PC101-Personal Computer 101
How can I get more information about my PC HW and SW?

There are lots of programs on the internet that will provide you with very detailed information on your system's HW and SW, some free some not.   Your system also comes with some utilities to give you information, although they are not too visually user friendly:
1)  You can run the Windows System Information utility by going to:
Start / Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Information
2)  You can look at all your hardware in a directory format by using the Control Panel / System  / Hardware / Device Manager display.  The categories open up by clicking on the + symbols in the boxes next to the HW category.

3)    All of your installed application SW is listed in the Control Panel / Add or Remove Programs.   You can look at what options of windows you have installed or what layer applications you have installed on your system.  You can also add or remove from both, but I suggest you do not unless you know what you're doing, in fact, make sure you Cancel your way out or click the X close option in the upper right when you are done to exit.

4)    The original manuals and brochures that came with the PC should also give you lists of HW and SW installed out of the box.

5)     If you have Microsoft's DirectX program installed then you can run it in the Start / Run window and get information on your video and audio systems.   Simply click on the Start button and then select Run, type in "dxdiag" and click OK.   The first display gives lots of info on your system and its resources.  The tabs above allow you to look and even test your audio and video systems.   You can save the results and information to a file.   (Many other programs also have an option to give you system information, e.g. Video Card Utilities)

6)      The Control Panel also offers options to look at specific HW and SW, like your modem, mouse, sound settings, video settings, printers, game controllers, etc.  There's lots of potential info here, as well as the ability to customize your system.  Here is an example of an XP Control Panel display:
Control Panel display

Examples of what you can do in Control Panel:
  • Customize your mouse: response speed, cursor, program buttons and wheel
  • Look at all the Fonts you have on your system
  • Configure a Game Controller or Joystick
  • *Manage your user account(s)
  • *Schedule system tasks and tools to run automatically
  • Program which, if any, sounds play for your desktop activity
  • Check, *change and *add to your modem settings
  • *Check and change your general internet settings
  • *Start, stop, change the startup mode for all System Services
  • *Install and uninstall layer applications
  • *Install and uninstall Windows Components (e.g. calculator, workpad, games, etc.)
  • *Look at all your HW devices, their drivers, resources & status
  • *How your desktop, background, monitor and graphics display is currently configured 
*If you plan to change these, you should know what you're doing.

I strongly suggest you keep separate hard copies of these listings (the important pages of long listings) in a binder along with your manuals and other related computer information.
TIP:  Keep a binder for each computer you have.  In it store, HW & SW lists, HW & SW manuals, general computer information, tips you discovery or learn, warranty information, and I suggest you keep text files on your system in a specific directory (e.g. C:\UpgradesPatchesInstalls) as well as printouts, in the binder for:
      • Versions of all SW programs and HW drivers, with driver/SW version, creation date and date you installed (see example)
      • A listing of all your hardware with: model numbers, serial numbers and overall description of the hardware (see example)
      • If you get to disabling or changing the startup status of System Services, then keep a listing of each service and changes made to them
      • An overall System Status file with system, program changes, crashes, hangs and misc. problems (record errors verbatim), install problems and tips, HW changes, etc.
      • I suggest creating a "(program/device)README.txt" file for any application or HW installs that you discover requires unique, nonintuitive procedures.  Keep these files and the install files (if you keep them) in the directory I suggested above, creating subdirectories for the name of the application or HW device. e.g.
C:\UpdatesPatchesInstalls\EAgames\BFpatchesREADME.txt
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