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Resolving Conflicts

When it comes to resolving conflicts, the Device Manager is the best place to start. Problems often occur when hardware devices try to grab the same system resource; however, incompatible hardware may also be the culprit.

Using the Device Manager for Conflicts

If a device is conflicting, you will see an indication on the Device Manager page of the System Properties dialog box. An exclamation point next to a device means that a conflict has been detected.

You can alter the settings for the offending device by double-clicking the highlighted item and clicking the Resource tab of the device's properties dialog box.

When a conflict exists, it is described in the Conflicting Device list box at the bottom of the sheet. To resolve the conflict, do the following:

1. Uncheck the Use Automatic Settings check box.
2. In the scrolling list box in the center of the dialog box, scroll to the desired item and double-click it.
3. Use the spinner control that appears to assign a new setting for the resource. Click OK.
4. Click OK again to put the changes into effect. You will usually have to restart the system.