Solved Uninstalling a device - what does it do exactly?

Kol12 · Sep 30, 2023

Recently I paired a number of different Xbox controllers to my Xbox wireless dongle for Windows but plan to only keep one. In Device Manager I've found grayed out entries for Xbox One Wireless Controller with properties: Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45) Is it safe to uninstall all entries but the connected device?

neofita · Sep 30, 2023

Yes.
if they are reconnected, they are automatically reinstalled

Kol12 · Sep 30, 2023

neofita said:
Yes.
if they are reconnected, they are automatically reinstalled

What does uninstalling the disconnected devices do?

Ghot · Sep 30, 2023

Kol12 said:
Recently I paired a number of different Xbox controllers to my Xbox wireless dongle for Windows but plan to only keep one. In Device Manager I've found grayed out entries for Xbox One Wireless Controller with properties: Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45) Is it safe to uninstall all entries but the connected device?

When you hook up a device temporarily, and then unhook it... it leaves a greyed out entry in Device Manager.
We call these... Ghost devices. They can easily be removed with the tool below.

Examples of common ghost devices... (USB sticks, Ext. Drives, Controllers, Smart Phones, etc.)

Use the Device Cleanup Tool v1.2.1, from here...

Tools for Windows

Run the x64 Tool... as Admin.
It will show all the ghost Devices (greyed out items).
Click on Devices > Select all
Click on Devices > Remove selected.

That's it.

You've just removed ALL the ghost entries in Device Manager.

Bree · Sep 30, 2023

Kol12 said:
What does uninstalling the disconnected devices do?

Removes its registry entry, like this one of mine for a Sabrent USB drive enclosure. It gets re-created next time you plug the device in.

Kol12 · Sep 30, 2023

Ghot said:
When you hook up a device temporarily, and then unhook it... it leaves a greyed out entry in Device Manager.
We call these... Ghost devices. They can easily be removed with the tool below.

Examples of common ghost devices... (USB sticks, Ext. Drives, Controllers, Smart Phones, etc.)

Use the Device Cleanup Tool v1.2.1, from here...
Tools for Windows

Run the x64 Tool... as Admin.
It will show all the ghost Devices (greyed out items).
Click on Devices > Select all
Click on Devices > Remove selected.

That's it.

You've just removed ALL the ghost entries in Device Manager.

Are there any other benefits to doing this other than just keeping things tidy?

Ghot · Sep 30, 2023

Kol12 said:
Are there any other benefits to doing this other than just keeping things tidy?

Not really.
I guess if the amount of ghost devices gets seriously large, you might see some performance issues.
But we're talking "seriously large", like multiple hundreds of them.

As you've surmised... it's mainly for tidiness in Device Manager.
When we need to go to Device Manager for something... it's a lot easier when it's clean.

The Ghost Devices will keep coming back. Like every time you attach a controller and then remove it... poof, another Ghost.
Maybe stick Device Cleanup Tool v1.2.1 in a folder somewhere (it's portable ofc), and create an Admin shortcut to it.
Then, once every couple months... just run it again.

Kol12 · Oct 1, 2023

So I did a bit more digging and apparently Windows deletes disconnected devices after 30 days...

Try3 · Oct 1, 2023

Kol12 said:
So I did a bit more digging and apparently Windows deletes disconnected devices after 30 days...

Where did you find that?
I still have an external disk shown in Device manager as a Hidden device and its last connection property ["Last arrival date"] is in November of last year.

All the best,
Denis

Kol12 · Oct 1, 2023

Try3 said:
Where did you find that?
I still have an external disk shown in Device manager as a Hidden device and its last connection property ["Last arrival date"] is in November of last year.

All the best,
Denis

Here: How can I prevent Windows from deleting a disconnected device after 30 days?

"Windows, via disk cleanup, regularly removes devices that have not been connected for 30 days."

Try3 · Oct 1, 2023

Kol12 said:
Here: How can I prevent Windows from deleting a disconnected device after 30 days?

"Windows, via disk cleanup, regularly removes devices that have not been connected for 30 days."

Thanks for the info.

I run disk cleanup every month and include the Device driver packages setting in every cleanup.
- I've just run it again and have checked that Device driver packages are now shown as 0KB in its options list when I start another run afterwards.
- I replaced that disk last year. Perhaps the property Last arrival date does not mean exactly what I assume it means but the date does match when I replaced the particular disk concerned.
I'm looking at a disk that, like all or almost all disks, uses a built-in MS driver and they are not affected by disk cleanup.
I should have sought a different example device, one that uses an OEM driver, to check that it does not survive disk cleanup.

I understand this topic less & less each time I learn more about it.

Denis