Removing Missing Hardware from Windows OS

I’ve run into a number of instances where settings for a network card were interfering with other settings, even though the network card had been removed from the system. I ran across this solution that has saved my hide a number of times. I know this works for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000 Professional and Server. It may work on other OSes, but I haven’t been able to verify just yet.

Follow these steps to remove a “missing” device from the Windows OS.

1. Open a command prompt.

2. Type “set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1″ (without the quotes) and press Enter.
3. Open the Device Manager by typing “devmgmt.msc” at the same command prompt.
4. From the View menu, select Show hidden devices.

Any devices that have referenced in the OS but are not physically present in the system will display with a grayed-out icon. You can now select the missing device and remove it from the system.