Go Directly to Device Manager

The Device Manager is one of Windows' most useful diagnostic tools. It lets you see all of the devices attached to your computer, and which resources they are each using.

Windows 95/98/Me

• You can open Device Manager by double-clicking on the System icon in Control Panel, and choosing the Device Manager tab. It is also accessible by right-clicking on My Computer, selecting Properties, and selecting the Device Manager tab. Getting to the Device Manager this can require up to six mouse clicks, but there is an easier way.

• Open an Explorer window, and select your Start Menu folder (under your Windows directory). It doesn't have to go here, but it's as good a place as any.
• Select New and then Shortcut from the File Menu.
• In the field labelled Command Line, type C:\WINDOWS\CONTROL.EXE Sysdm.cpl, System,1 (replace C:\WINDOWS\ with your Windows directory, if different).
• Click Next, type Device Manager for the name of this shortcut, and press Finish when you're done.
• There will now be a shortcut directly to Device Manager in your Start Menu.

Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista

• You can open Device Manager by double-clicking on the System icon in Control Panel, choosing the Hardware tab, and clicking Device Manager.

• Fortunately, Device Manager can be more easily run by launching devmgmt.msc - just create a shortcut to the file (as described above), and launch it at any time.