Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional now supports more than 6,500 hardware devices, such as infrared devices, scanners, digital cameras, and advanced multimedia devices, that Windows NT Workstation 4.0 does not support.

Enhancements to hardware support in Windows 2000 Professional include:

Add/Remove Hardware wizard

Allows you to add, remove, troubleshoot, and upgrade computer peripherals. When a device is not working properly, you can use the wizard to stop operation and safely remove the device.

Windows Driver Model (WDM)

Provides a common model for device drivers across Windows 98 and Windows 2000. Drivers that are written to the WDM will work on both Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

Plug and Play support

Enhances previous Plug and Play functionality and allows:

Power Options in Control Panel

Prevent unnecessary power drains on your system by directing power to devices as they need it. With Power Options, you can: