Let's define primary drivers as those drivers that must be loaded to have minimum usability from your computer. There may be other devices in the computer that may not function exactly as expected, (or may not function at all…) but basic functionality will be there.
Some primary drivers are:
· Disk drives -- The disk drivers are almost always installed at the same time that Windows is installed, as they are usually needed to perform the installation. However some systems have two completely different storage buses, for example IDE/ATA and SCSI. The IDE/ATA drives may be supported by Windows XP without additional drivers, while the SCSI might not be supported. Windows XP setup would install to the IDE/ATA drive (if you did not supply drivers, and specify another location).
· Video -- Though virtually all video cards work with the standard Windows XP VGA, SVGA or XVGA drivers. But many video systems have additional hardware features that require an additional driver to be installed.
· Keyboard/mouse -- Some special keyboards and mice require additional drivers. Virtually all will function to a limited extent on the Windows XP default drivers, however additional functionality will not be available.
Motherboard chipsets are very complex devices, and only a few companies produce theme. The need for compatibility with both operating systems (Windows XP), and existing hardware, while continuously developing new products that are better means that only the very largest companies are able to produce these chipsets.
The interface with the basic motherboard chipset is the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) DLL. Though there is only one name (hal.dll), the actual contents will vary with other motherboards. This is done when Windows XP setup copies the correct HAL driver, and then renames it to hal.dll.
Note
If you have a motherboard that supports multi-processors, but only have a single processor installed, the Windows XP Professional (and Windows Server 2003) setup program notes the capability for multi-processors.
If you later install the second processor, when the system reboots the second processor will be detected, and the correct multi-processor HAL will be loaded. With these versions of Windows, adding a processor to a motherboard that supports multiple processors is automatic.
Windows XP Home Edition will not support multi-processors. In the event finds multiple processors, only one processor will be used.
None of the above necessarily applies if you replace a uni-processor motherboard with a multi-processor board.
Even though your system may support RAID using hardware, it is recommended that the Windows paging file (a file that can be very large in some situations) not be placed on a RAID volume. As well, installing Windows XP on a RAID volume may not provide the best performance. When creating RAID volumes maintain at least one non-RAID volume for Windows' use. Even for a larger installation, the system files typically are less than five GB in size. That would indicate that a non-RAID volume of three to four times that size would be satisfactory.
Microsoft Windows XP supports a wide range of Network Interface Cards (NICs), including cards from RealTek, Intel, 3-Com, and others. Virtually all small-name NIC makers use components from Intel and other large chip makers. There is likely to be no problems using a wired network NIC.
Wireless (WiFi) networking is very different: most wireless interface cards require drivers. Some will work with the default drivers supplied with Windows XP, many will not. As well, those that do work with Windows XP directly may have functionality that is not supported.
When you are installing or using a WiFi network make sure that you have the correct drivers for your NIC on hand. If you have more than one WiFi NIC, carefully check model and version numbers before installing the drivers.
Windows XP will install without network connectivity. There are several problems that must be eventually addressed, such as PA (Product Activation), and updates that will be easier to resolve with network support.
Though sound systems are much improved over those from just a few years ago, both in standardization and performance, there are sound systems that require special drivers. A simple example, in my case, was an installation of an early version of Windows XP on a computer with the AC-7 sound system. This system is a standard created by Intel, in an attempt to standardize onboard sound systems. Alas, with that early version of Windows XP, it was necessary to load custom drivers to use it.
Sound systems that support surround (i.e. 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1) may well work with standard drivers, abet at a limited functionality.
Video cards have a good track record of adhering to the basic standards. There are three main standards that we see frequently referenced with video and display devices:
· UXGA - Ultra XGA, 1600 × 1200 with 32 bit color.
· SXGA - Super XGA, 1280 × 1024, with 32 bit color.
· XGA/XVGA - Extended Graphics Array, 1024×768, 8 bit color, 640×480, 16 bit color. XGA's color support was later extended.
· SVGA - Super Video Graphics Array, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) standard, 800 × 600 4 bit color.
· VGA - Video Graphics, 640 × 480, 4 bit color. Other resolutions and modes were also supported.
· EGA, Enhanced Graphics Array, 640 x 350, 4 bit color.
The above list does not specifically show all the possible resolutions available for each standard. Rather it is intended to show the resolutions (and color depth) that reflects the maximum that the standard is capable of.
A proper installation of Windows XP requires at least a SVGA adapter. Windows XP may install on standard VGA adapters, but is unusable at that resolution. Many users prefer a resolution of 800 x 600 for readability, though the most popular resolutions are 1024 x 768 and greater. Many of today's computers work at the higher resolutions. One commonly used resolution not specifically mentioned in the above list is 1400 x 1050. This mode is common on today's notebook computers--though users must have good eyesight to be able to appreciate that resolution with a typical notebook's 14 to 15" LCD display.
Most PCs built after 2001 are equipped with USB 2.0 support. As well, Windows XP, as of Service Pack 1 has supported USB 2.0 as well. For those of us with computers that have USB 2.0 support on the motherboard, support is as easy as installing Windows XP SP1 (or later).
Older computers (desktops and notebooks) may have USB 2.0 support added with an interface card. For desktop computers, there are many PCI based USB 2.0 interface cards, most of which are very inexpensive (usually $10 and below). Notebook users face a more expensive approach, with a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card, and will have to spend as much as $20 for the card.
Add-on cards of any type will frequently come with a driver disk.