by Michael Desmond
Installing new hardware under Windows 98 is made easier by the use of Plug and Play technology and the Add New Hardware Wizard. Today, almost all new hardware provides Plug and Play capability; in addition, most systems sold over the last three years comply with PnP. The result: Easier hardware installations.
Not sure if your system is PnP-compatible? The following things must be in place for PnP to work with your installations:
FIG. 26.1 The Windows 98 Device Manager will indicate if your system's BIOS is Plug and Play-compliant.
If you have a working PnP-compliant system, you'll notice that hardware installations go much more smoothly. Even when Windows 98 doesn't get it right--which does happen occasionally--the intuitive onscreen guides help prompt you as to what to do.
The Add New Hardware Wizard provides a common user-friendly interface for hardware installation procedures. Several things can happen to launch the wizard:
Regardless of how the wizard is invoked, it provides a consistent step-by-step approach. The following list represents a typical sequence of the events that occur when Windows 98's Add New Hardware Wizard detects a new device at startup.
TIP: By default, the Add New Hardware Wizard often asks you to insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM. But depending on the age of your Windows 98 disc, you may find newer drivers included with the hardware itself. As a general rule, you should use the newest drivers you can when installing new products. In fact, I often check the manufacturer's or Microsoft's web site to download the newest driver before installing hardware.
NOTE: If Windows 98 can't find the required device driver file in the expected location, you will be prompted to browse for the necessary files.
CAUTION: Installing new hardware involves making changes to the Windows 98 Registry, the central configuration database that is vital to your system's operation. Before you install a new device, you should make it a point to back up your Registry settings. Open the Registry by clicking Start, Run. Type Regedit in the text box and click OK. In the Registry Editor, select the My Computer icon at the top of the list on the left, click the Registry menu item, and then click Export Registry File. Save the file to a desired location (such as to a floppy disk) using the Export Registry File dialog box. Also give your exported Registry file a name. If your existing Registry becomes corrupt following an installation, you will be able to fix the problem by asserting your old, working Registry from your hard drive or floppy disk. Alternatively, an even better idea is to back up the entire Windows directory, which ensures that you can return your operating system to its native state should the installation overwrite or corrupt any key system files.
What do you do if the wizard fails to properly detect your newly installed card? You need to intervene and manually tell Windows 98 what it is you are installing. But the wizard's consistent interface does help guide you. Follow these steps:
FIG. 26.2 The Add New Hardware Wizard provides a comprehensive list of device types, from which you can pick out your specific hardware during installation.
Windows 98's Plug and Play, assisted by the Add New Hardware Wizard, makes it easy to install an internal adapter card. Sound boards, graphics cards, and internal modems are all common add-in card installations.
That said, you need to exercise caution when working inside your system. Rough handling or incorrect installations can damage delicate leads and electronics, rendering your PC inoperable. You should also be sure to always unplug your system before you open the case. This will ensure that a power spike does not damage components during installation.
CAUTION: Static electricity is a real concern when you're working inside a PC case. Before you touch or handle any cards, make sure you touch one of the PC's metal supports. This effectively grounds you and draws away any static charge you've accumulated.
To install an adapter card, do the following:
NOTE: If you own a Compaq system, you may have to find a Torx screwdriver for the unique screws that company uses to attach its cases. You can find a Torx driver at your local hardware store or at most computer stores.[dagger]
NOTE: Some computers, including models from Compaq, will not boot with the cover off. If your PC fails to start, try reseating the cover and booting again.[dagger]
NOTE: Be careful not to lose those backplates you remove when you're installing a new card. You'll want to keep them handy to cover up the open slot in the back of the chassis should you ever remove the device. Otherwise, your PC will be more susceptible to gathering dust on the motherboard and fans, which can lead to overheating. In addition, open backplane slots can reduce the efficiency of airflow in the PC chassis, again inviting heating problems with fast CPUs.[dagger]
The easiest way to install a new older device in a Windows 98 system is to use the Add New Hardware Wizard's automatic detection feature to identify the new card or device. But the wizard can also determine if you have removed a card. Auto-detection is best suited for PCs that have few or no specialty adapter cards, such as sound and video-capture cards.
The following steps describe the automatic detection process for installing a Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE 32 card:
NOTE: If the specific device model name does not appear in the list, don't panic. Click the Have Disk button below the Models list box, and then insert the driver disk or CD-ROM provided with the hardware. Navigate to the proper drive letter, and the appropriate .INF file will appear. Click OK, and the drivers and device information will be loaded into Windows 98 from the media.
While adapter installations are relatively similar, there are actually several types of adapters available for PCs. Depending on the age and model of your system, you will need to make sure you purchase cards that are supported in your PC's motherboard. Here are the four most common card types:
CAUTION: Graphics card companies and system makers tout AGP's advanced 3D features, which allow a lot of system memory to be used for rendering 3D textures. However, many AGP-compliant graphics cards lack this capability, and tests show that AGP fails to deliver a meaningful performance benefit in relation to standard 2D and 3D graphics.
Two other bus types, EISA and MicroChannel, provide faster-than-ISA performance and offer Plug and Play features. However, both are aging bus designs that have fallen out of favor and are generally being replaced by PCI cards and slots.
Before you make any upgrade, you need to make sure that you buy a card that matches the available slots in your PC. A VL bus graphics card, for example, will not fit into a Pentium MMX system that features slots for ISA and PCI cards. Likewise, a new ISA sound card won't be of any use if all the ISA slots are already occupied by other necessary peripherals.
Plug and Play is also a factor. While Windows 98 will recognize most ISA and VL bus cards, neither bus specifically requires that cards provide PnP capability. PCI and AGP, on the other hand, were designed with PnP in mind.
NOTE: Owners of 486 PCs may face a bigger issue: the disappearance of VL bus-based cards. Most graphics board makers have switched their efforts to PCI and, more recently, AGP. If you have an old 486 PC that you want to upgrade to handle 3D graphics and video playback, you may be out of luck. If you really want to use these applications, consider upgrading to a Pentium or faster system with PCI card slots.
AGP
The accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus dedicates a connection to your graphics card. Although the current top data rate of AGP is 528Mbps, there are actually several flavors of the specification. Before you install a new AGP graphics card, you should know which flavor your system and card adhere to. Table 26.1 outlines the various distinctions. You'll want to use faster versions of AGP hardware in order to maximize 3D performance.
| AGP Type | Bus Width | Clock Rate | Bandwidth |
| AGP 1X | 32 bits | 66MHz | 264Mbps |
| AGP 2X | 32 bits | 133MHz | 528Mbps |
| AGP 4X | 32 bits | 266MHz | 1024Mbps |
Today, AGP 2X is supported by the Intel 440LX and 440BX chipsets, which means virtually all Pentium-II motherboards support 528Mbps operation. However, many early AGP graphics cards support only AGP 1X, which limits your data rates to the lower 264Mbps specification.
Down the road, Intel will be releasing AGP 4X, an enhanced specification that doubles the clock rate yet again to deliver 1Gbps of bandwidth. Targeted for graphics workstations and 3D professional applications, AGP 4X will become critical as software really takes advantage of the fast bus.
Windows 98 provides AGP support directly within the operating system. However, most software still doesn't make use of its most compelling feature: the ability to share system RAM with the graphics card. AGP lets games and software store megabytes of texture data in system memory, where the AGP graphics card can access it directly for use in realistic 3D scenes. Opening more data storage for textures should result in a marked improvement in the visual quality of 3D software.
Windows 98 includes DirectX 5.0, the latest version of Microsoft's gaming APIs and components, which enables DirectX-based games to make use of AGP texture memory. However, only games written using DirectX 3.0 or later can recognize the additional memory.
Modem installations are among the most common of upgrades, if only because of the rapid-fire improvement of modem speeds to the current level of 56 kilobits per second (kbps). While I recommend that users always buy the fastest modem they can reasonably afford, the final decision always comes down to the question of internal versus external design.
The main advantage of internal modems is their lower cost: They often cost $20 to $30 less than their external counterparts. Part of the savings is due to the fact that internal models don't include the power supply, plastic case, and serial cable found on external modems. What's more, internal models are best for older 486 systems, which might not have a serial port fast enough to handle 28.8 kbps and higher transmission rates.
NOTE: You might see some low-cost modems referred to as "Windows modems" or "Winmodems." These devices use the system CPU to handle controller functions usually conducted in the modem. While this approach reduces parts costs in the modem, it requires that Windows be present to handle the transactions. That means your DOS-only games might not be able to access the COM hardware. If you use DOS to play online games, consider getting a full-function modem that uses a hardware controller.
For most people, however, external models provide valuable flexibility. For example, a locked- up signal can be fixed by toggling the external modem on and off, whereas an internal modem requires a system reboot. Likewise, informative status lights let you see if the modem is actually sending and receiving bits. (However, the Windows 98 modem status applet, shown in Figure 26.3, makes this less of a concern.)
FIG. 26.3 Double-click the modem light icon on the Windows 98 taskbar, and you'll see a full-fledged dialog box that shows you how much data your modem has moved.
Physically installing an internal modem is the same as installing any internal adapter card. Physically installing an external unit simply means plugging the phone cords into the proper modem jacks, plugging in the power cable, and attaching the serial cable to the appropriate serial port on the back of your PC.
That done, you need to tell Windows 98 to work with the newly installed device. Do the following:
Windows 98 itself is large enough that it may motivate a hard disk upgrade, particularly given the low cost of disks with capacities as high as 6GB. Here are a few of those types of hard disks:
The vast majority of users have EIDE hard disks, for the simple reason that they are less expensive than SCSI yet provide capacities of 9GB and beyond.
A new type of enhanced IDE interface, called ultra DMA or ATA-33, provides faster hard disk connections. Where enhanced IDE typically tops out at 15Mbps, ATA-33 drives can push up to 33Mbps of data--nearly as much as a fast and wide SCSI drive. Only the newest motherboards include ATA-33 interfaces, so you might have to purchase an add-in card to realize the benefit of an ATA-33 drive in an existing system.
To install an EIDE hard disk, you must physically mount the drive in the system. First, however, you must decide whether the disk is to be the main bootable hard disk, or if it is to serve as a second disk for your system.
If the disk drive is to be a second disk, you should connect it to the same EIDE port as the first disk, using the available second connector provided on the cable running from the motherboard to the primary disk drive. Before installing the disk, make sure the pins near the back of the drive unit are set so that the disk is configured as a slave (the boot disk is already set as the master for its EIDE port).
NOTE: If you have an EIDE CD-ROM drive, you'll want to set it as the master device on the secondary IDE channel and set the two hard disks as master and slave on the primary channel. This will improve the performance of the CD-ROM drive and avoid possible time-out problems that can occur when the slow-response CD-ROM drive shares resources with quicker hard disks.
Having done that, you can proceed with the installation.
Advancing hard disk capacities have outstripped the facilities inside the operating system. Windows 95 and Windows 3.x used the FAT16 file system, which can only recognize hard disk partitions of up to 2GB. In order to access all of a 6GB hard disk, you must partition the drive into three 2GB segments, each of which has its own drive letter. This fools the operating system into thinking there are three disks of 2GB installed.
In addition, larger hard drives have resulted in expanding amounts of lost disk space. This problem occurs because of the way FAT16 segments the hard disk into lots of same-sized clusters. Every file, no matter how small, consumes at least one cluster. On smaller drives with cluster sizes of 4KB or 8KB, the amount of space wasted in each cluster was not too severe. But at 1GB, cluster sizes are 32KB a piece. The result: Lots of lost disk space, also known as slack. FAT32, however, puts the squeeze on cluster size to optimize disk space, as outlined in Table 26.2.
| Maximum Drive Partition | FAT16 Cluster | FAT32 Cluster |
| 128MB | 2KB | 4KB |
| 256MB | 4KB | 4KB |
| 512MB | 8KB | 4KB |
| 1,024MB | 16KB | 4KB |
| 2,048MB | 32KB | 4KB |
| 8,192MB | N/A | 4KB |
As you can see from the table, a typical 2GB partition under FAT32 uses clusters one-eighth the size of those used by the same drive under FAT16. Multiplied over thousands of files, the more-efficient FAT32 scheme results in tens or even hundreds of megabytes of saved disk space.
To address this issue, Windows 98 uses the FAT32 file system by default. This update can recognize hard disks as large as TKGB, eliminating the need to create several drive letters. What's more, FAT32 is more efficient about disk space. A 2GB FAT16-formatted drive sets aside 32KB of space for every file, so even a 1KB file consumes 32KB. FAT32 cuts that number down to 4KB.
If you're installing a large IDE hard drive, you might want to format it using FAT32 (provided that is not the case already). Windows 98 includes a program called CVT1.EXE that automatically converts existing FAT16 drives to FAT32 format without requiring you to reformat the drive or back up its data. (However, it's generally a very good idea to back up your data before you switch file systems.)
You can also select your file system using the DOS-based FDISK.EXE application found in the WINDOWS\COMMAND subdirectory. This program lets you create and resize logical disk partitions, as well as select the file system to be used in each partition. In some cases, you might want to switch back to FAT16 from FAT32 (for example, to dual boot Windows NT or to regain compatibility with some antivirus and utility programs). Although you'll have to reformat your hard disk to do it, FDISK will let you switch your drives from FAT16 to FAT32.
NOTE: Windows NT works fine on FAT16 partitions. However, it will not run on or recognize FAT32 partitions. If you have a dual-boot Windows 98/Windows NT system, you must plan correctly for how to use FAT32 with Windows 98. Windows NT and all its associated applications and data files must be located on a non-FAT32 partition. If you decide to use FAT32 for the Windows 98 partition, be aware that you will not be able to share installed applications between the two operating systems. For example, you will have to have two copies of Word for Windows--one on the FAT16 partition and one on the FAT32 partition.
The Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) may be more common among Macintosh computers than most PCs, but the daisy-chained bus is still often found on scanners, high-performance hard disks, and other devices. While SCSI is more expensive than the popular enhanced IDE bus found on many PCs today, it enjoys several key advantages:
SCSI comes in several varieties. Today, most devices use either Fast SCSI or Fast and Wide SCSI, though an even faster version--Ultra SCSI--is now available for high-performance peripherals. Table 26.3 shows how the various SCSI types compare.
| SCSI Type | Data Rate | What It's Good For |
| SCSI | 10MBps | Scanners, tape backup drives |
| Fast SCSI | 20MBps | CD-ROM drives, hard disks |
| Fast and Wide SCSI | 40MBps | Hard disks |
| Ultra SCSI | 80MBps | Fast hard disks |
Unlike IDE, SCSI is a daisy-chained bus. That means that peripherals are connected in a row (much like a string of Christmas lights) from a point originating at the system motherboard. Daisy chaining allows users to connect as many as seven devices from a single SCSI card or port. Each SCSI device must be assigned a unique ID number, called a SCSI ID, that Windows 98 can use to identify devices on the chain. These numbers run from 0 to 7.
NOTE: Although faster and slow SCSI products and cables can coexist neatly on a SCSI daisy chain, those of different bit widths (wide and narrow) generally cannot. If you are building a selection of SCSI peripherals, you should make a point to work with Wide SCSI variations (16 bits wide) in order to avoid problems.
While all devices should work regardless of their assigned ID--assuming that no ID is repeated on the chain--the truth is a little less clear. Some SCSI devices, such as bootable hard disks, may require an ID number of 0 or 1, while others may have a preferred ID assignment. The result: You might have to tweak the ID assignments of the devices in order for all of them to work properly. Check your documentation closely for such requirements when assigning ID numbers.
Most PCs sold today do not include a built-in SCSI card or connector--they rely on the less-expensive enhanced IDE bus to drive device-like hard disks and CD-ROM drives. So if you want to add a high performance CD-ROM drive, hard disk, scanner, or other peripheral, you may have to install a SCSI adapter card.
The process is identical to that of adding a new adapter card, which is detailed in the section "Installing an Internal Adapter," earlier in this chapter. When the Add New Hardware Wizard comes up, Windows 98 should detect both the card make and model (if it doesn't, you may have to select it manually from the list of SCSI adapters provided in the wizard itself). Once the appropriate driver software is loaded and the system restarts, the card will be ready to host SCSI devices.
NOTE: Many SCSI adapters include a built-in floppy controller. You should check to make sure this feature is disabled to avoid a conflict with the working controller on your motherboard.
SCSI device installations under Windows 98 resemble those of other hardware: The operating system detects the new hardware and guides you through the driver installation process. There are a few tweaks, however:
NOTE: SCSI termination can be tricky. If this is the first external device you are installing, you need to change the termination setting on the card itself because it will be terminated if no external devices are present.
New to the PC landscape is the Universal Serial Bus (USB), a low-to-medium-speed bus designed to replace the serial, parallel, keyboard, and mouse ports on your computer. Windows 98 is the first operating system to provide full USB support, which makes it easier than ever to add external peripherals to your PC. Table 26.4 shows some of the devices served by USB.
| Device Type | Devices |
| Input | Mice, keyboards, joysticks |
| Imaging | Scanners of all types |
| Multimedia | Videoconferencing cameras, speakers, wave audio |
| Output | Printers, monitor controls |
Like SCSI, USB lets you connect hardware to each other, eliminating the need to plug everything into the back of your PC. So a scanner can be hooked to your monitor, which in turn is hooked to your PC. That spells welcome cable relief. What's more, devices such as scanners and speakers, which now require their own power plugs, can draw their power over the USB cable, reducing the number of necessary electrical plugs. USB lets you hook up a maximum of 127 devices to your PC--though few users are likely to test that limit.
It's no surprise that USB is a Plug and Play bus--more so than SCSI--so devices are automatically detected by Windows 98 (see Figure 26.4). If you attach a USB scanner to your running PC, Windows 98 automatically initializes the device, allowing you to conduct scans without having to reboot or go through other steps. Likewise, the operating system will unload drivers for USB devices that are unplugged.
USB can't match SCSI's performance, however, because data rates top out at 12Mbps, so don't expect USB hard disks and CD-ROM drives. Down the road, look for a faster Plug and Play external bus, called IEEE 1394, or FireWire. This bus supports up to 400Mbps data rates, making it suitable for video capture and networking. Windows 98 does not feature FireWire capability now, but Microsoft has said it will support the technology in the future.
FIG. 26.4 Like any other device, USB hardware is tracked by the Windows 98 Device Manager, as shown by the Logitech PageScan USB scanner that is logged under the Imaging Device entry.
USB device installations can vary, but in most cases they're very simple. Just plug the hardware into the USB port on the back of the PC. Windows 98 will detect the hardware and might prompt you to insert a driver disk or the Windows 98 CD-ROM. After Windows loads the driver and initializes the new device, you will be able to use the device normally.
NOTE: Most PCs feature two USB ports, but because of the way Windows 98 sets up USB devices, only one port--the one you installed in--will register the new device. If, at a later date, you plug into the other port expecting to get right to work, you will find that you must reinitialize the device. In some cases, this can confuse Windows and cause a system crash. Your best bet when installing a new USB device is to take the time to plug the peripheral into both ports so that both are initialized; that way Windows will recognize the device on-the-fly no matter what.
USB and IEEE 1394 are also slated to become an important platform for your PC's storage drives. The Device Bay specification defines a standard modular drive bay that includes USB and IEEE 1394 connectors. Users will be able to slip Device Bay-compatible drives in and out of future PCs without having to mess with screws and clumsy drive bays. The two ports will replace the IDE and SCSI buses often used to connect these devices to the system.
Because both buses are Plug and Play-compatible, Device Bay drives can be readily swapped in and out of systems. Windows 98 will detect the presence or absence of the hardware and react accordingly. Faster magnetic media will use the IEEE 1394 bus, while tape drives and slow removable discs will work over USB.
Windows 98 adds the capability to send graphics to two displays at the same time, allowing you to expand the size of your Windows 98 desktop. For example, you can view a full-screen graphics layout on one display (at high-resolution true color) while the other shows your email or web browser at a different graphic setting. To run multiple displays, you'll need at least two VGA-compatible monitors, as well as a graphics card for each display. One important note: Because the graphics cards must run on the AGP or PCI buses, the number of free slots will probably limit display support.
To run a second display, you need to install a second graphics card. This process is identical to that outlined in the section "Installing an Internal Adapter," earlier in this chapter. After the new card is installed and running, you must shut down the PC, plug in the second monitor, and restart. The original card and display will boot up to the Windows 98 desktop, and the second display subsystem can be used to display desired programs.
Windows 98 does not dramatically change the installation procedure for hardware devices. Still, the Plug and Play routines have been tweaked for better performance, and useful additions such as the Upgrade Wizard should help keep your hardware up-to-date. Windows 98 also expands the recognized universe of devices to include DVD-ROM drives and peripherals operating on the USB bus.
© Copyright, Macmillan Computer Publishing. All rights reserved.
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}