Create and Activate New Hardware Profile using Windows OS

Windows 11 does not support "hardware profiles" as they existed in older versions like Windows XP and Windows 7. However, you can achieve similar functionality using 1)multiple boot configurations, 2) device manager settings, or 3) power plans. Below are three alternative approaches to managing hardware configurations on Windows 11:
1. Using the System Configuration (msconfig) for Hardware Profiles If you need different hardware configurations (e.g., disabling certain devices for specific tasks), you can create multiple boot configurations.
Steps:

1. Open System Configuration
   • Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. Create a New Boot Entry
   • Go to the Boot tab.
   • Select your current OS and click Copy to create a duplicate boot entry.
   • Rename it (e.g., "Minimal Hardware Profile").
3. Set Up Different Hardware Configurations
   • Boot into the new profile.
   • Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
   • Disable or enable specific hardware as needed.
4. Apply Changes and Restart
   • When you reboot, you will see multiple boot options.
   • Select the appropriate profile based on the hardware setup you need.

2. Using Device Manager to Enable/Disable Hardware
You can manually enable or disable certain hardware components for different tasks.
Steps:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. Expand the category of hardware you want to modify (e.g., Network adapters, Sound controllers).
3. Right-click the device and select Disable device.
4. When needed, re-enable it by following the same steps and selecting Enable device.

This method does not persist across reboots unless done through startup scripts or batch files.
3. Using Power Plans for Power-Related Hardware Changes
If your focus is on managing power-related hardware configurations (e.g., CPU speed, power-saving modes, USB behavior), you can use custom power plans.
Steps:

1. Open Power Options
   • Press Win + R, type powercfg.cpl, and press Enter.
2. Create a New Power Plan
   • Click Create a power plan on the left sidebar.
   • Choose an existing plan as a base and name the new plan.
3. Customize Hardware Settings
   • Click Change advanced power settings.
   • Adjust CPU performance, display, USB settings, and network adapters.
4. Save and Apply
   • You can switch between power plans via Win + X → Power Options.

Conclusion While Windows 11 does not have traditional hardware profiles, you can simulate them by:

• Using multiple boot configurations (msconfig).
• Manually disabling/enabling hardware in Device Manager.
• Creating custom power plans for different hardware setups.

There is a significant difference between the "hardware profile" of 1)Windows 2000 and 2) Windows 11 due to advancements in technology, system architecture, and hardware compatibility. Below are key differences:

1. • Windows 2000: Used hardware profiles to manage different sets of hardware configurations, especially for devices like docking stations, different network settings, and peripheral devices.
   • Windows 11: No longer uses hardware profiles in the same way. Instead, it relies on Device Manager, Plug and Play (PnP), and UEFI Secure Boot to manage hardware configurations dynamically.
2. • Windows 2000:
     • Supported x86 (32-bit) processors.
     • Required a Pentium 133 MHz or higher.
     • Maximum supported RAM: 4 GB (limited by 32-bit architecture).
   • Windows 11:
     • Requires 64-bit processors with at least 1 GHz clock speed, 2 or more cores.
     • Supports x86-64 (AMD64) and ARM64 architectures.
     • Requires 4 GB of RAM minimum, but supports up to 128 GB+ in Home editions and 2 TB+ in Pro/Enterprise.
3. • Windows 2000:
     • Basic NTFS permissions.
     • No built-in Secure Boot or TPM support.
     • No advanced encryption (BitLocker was introduced in later Windows versions).
   • Windows 11:
     • Requires TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) for enhanced security.
     • Secure Boot enabled by default.
     • Windows Hello (biometric authentication support).
4. • Windows 2000:
     • Limited Plug and Play (PnP) support.
     • Required manual driver installation for most hardware.
     • No support for modern USB-C, NVMe SSDs, Bluetooth 5.0, or Wi-Fi 6.
   • Windows 11:
     • Fully integrated PnP and automatic driver updates via Windows Update.
     • Supports USB 3.0/3.1/4.0, Thunderbolt, NVMe, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3.
     • Virtualization support with Hyper-V and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
5. • Windows 2000:
     • Used VGA/SVGA display drivers with DirectX 7.
     • No support for modern GPUs or DirectX 12/13.
     • Limited to 4:3 resolutions (1024x768, 1280x1024).
   • Windows 11:
     • Requires DirectX 12-compatible graphics card.
     • Supports higher resolutions (4K, 8K, ultrawide monitors).
     • Uses WDDM 2.0+ (Windows Display Driver Model).
6. • Windows 2000:
     • Supported FAT32 and NTFS 3.0.
     • Limited to traditional IDE hard drives.
   • Windows 11:
     • Uses NTFS 3.1, exFAT, and modern storage technologies like ReFS.
     • Supports SSD/NVMe, PCIe 4.0/5.0, USB flash storage.
7. • Windows 2000:
     • Basic TCP/IP support.
     • No native support for IPv6.
     • Required third-party software for Wi-Fi.
   • Windows 11:
     • Full IPv6 support.
     • Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G modem support.
     • Built-in VPN, DNS over HTTPS (DoH), and Zero Trust security.

Conclusion: The hardware profiles of **Windows 2000** and **Windows 11** differ drastically. **Windows 2000** was designed for older x86 systems with basic networking, limited security, and manual driver management, while **Windows 11** requires modern, secure, and high-performance hardware, emphasizing **automation, security, and performance.

To create a new profile, you copy an existing profile, and then modify the configuration settings for the new profile. This is demonstrated in the following Simulation, which is based on the following scenario: Mary has a laptop computer that she uses both at the office and when she is on the road. When at the office, Mary connects via an Ethernet card to the company network. On the road, she is not connected to a network, and it takes a long time for her computer to boot up as it searches for the network connection. In this Simulation, you will create a second hardware profile that disables the network adapter.
Creating new Hardware profile

Once you have created a new hardware profile, you will need to activate it before it takes affect. If more than one profile has been defined for a computer, Windows 2000 will display the Hardware Profile/Configuration Recovery menu, shown below during setup.

The default profile is the first profile that appears in the list. To change the order of the list, perform the following steps:

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Double-click System, and then click the Hardware tab,
3. In the Hardware Profiles dialog box, click the profile that you want to move, and then click the up and down arrows to change the order in which that profile appears.

The system will wait for a specified period of time before automatically starting the default configuration. This period of time can be changed by configuring the

Changing the default time setting