Essential Tasks After Installing Windows Server 2025

1. Managing Devices and Drivers

A device driver is software that enables communication between hardware and the operating system. In Windows Server 2025, administrators can use Device Manager and Windows Settings to install, update, disable, uninstall, or roll back drivers.

Driver Status Icons in Device Manager:

• Generic icon: Default driver, may not optimize performance.
• Yellow triangle with exclamation: Missing or incompatible driver.
• Black downward arrow: Device disabled but driver installed.

2. Driver Operations

• Install: Run setup files from DVD or downloads.
• Update: Use Update Driver in Device Manager.
• Disable: Select Disable Device to stop functionality.
• Uninstall: Remove driver completely with Uninstall Device.
• Rollback: Restore previous driver version if issues occur.

3. System Resources for Hardware Communication

The OS uses IRQ, DMA, I/O ports, and memory addresses to manage hardware. These can be viewed and configured in Device Manager.

4. Driver Digital Signatures

Digitally signed drivers are verified by Microsoft for authenticity and integrity. Checking signatures in Driver Details ensures security and prevents tampering.

5. Optimizing Registry and Services

The Windows Registry stores system and application settings. Proper management of registry entries and background services improves performance and stability.

6. Initial Server Configuration

• Set Computer Name appropriately.
• Configure Network and domain settings.
• Adjust Firewall rules for security.
• Run Windows Update to apply patches.

Conclusion

Managing devices and drivers, optimizing registry and services, and performing initial configuration are essential steps after installing Windows Server 2025. These tasks ensure a secure, stable, and efficient server environment.