Datasheet

22
Part I: Getting Ready to Upgrade
For example, to see what type of video card sits inside your computer, click
the tiny icon next to Display Adapters — the Windows term for a computer’s
video circuitry. As you can see in Figure 1-9, the name of your video card’s
model and manufacturer appear, invaluable information when the part
stops working. Armed with that information, for example, you can search for
updated drivers — translators between Windows and the part.
To see even more information about that part, double-click its name, and a
window appears. Click that window’s Driver tab to see the manufacturer, date,
and version number of the currently installed driver — essential information
when you’re troubleshooting a part’s driver.
When a particular part stops working, look for its make and model in the
Device Manager. Then head to the manufacturer’s Web site and download that
part’s latest driver, a chore covered in Chapter 17.
Figure 1-9: The Device Manager can tell you all the details you need to know about the parts in
your computer.
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