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"Disable" or "Uninstall" a device in Device Manager?

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by Blithe, Jun 28, 2009.

  1. Blithe

    Blithe Guest

    I have a non-functional floppy/card reader in my Vista 64bit PC that was
    installed by the vendor. It was defective out of the box The vendor sent
    me an external one as a replacement that I never installed to date - having
    no need.

    Do I use the disable or uninstall option in Device Manager for the
    defective floppy/card reader?

    What is the intended purpose of either option?

    Thanks - Blithe
     
    Blithe, Jun 28, 2009
    #1
  3. Poutnik

    Poutnik Guest

    Blithe's previous post was like this :<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    >
    > I have a non-functional floppy/card reader in my Vista 64bit PC that was
    > installed by the vendor. It was defective out of the box The vendor sent
    > me an external one as a replacement that I never installed to date - having
    > no need.
    >
    > Do I use the disable or uninstall option in Device Manager for the
    > defective floppy/card reader?
    >
    > What is the intended purpose of either option?
    >
    > Thanks - Blithe<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

    Disable is for temporary use, for example
    if debugging some hardware troubles,
    temporary removing device,
    or if you want the device should be ignored for any reason.

    Uninstall is to remove any setting in system for that device,
    like it was never installed,
    similar to uninstall of program including settings.

    For illustration:
    Similar in function is Autoruns utility from sysinternals,
    looking for autolaunched programs.
    You can check out the program item
    = analogy to disabling device in DM
    You can delete program item
    = analogy to uninstalling device in DM.


    --
    Poutnik
    The best depends on how the best is defined.
     
    Poutnik, Jun 28, 2009
    #2
  4. Tom Lake

    Tom Lake Guest

    "Blithe" <invalid@cox.net> wrote in message
    news:#CSrMFH#JHA.5092@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    > I have a non-functional floppy/card reader in my Vista 64bit PC that was
    > installed by the vendor. It was defective out of the box The vendor sent
    > me an external one as a replacement that I never installed to date -
    > having no need.
    >
    > Do I use the disable or uninstall option in Device Manager for the
    > defective floppy/card reader?
    >
    > What is the intended purpose of either option?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

    If you uninstall it, it will just be detected again at the next reboot.
    That option is for hardware you can actually remove, not the
    floppy controller on your motherboard.

    If you disable it, it will still be listed but won't be accessible to
    Windows. Since it doesn't work anyway, this is no loss to you.

    You should disable it.

    Tom Lake
     
    Tom Lake, Jun 29, 2009
    #3
  5. Blithe

    Blithe Guest

    Thanks, Tom. I had not found the operative distinction either in Vista's
    online 'help' or among Google search hits.

    Blithe


    "Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
    news:BC8763D9-B08C-46F3-948C-EF9DAD600473@microsoft.com...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    >
    > "Blithe" <invalid@cox.net> wrote in message
    > news:#CSrMFH#JHA.5092@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
    >> I have a non-functional floppy/card reader in my Vista 64bit PC that was
    >> installed by the vendor. It was defective out of the box The vendor
    >> sent me an external one as a replacement that I never installed to date -
    >> having no need.
    >>
    >> Do I use the disable or uninstall option in Device Manager for the
    >> defective floppy/card reader?
    >>
    >> What is the intended purpose of either option?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
    >
    > If you uninstall it, it will just be detected again at the next reboot.
    > That option is for hardware you can actually remove, not the
    > floppy controller on your motherboard.
    >
    > If you disable it, it will still be listed but won't be accessible to
    > Windows. Since it doesn't work anyway, this is no loss to you.
    >
    > You should disable it.
    >
    > Tom Lake <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Blithe, Jun 29, 2009
    #4
  6. Richard Urban

    Richard Urban Guest

    You can disable the floppy drive in the computer bios. Then the operating
    system will not see it and will not install drivers for it. If you decide to
    use the external drive the USB drivers will be applied to the device when
    first connected to the computer.

    --

    Richard Urban
    Microsoft MVP
    Windows Desktop Experience


    "Blithe" <invalid@cox.net> wrote in message
    news:%23CSrMFH%23JHA.5092@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
    >I have a non-functional floppy/card reader in my Vista 64bit PC that was
    >installed by the vendor. It was defective out of the box The vendor sent
    >me an external one as a replacement that I never installed to date - having
    >no need.
    >
    > Do I use the disable or uninstall option in Device Manager for the
    > defective floppy/card reader?
    >
    > What is the intended purpose of either option?
    >
    > Thanks - Blithe
    >
    > <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
     
    Richard Urban, Jun 29, 2009
    #5

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