Installing New Devices

When you need to install a new device, you should first rely on Windows 95 to detect and configure it. For Plug and Play-compliant devices, this means inserting the device into the computer. For legacy devices, this means running the Add New Hardware wizard.

Note Before you install a new device, check the Modems section in the Windows 95 README.TXT file for possible information.

To install a new Plug and Play-compliant device

1. Insert the device.

   Whether you need to turn off the power before inserting the device depends on the type of device. Check the documentation for your new device.

2. Windows 95 notifies you that it has identified a new card. If no driver is provided on the system, it asks you to insert a disk that contains a driver that was developed for Windows 95.
3. For PCMCIA cards, after Windows 95 identifies and loads the appropriate driver, the computer emits a beeps when the new device is configured.

   You can begin working with the device immediately. Windows 95 notifies other drivers and applications that the device is available.

If your computer uses PCMCIA cards or other Plug and Play cards and if a driver is not available for the new device, Windows 95 prompts you for a driver file to install. If Windows 95 detects the presence of a new device¾either during Setup, device installation, or startup¾but does not have a driver, it automatically asks for a disk that can be used to install and configure a driver.

To install a legacy device

1. In Control Panel, double-click the Add New Hardware option.

   

2. In the Add New Hardware wizard, click Next, and then click the option named Automatically Detect Installed Hardware.

   

3. Continue to follow the instructions on the screen to install drivers and to configure the device driver.

If Windows 95 does not have a driver for the device, you can install the driver from a disk by using the Add New Hardware wizard.

To install a legacy device from a disk by using the Add New Hardware wizard

1. In the Add New Hardware wizard, click Next, and then click Install Specific Hardware.
2. In the list of hardware devices, click a device class, and then click Next.
3. In the next Add New Hardware dialog box, specify the manufacturer and model of the device, and then click Have Disk.
4. In the Install From Disk dialog box, type the path name to the driver files, and then click OK.