Microsoft

Windows 7 Walkthrough: Hardware and Sound Control Panel

By // October 29, 2009, 6:30 AM PST

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  • Windows 7 Walkthrough: Hardware and Sound Control Panel

    Windows 7’s Control Panel is literally packed with tools (a.k.a. applets) that allow you to configure and control the way that the operating system works. Because the Control Panel has so many tools, Microsoft added a Search box to make it easy for you to find the tool that you need for a particular task.

    To help you become familiar with all of the tools that are available in Windows 7’s Control Panel, I have created the Windows 7 Walkthrough series in which I’ll show you and provide a brief overview of each tool in the Control Panel categories. This one covers the tools in the Hardware and Sound Control Panel category.

    Keep in mind that I’ll be using the Ultimate edition of Windows 7, which contains some features not available in other editions of the operating system.

  • Category View

    When you access Windows 7’s Control Panel you’ll see that there are 8 main categories. The Hardware and Sound category is the third one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to add and remove printers and other hardware, change system sounds, configure AutoPlay, manage power, update drivers, and more.

    Keep in mind that while I am using the Category view, you can display the Control Panel in either large or small icon view, both of which show icons for each of the 45 tools.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Hardware and Sound

    When you open the Hardware and Sound category you’ll see that there are 5 sections in this category.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Devices and Printers

    When you access Devices and Printers you’ll see all the devices and printers that are attached to your Windows 7 system.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Add a Device

    If you want to manually add a device, click Add a Device and you’ll see a wizard that will walk you through the steps of adding the device to Windows 7.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Add a Printer

    If you want to manually add a printer, click Add a Printer and you’ll see a wizard that will walk you through the steps of adding the either a local or a network printer to Windows 7.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Mouse

    Back in the Hardware and Sound window under Devices and Printers you can access the Mouse Properties dialog box, which as you can see looks and works the same as in previous versions of Windows.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Device Manager

    Also back in the Hardware and Sound window under Devices and Printers you can access Device Manager, which also looks and works the same as in previous versions of Windows.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • AutoPlay

    The next section in the Hardware and Sound window is AutoPlay, which provides you with the ability to choose what application is to start when you insert or connect various types of removable media or multimedia devices.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Sound

    The next section in the Hardware and Sound window is Sound, which provides access to the Sound dialog box. As you can see the first three tabs contain familiar configuration items while the Communications tab is new and allows you to configure how Windows adjusts the volume of devices when you are using your system for telephone calls.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Power Options

    The next section in the Hardware and Sound window is Power Options, which is also available in the System and Security category. The Power Options are covered in the Windows 7 Walkthrough: System and Security Control Panel gallery.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Display

    The next section in the Hardware and Sound window is Display and its initial window allows you to change the size of text and other items on your screen to make them easier to read.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Adjust Resolution / Change Display Settings

    From within the Display window, the Adjust Resolution and Change Display Settings access the Screen Resolution window with controls that you can use to change the appearance of your display

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Advanced Settings

    If you click Advanced Settings from within the Screen Resolution window, you’ll access a display adapter and monitor properties dialog box that looks and works the same as in previous versions of Windows.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Color Management

    Using the Color Management tool, you can adjust settings in order to ensure that color content is rendered as accurately as possible on all display devices such as your monitor and your printer.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Calibrate Color

    In addition to using the Color Management tool, you can select Calibrate Color from the Display window and launch the Display Color Calibration wizard, which will allow you to adjust the colors on the monitor and to ensure that they are represented as accurately as possible.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Adjust ClearType Text

    From within the Display window, you can access the ClearType Text Tuner, which is a wizard that walks you through adjusting ClearType text settings to improve the readability of text on LCD monitors.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Set Custom Text size (DPI)

    Also on the Display window, you can access and use the settings in the Custom DPI Setting dialog box to bump up the size of text and other graphical elements, like icons, so that they better fit the native DPI on LCD monitors

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Hardware and Sound Walkthrough Map

    This tree diagram presents a map of the Hardware and Sound walkthrough.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

Windows 7 Walkthrough: Hardware and Sound Control Panel

Windows 7’s Control Panel is literally packed with tools (a.k.a. applets) that allow you to configure and control the way that the operating system works. Because the Control Panel has so many tools, Microsoft added a Search box to make it easy for you to find the tool that you need for a particular task.

To help you become familiar with all of the tools that are available in Windows 7’s Control Panel, I have created the Windows 7 Walkthrough series in which I’ll show you and provide a brief overview of each tool in the Control Panel categories. This one covers the tools in the Hardware and Sound Control Panel category.

Keep in mind that I’ll be using the Ultimate edition of Windows 7, which contains some features not available in other editions of the operating system.

Related Topics:

Microsoft Enterprise Software Software Collaboration Mobility Cloud Hardware

By Greg Shultz

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.