Duplicate entry for NIC in XP registry

[Walt Davidson]

I'm running XP Home Edition. Somehow, I've managed to get the entry
for my on-board ethernet adapter duplicated in the registry, although
only one occurrence of it shows up in Device Manager, always with
"# 2" after the name. Removing and reinstalling the device in Device
Manager makes no difference.

If I run "netsh diag show adapter", I get the following output:

Network Adapters
1. [00000001] SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
2. [00589827] WAN Miniport (IP)
3. [00000012] Microsoft TV/Video Connection
4. [00000013] SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter

Adapter 00000013 appears to be the one that is actually in use, hence
the "# 2" appearing after its name. Is there any way of removing the
spurious, duplicate registration of the single ethernet adapter?

 

[Ron Lowe]

I'm running XP Home Edition. Somehow, I've managed to get the entry
for my on-board ethernet adapter duplicated in the registry, although
only one occurrence of it shows up in Device Manager, always with
"# 2" after the name. Removing and reinstalling the device in Device
Manager makes no difference.

If I run "netsh diag show adapter", I get the following output:

Network Adapters
1. [00000001] SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
2. [00589827] WAN Miniport (IP)
3. [00000012] Microsoft TV/Video Connection
4. [00000013] SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter

Adapter 00000013 appears to be the one that is actually in use, hence
the "# 2" appearing after its name. Is there any way of removing the
spurious, duplicate registration of the single ethernet adapter?

Rather off-the-wall suggestion:

Have you possibly moved the network card between
slots in the past, or something like that?

There might be a ghost of a previous device
( or the same device in a different location ) hanging around.

Have a read of this:

Device Manager Does Not Display Devices That Are Not
Connected to the Windows XP-Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315539

You might like to use this article to force Device Manager to show any
nonpresent instances of devices.

The nonpresent ghosts should now reveal themselves.
You could then delete the nonpresent instances of network adapters from
device manager.

 

[Walt Davidson]

Rather off-the-wall suggestion:

Have you possibly moved the network card between
slots in the past, or something like that?

Hi Ron!

No, it's not a card ... it's onboard. However, I disabled it in the
BIOS whilst testing a wireless LAN card, then re-enabled it
afterwards. I'm pretty sure this problem dates back to then.

There might be a ghost of a previous device
( or the same device in a different location ) hanging around.

Have a read of this:

Device Manager Does Not Display Devices That Are Not
Connected to the Windows XP-Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315539

You might like to use this article to force Device Manager to show any
nonpresent instances of devices.

The nonpresent ghosts should now reveal themselves.
You could then delete the nonpresent instances of network adapters from
device manager.

Many thanks. It worked like a dream! (They even *look* like ghosts
in the Device Manager!)
)

Cheers,

 

[Walt Davidson]

Have a read of this:

Device Manager Does Not Display Devices That Are Not
Connected to the Windows XP-Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315539

You might like to use this article to force Device Manager to show any
nonpresent instances of devices.

Thanks for this excellent reference, Ron! As a bonus, it has also
enabled me to remove multiple instances of my scanner and webcam,
which had been tying my system in knots for ages.

 

[Ron Lowe]

Thanks for this excellent reference, Ron! As a bonus, it has also
enabled me to remove multiple instances of my scanner and webcam,
which had been tying my system in knots for ages.

You're welcome, Walt.
I'm glad it worked.