Forced Hardware - What is it?

[Dillbert2000]

What is Forced Hardware? I think it is making a device use free resources that the manufacturer didn't intend to be the default resources. Is this true and if so how do you "Force Hardware"?

[socalgal]

Yes, that's right. Basically it's manually assigning resources when automatic detection (PNP, Hardware Wizard) doesn't respond, or, responds with resulting conflicts that won't be automatically reassigned.

Not a very technical explanation here, someone else feel free to jump in!