The Control Panel

This Tutorial is divided into six sections:

CONFIGURING HARDWARE SETTINGS

You use Control Panel to configure hardware settings, manage user-specific settings, and manage settings that apply to the computer regardless of which user is currently logged on. This lesson introduces the Control Panel programs that you use to configure hardware devices or services. You configure hardware settings by creating and configuring hardware profiles.

CONFIGURING THE DISPLAY

Users with permission to load and unload device drivers can also install and test video drivers. Windows 2000 can change video resolutions dynamically without restarting the system.

CONFIGURING OPERATING SYSTEMS SETTINGS

You use certain Control Panel programs to configure operating system settings. The System Properties dialog box allows you to configure the following: · Performance options · Registry size · Environment variables · Startup and recovery settings The Control Panel programs that you use to configure the operating system settings affect the operating system environment regardless of the user who is logged on to the computer.

INSTALLING HARDWARE AUTOMATICALLY

With most Plug and Play hardware, you connect the device to the computer, and Windows 2000 automatically configures the new settings. For non-Plug and Play hardware, Windows 2000 often identifies the hardware and automatically installs and configures it. For the occasional Plug and Play hardware device and for any non-Plug and Play hardware that Windows 2000 doesn't identify, install, and configure, you initiate automatic hardware installation with the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard.

INSTALLING HARDWARE MANUALLY

Occasionally, Windows 2000 fails to automatically detect a hardware device. When this occurs, you must manually install the hardware device. You might also have to manually install a hardware device if the device requires a specific hardware resource. You manually install these devices to ensure that they have the necessary resources. To manually install hardware, you need to do the following: · Determine which hardware resource the hardware device requires. · Determine the available hardware resources. · Change hardware resource assignments.

CONFIGURING AND TROUBLESHOOTING THE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT

Windows 2000 provides great flexibility in configuring the desktop. You can configure you computer for multiple languages and multiple locations. This is especially important for employees of international companies that do business with customers in more than one country or who live in a country where more than one language is spoken. Windows 2000 also provides Accessibility options that allow you to make Windows 2000 easier to use.

Tutorial 4