Using Hardware Profiles for Alternate Configurations

Windows 95 uses hardware profiles to determine which drivers to load when the system hardware changes. When you start Windows 95, Windows 95 runs detection to see if any hardware on the computer has changed. If the hardware has changed significantly, Windows 95 creates a new hardware profile and prompts you for a name. If you move the computer to a new site and use a different configuration, Windows 95 notices it when you start the computer and loads the appropriate drivers.

The only time Windows 95 prompts you for the name of a hardware profile is when two profiles are so similar that Windows 95 can't differentiate between them. If this happens, Windows 95 displays a Hardware Profile menu from which you can choose the correct one.

Hardware profiles are an especially important feature for portable computers that can be docked. Windows 95 uses one hardware profile to load drivers when the portable is docked, and another profile when the portable is undocked — for example, at a customer site that has a different monitor than at the office.

Note

It is not necessary to use a different hardware profile for a Plug and Play portable computer, because the computer automatically knows when it is docked or undocked.

To create a hardware profile

1. In the System option in Control Panel, click the Hardware Profiles tab.
2. Click the name of the hardware profile you want to base the new hardware profile on, and then click Copy.
3. Type a name for the hardware profile you are creating.
4. Change which hardware is enabled or disabled in this profile by using the Device Manager, as described in the following procedure.

Tip If you have a hardware profile with the same name as a Windows 95 Startup Menu item, the corresponding menu item will be run automatically when you use that hardware profile for system startup.

To enable or disable hardware in a hardware profile

1. In Device Manager, click the plus sign next to the hardware type, and then double-click the hardware.
2. In the Device Usage box, click to place a check mark next to each hardware profile in which you want to enable the hardware, or clear the check box to disable the hardware for that hardware profile.
3. If you see a message prompting you to restart your computer, click Yes.

To delete or rename a hardware profile

1. In the System option in Control Panel, click the Hardware Profiles tab.
2. Click the name of the hardware profile you want to change.
3. If you want to remove this profile, click Delete.

   – Or –

   If you want to change the name of the profile, click Rename, and then type a new name.

Configurations are created when Windows 95 queries the BIOS for a dock serial ID and then assigns a name for the docked and undocked configuration. Windows 95 then stores the hardware and software associated with this configuration. Applications access and store information for each of the different hardware configurations used by the mobile user. The Registry support enables applications to adapt gracefully to different hardware configurations.

Tip

If you are running Multiconfig, you can name a hardware profile the same as a Multiconfig menu option. In this case, Windows 95 detects a hardware profile and automatically runs the corresponding Multiconfig menu option. You can create this by specifying identical names for the Multiconfig menu option and the hardware profile.