Flexible application of WinXP hardware configuration files

A hardware profile is a series of instructions that tells Windows what devices should be started when you start your computer, and which settings are used in each device. When a user installs Windows for the first time, the system automatically creates a hardware profile named "Profiles 1", which, by default, enables all devices installed on this computer when Windows is installed in the Profile 1 hardware configuration file. In the System Properties Hardware dialog box, you can see that there is a button for hardware profiles, and a list of the hardware profiles available on the local computer is displayed in the Available hardware Profiles list.

The role of the hardware configuration file

1. Load only the device drivers in the hardware configuration file

Under Available hardware profiles, use the arrow buttons to move a hardware profile that needs to be the default setting to the top of the list, so that only hardware devices that are enabled in the selected profile are loaded when Windows starts. Once you have created a hardware profile, you can use Device Manager to disable and enable the devices in the configuration file so that the driver for the device is not loaded the next time you start the computer, increasing the system boot speed.

2. Fast switching to different working environments

As mentioned earlier, we can create several different hardware profiles at the same time, to accommodate a different working environment, simply select the "Wait for user to select hardware Profile" item in the "Hardware Profile Selection" section and the Hardware Profile selection menu similar to the Multiple boot menu will appear when you start the computer later. Then you can switch to a different working environment at any time.

Hardware profiles will be very useful for laptop users, because most laptops are used in mobile settings, and when users move laptops from one place to another, hardware profiles allow users to change the devices that the computer uses. For example, we can create multiple hardware profiles that are suitable for different situations, so it is convenient to switch.

3. Increase start-up speed

If you did not create several different hardware profiles, or if you want to automatically load the default hardware profile during startup without displaying list items, enter "0" in "Seconds" in the "Hardware Profile Selection" section. Of course, even if you still select a different hardware profile from the list, you will see the list as long as you hold down the SPACEBAR when you start.

4. Restore the default configuration

If the hardware changes exceed a certain limit, Windows XP may require users to reactivate the system, which is cumbersome. However, if we back up the original hardware profile before each installation or change of hardware, just tap the Copy button from the Figure 1 window and type a new file name in the Copy configuration file box, and then you can re-import the hardware profile that was backed up in the future when a problem arises.

It is important to note that the above operation must be logged on as a system administrator.

5. Empty the redundant hardware information in the system

If, as a result of certain needs, you often plug in the hardware device, so the process of repeated installation of the driver will be in the system left a lot of hardware registration information, the system will be started repeatedly with these non-existent devices to communicate, resulting in a slowdown in the system, how to empty the redundant hardware information?

Quite simply, we can remove the hardware Profile 1 and recreate a new hardware file, which is the new system. For insurance purposes, do not immediately delete it, first click the "Copy" button back up (Profile 2), and then rename, for example, to "profile", and then restart the computer, the following prompts will appear:

Windows cannot determine what configuration your computer is in select one of the following:

1.Profile

2.Profile 2

3.None of the above

The "1" and "2" Here are hardware profiles that already exist in the system, of course we choose "3" so that Windows can re-examine the hardware, and the "Detect Hardware" dialog box appears and prompts "Windows must make some adjustments when you first start your computer with a new configuration." This process takes about a few minutes, and the Configuration Settings dialog box appears later, prompting Windows to have successfully set up the new computer's configuration with the name Profile 1, click OK, and then reinstall the drivers for the hardware device.

Note that after restarting the system, you will remember to remove two hardware profiles except Profile 1, or you will still be asked which profile to use when you turn on.