What is the purpose of the Device Manager in troubleshooting peripheral equipment?

The Device Manager serves as a crucial tool in troubleshooting peripheral equipment primarily by allowing users to check for device issues. When dealing with peripherals connected to a computer, such as printers, external drives, or graphics cards, the Device Manager provides a central location where the status of each device can be monitored. This includes indications of whether devices are functioning correctly or if there are any errors that need attention.

By accessing the Device Manager, users can view detailed information about each device, identify conflicts, and see the properties and drivers associated with those devices. It can display alerts for hardware that is malfunctioning and facilitate actions like updating drivers, disabling devices, or uninstalling problematic hardware, all of which are essential for effective troubleshooting.

In contrast, the other options focus on different functionalities that the Device Manager does not primarily address. For instance, installing new software typically involves application installers and operating system capabilities rather than the Device Manager. Setting up network connections is handled through network settings and configurations, not specifically under the purview of the Device Manager. Lastly, while the Device Manager might indirectly help resolve system errors related to devices, its main role is not to clear system errors, which would involve a broader range of system utilities and maintenance tasks.