Network adapters immediately re-detected/installed after uninstall

Can anyone explain why, when uninstalling a network adapter class device, the
OS immediately reinstalls it. Sometimes even while the uninstall is still in
progress? Or can anyone confirm that this is actually a bug in Vista?

It doesn't appear to happen with any other device class - just network
adapters. Uninstalling any other class makes it's instance disappear from
Device Manager. With network adapters though, it looks like there is a PnP
refresh and it re-detects the hardware.

Thanks

matt_sykes
Tue Feb 06 07:13:20 CST 2007

On 6 Feb, 12:26, Dougal <Dou...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Can anyone explain why, when uninstalling a network adapter class device, the
> OS immediately reinstalls it. Sometimes even while the uninstall is still in
> progress? Or can anyone confirm that this is actually a bug in Vista?
>
> It doesn't appear to happen with any other device class - just network
> adapters. Uninstalling any other class makes it's instance disappear from
> Device Manager. With network adapters though, it looks like there is a PnP
> refresh and it re-detects the hardware.
>
> Thanks

Is this an old Vista? I remember the earlier version did this but
havent seen this on RTM. You can always check the 'delete driver
software' option, that should help.

matt_sykes
Tue Feb 06 09:10:19 CST 2007

On 6 Feb, 12:26, Dougal <Dou...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Can anyone explain why, when uninstalling a network adapter class device, the
> OS immediately reinstalls it. Sometimes even while the uninstall is still in
> progress? Or can anyone confirm that this is actually a bug in Vista?
>
> It doesn't appear to happen with any other device class - just network
> adapters. Uninstalling any other class makes it's instance disappear from
> Device Manager. With network adapters though, it looks like there is a PnP
> refresh and it re-detects the hardware.
>
> Thanks

Hmm, just checked, you are correct RTM does do this for network
devices. What an annoyance.

Eliyas
Wed Feb 07 15:07:23 CST 2007

This is a known behavior on Vista. I don't know whether to call this an
issue or a feature but it's definitely something that lot of folks have run
into it and surprised/annoyed by it.

If you this think this is not a right behavior, please call MS support and
provide them feedback.

-Eliyas

pavel_a
Wed Feb 07 18:55:02 CST 2007

"Eliyas Yakub [MSFT]" wrote:
> This is a known behavior on Vista. I don't know whether to call this an
> issue or a feature but it's definitely something that lot of folks have run
> into it and surprised/annoyed by it.
>
> If you this think this is not a right behavior, please call MS support and
> provide them feedback.
>
> -Eliyas

The device installation feedback program for Vista is now open at Connect.
Maybe it is better than calling Vista support (they should be having a
really hard time now...)

Regards,
--PA