XP Home - 'Missing devices' - uninstall question

[Xylophone]

I have a Dell PC with XP Home. In Device Manager 1, i.e. 'View by type,'
there are 2 Network Adapters

Intel ® PRO/100 VE Network Connection

USB ADSL WAN ADAPTER

In Device Manager 2, i.e. 'Show hidden devices' (accessed, courtesy of Fred
Langa, via a new Environment variable - DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES,
value 1), the Network Adapters are as follows:

Direct parallel

Intel ® PRO/100 VE Network Connection (as in Device Manager 1)

Intel ® PRO/100 VE Network Connection - Packet Scheduler Miniport

RAS Async adapter

USB ADSL WAN ADAPTER (as in Device Manager 1)

WAN Miniport (IP)

WAN Miniport (IP) - Packet Scheduler Miniport

WAN Miniport (L2TP)

WAN Miniport (PPOE)

WAN Miniport (PPTP)

Fred Langa's contributor refers to:

" Standard practice at the factory is to
use a single image and just move it from model to model,
letting it plug and play all the new hardware along the way.
This leaves you with an impressive list of hardware still in
the Device Manager, but no longer in the system"

So that is why, evidently, the other adapters appear in Device manager 2

My question is - assuming that Device manager 1 shows current hardware, i.e.
in use, does it follow that the other adapters referred to in Device Manager
2 are not current and can be safely uninstalled? (my ISP uses PPPoA).

 

[R. McCarty]

Fred's article is correct, but misleading. The device(s) you list are
normal for an XP install. He should have made the distinction of
inactive and "Phantom" devices. Both types appear when Hidden
devices are shown.
A "Phantom" is the result of imaging, where an original component
isn't present in the hardware profile. Inactive on the other hand is a
device that was at one time present - but not currently active.
RAS Async & Direct Parallel are present in every XP setup. The
Miniport drivers are also part of normal network setup.
Removing "Phantoms" is valid is most of the Device Manager
categories, Except Sound and Audio, Network and Non-Plug and
Play categories. In those sub-types you'll always see "Grayed Out"
components when "Show Hidden Devices" is checked.

 

[Xylophone]

Thanks for this. So Iam absolutely clear, when you refer to "The device(s)
you list are normal for
an XP install" are you referring to the items in my Device Manager 2, i.e.
none of those should be uninstalled?

 

[R. McCarty]

Yes, that's right. All of those Network adapters and MiniPort drivers
are standard in XP instances. Several will never come into use, such
as RAS Async, Direct Parallel but have no impact on the System.
One correction - In my original posting I neglected to add that the USB
category will likely have "Inactive" or grayed out components as well.

 

[Xylophone]

Thanks again. Much appreciated. Will try to get Fred Langa to do a rider
to this item on his website. Seems to me some poor punter somewhere, not
having the benefit of your advice, and following what the item appears to
say - uninstall the 'missing' devices - may have scuppered his PC.