

Camera/Scanner
If you buy a camera or scanner that does not have a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection, then WinMe may not automatically detect the hardware. To add this type of device go to the Control Panel and select the "Scanners and camera" icon and "Add Device." Follow the Wizard's instructions. At one point, you may have to insert the manufacturer's disk to find the hardware's drivers. Continue with the wizard and this should get you up and running. If your device uses something called a TWAIN (Believe it or not, this acronym means “Technology Without An Interesting Name.”) interface, then you will not use this process. Third party software that comes with the device controls the installation and functioning, so just follow the instructions that come with the device.

CDs
There is an easy way to eject CDs in the CD-ROM without having to reach down to the button on your CD-ROM drive. You can let Windows Explorer eject it for you by right-clicking your CD-ROM drive icon, selecting Eject and out pops the CD. In the same manner, you can play a CD from Explorer and eject it. Assuming you have an audio CD in the CD-ROM drive, your CD-ROM icon will actually say “Audio CD” in any My Computer or Explorer window. To play the disk, right-click the icon and select Play.

CD Drive Letters
To change the drive letters of your CD/DVD player, go to the Control Panel, select the System icon and then the Device Manager tab. Select the drive you want to change, and click the Settings tab. At the bottom, you will see the current drive letter, followed by two boxes called 'Start drive letter' and 'End drive letter.' Click the drop-down arrow in the 'Start Drive Letter' and choose the drive letter you want. Click Apply and reboot. Normally the paths in batch files and configurations specify a drive letter for your CD-ROM, but with removable hard drives this may not be the case. Your other drive may grab the drive letter the CD-ROM expects from the first unit. You can solve this problem by permanently assigning the CD-ROM to a certain letter by clicking Start, Settings, and Control Panel. Double-click the System icon and then click Device Manager tab and the plus sign beside the CD-ROM item. Now double-click the drive letter, click the Settings tab, and choose a drive letter.

CD-ROM
CD-ROMs are a read-only medium, so all files on CD-ROMs often carry a read-only attribute. This attribute is stripped off when you install programs from a CD-ROM. However, the read-only attribute may remain when you simply copy a file from a CD-ROM. If so, that will make it impossible for you to delete or edit those files. To change this attribute, right-click the file, choose Properties, remove the checkmark from the Read-only box, and click Apply followed by OK.

CD-ROM Installation Procedure
When you insert a CD-ROM disk into your computer’s CD-ROM drive, Windows automatically runs it using the SETUP.EXE file on the disk or plays music on the disk if it is a music CD. If, however, you would rather not run the aforementioned file or play the music on the CD-ROM, then click the Start button and choose Settings, Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon and click the Device Manager tab. Next click the plus (+) sign next to the CD-ROM and select your CD-ROM drive. Now click the Properties button. In the Properties dialog box, click the Settings tab and deselect Auto Insert Notification. Finally click OK twice and then restart your computer. From now on your CD-ROMs won’t play until you activate them.

Compatibility
The first step in dealing with Win2000 newly installed hardware problems is to check the Win2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). A version of this list is included on your Win2000 CD-ROM in the \Support folder; the filename is HCL.TXT. This list should conform to the version of Win2000 that is on your CD-ROM. However, the HCL is a dynamic list, undergoing almost daily changes as more devices become certified and when devices are dropped as incompatibilities are noted. You can also search for compatible hardware on the Microsoft Web site <http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/professional/howtobuy/upgrading/compat/default.asp >. This tip may also work with other versions of Windows.

DCC Protocols
Connecting two computers together via cables is no easy task. If you have attempted to do this using the Windows Direct Cable Connection (DCC) wizard and are still experiencing problems, then it could be because of a missing protocol. Right-click on the Network places icon and select the Configuration tab. Add the protocol IPX/SPX. After adding, select it within the Configuration tab and click the Properties button. Now, bind IPX/SPX to the Dial-Up adapter on BOTH the host and guest computers.

Default Printer
If your system is set up to print to multiple printers and you print to one of them more than the others, make your favorite printer the default. Then you won't have to change your print settings every time you print. Select Start, Settings, Printers, and you'll see an icon for each of the printers to which you're connected. Right-click the printer you use most and select Set As Default. From now on, whenever you use the Print command, your system will automatically send the job to that printer. 

Device Driver Problems
Sometimes Windows will install the same device driver more than once on a single device. To check this situation, go to the Control Panel and select the System Icon and then the Device Manager tab. Open each device and see if any are installed more than once for the devices. If so, remove the extra device, but note these cautions. You may have the same driver loaded for two different devices. For example, if there are two or more hard drives, you may see the same driver multiple times for each drive, which is OK. Do not remove this kind of duplication. Also do not remove anything from the System Devices category. If you accidentally remove too much, reboot Windows and run the "Add/Remove Hardware" in the Control Panel.

Floppy Disks
Your Disk Defragmenter utility is often used just to reorganize the hard drive so that it can provide more information and better performance. For these reasons you should also defragment a floppy disk if it has been recorded and re-recorded many times. Defragmenting the floppy can improve the time it takes to find and transmit data.

Hi-Fi Speakers
To get the best sound from any new stereo peripheral hardware, you should tell Windows what kind of speakers, headphones, etc., by clicking the Start button and choosing Settings, Control Panel. Next double-click the Multimedia icon. On the Audio tab, click the Advanced Properties button in the Playback section. Choose the speaker setup that most closely matches your speakers and finish by clicking OK.

IR Tune
You can tell the monitor to play sounds when it discovers any nearby infrared-ready devices. To access it, click on Start, Settings, Control Panel, and then double-click on the Infrared choice.

Modem
If you install a new modem and it won’t work, the problem could be that Dialup Networking was never set up. To check it, double-click My Computer icon. If you see a Dialup Networking icon then this is not the problem. If not, create one by clicking on Start and then on Settings and Control Panel. Next double-click on the Add/Remove Programs icon. Now click on the Windows Setup tab, double-click on Communications and lastly click the checkbox beside Dialup Networking and on Apply. Win98 has a Telephony feature that enables you to make dialing decisions on this device. With Telephony you can configure your area code, indicate any requirement to dial a number to reach an outside line, and select tone or pulse dialing. To use this feature, click Start, Settings, Control Panel, double-click the Telephony icon, configure your current location or create a new one, and then click OK. If your modem sometimes suddenly disconnects, go to Modems in the Control Panel by clicking on Start, Settings, and Control Panel. From Modems select Properties, the Connection Tab, and then click the Advanced button. In the Extra settings dialogue box, enter S10=50. This setting will force the modem to stay connected without a carrier for up to 5 seconds. 

Speed Dialer
The Phone Dialer in Windows can save up to eight telephone numbers in a Speed-Dial memory. To use this feature, click an empty Speed-Dial button and type the name and number you want there. Next click Save. Now you can dial that number by clicking the speed-dial button. To make changes to the saved numbers, choose Edit, Speed Dial.

Finally, it’s important to “clean house” periodically to free space on your hard disk. Win98/2000/Me/XP make this task easy with the Disk Cleanup utility. To run Disk Cleanup, click Start, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup. Click OK to delete files in each of the following four categories: Temporary Internet Files, Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Files, and Recycle Bin. The Disk Cleanup has two additional options: Windows components and installed programs. Both of them launch the Add/Remove program applet found in Control Panel. Under the Install/Uninstall tab you can remove old or unwanted programs. After using any or all of these options always run ScanDisk and Defrag.