What are the "greyed out" devices in Device Manager?

Dear all

Device Manager > Show hidden devices.

From the start of using my laptop with Windows 11. It was was brand new fresh from the vendor.
When expanding both Network adapters and Bluetooth, there are some devices that are "greyed out".
Se below link for example.
https://filestore.community.support...1b59b-b5ff-4dfd-af82-803d077ea8cc?upload=true

1.
What are the "greyed out" devices?
Are they old hardware, that has been in the laptop, and then later removed?

2.
Why are they still there?

3.
I have taken out the hardware part: network card with integrated bluetooth.
Those devices under both Network adapters and Bluetooth are now "greyed out", but they are still there.
Why don't they go away?

Thank you

Did you look at the Properties of those devices? I had one hidden, a Samsung Modem, and it showed as not present so I was able to remove it. Some time over the months since getting the computer in Apr. '22 I may have had such a device. As to #3 about Network Adapters, are you not using the Internet? Bluetooth is a short-range wireless, usually between devices like a mouse, keyboard, cellphone, etc.

Right click an transparant device. And go to properties, You might see an message like this in the textbox
"Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45)"

Into_Oblivion1 said:

What are the "greyed out" devices?
Are they old hardware, that has been in the laptop, and then later removed?

Click to expand...

Yes, that's exactly what they are. They're only visible if you select 'Show hidden devices'. 'Disk drives' illustrates this well, you'll see every external usb drive that's ever been plugged in.

Into_Oblivion1 said:

Why are they still there?

Click to expand...

The drivers are still installed, ready for use should the hardware re-appear (as it would if you plugged in a usb drive again).

Into_Oblivion1 said:

I have taken out the hardware part: network card with integrated bluetooth.
Those devices under both Network adapters and Bluetooth are now "greyed out", but they are still there.
Why don't they go away?

Click to expand...

They are retained in case the hardware returns, or until you tell Device Manager to uninstall them.

What Bree said about the drives, mine lets me know what I've worked on over the months:

1. Past Devices that have been connected.
2. It was you that selected to see Hidden Devices.
3. Same thing, you took out the Wireless Card.

Why does it matter, just untick the option for seeing Hidden Devices.

Seems some of these past devices are maybe cleared when doing a version update like 24H2.
You can clear the greyed out ones manually, but again waste of time.

Into_Oblivion1 said:

What are the "greyed out" devices?

Click to expand...

As others have mentioned... they are Devices which were once hooked to the computer.


Here's a little tool that will remove all of the greyed out Devices...

Instead of a DeviceCleanup exe file, are there any powershell scripts/commands that can do the same?

My preference is the Ghostbuster app, because I want an UI to select which specific devices to clean up.

But there's a few PS scripts (copies of each other?), generally it's referred to as cleaning up "ghost devices".
scripts/removeGhosts.ps1 at master · istvans/scripts

Ghot said:

Here's a little tool that will remove all of the greyed out Devices...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the download @Ghot

KJW said:

Thanks for the download @Ghot

Click to expand...

No problem, and here's ten points for filling out your computer specs... properly.

Berton said:

Did you look at the Properties of those devices? I had one hidden, a Samsung Modem, and it showed as not present so I was able to remove it. Some time over the months since getting the computer in Apr. '22 I may have had such a device.

Click to expand...

There are "greyed out devices", that already was on Device Manager list, the first time i powered on the new laptop.

So are the "greyed out" devices just random Windows drivers?
Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production?

I know for a fact, that there can only be one network card in the MoBo / only 1 slot - and that one I removed after a year of having the laptop.

Berton said:

As to #3 about Network Adapters, are you not using the Internet? Bluetooth is a short-range wireless, usually between devices like a mouse, keyboard, cellphone, etc.

Click to expand...

It is on my HP laptop that is completely offline, and I only use it as a backup platform.

I have never used Bluetooth on the laptop or connected anything with Bluetooth to it. I use a mouse with cord.

Tester said:

Right click an transparant device. And go to properties, You might see an message like this in the textbox
"Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45)"

Click to expand...

They show that message yes, when I check their properties (which is the only thing I can select)

There are "greyed out devices", that already was on Device Manager list, the first time i powered on the new laptop.

So are the "greyed out" devices just random Windows drivers?
Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production?

Bree said:

Yes, that's exactly what they are. They're only visible if you select 'Show hidden devices'. 'Disk drives' illustrates this well, you'll see every external usb drive that's ever been plugged in.

Click to expand...

There are "greyed out devices" in "Network adapters" and "Bluetooth", that already was on Device Manager list, the first time i powered on the new laptop.

So are the "greyed out" devices just random drivers that the manufacturer installed?
Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production by the manufacturer?

I know for a fact, that there can only be one network card in the MoBo / only 1 slot - and that one I removed after a year of having the laptop.

Thank you

Ghot said:

As others have mentioned... they are Devices which were once hooked to the computer.

Click to expand...

There are "greyed out devices" in "Network adapters" and "Bluetooth", that already was on Device Manager list, the first time i powered on the new laptop.

So are the "greyed out" devices just drivers that the manufacturer installed?
Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production by the manufacturer?

I know for a fact, that there can only be one network card in the MoBo / only 1 slot - and that one I removed after a year of having the laptop.

Thank you

Into_Oblivion1 said:

There are "greyed out devices" in "Network adapters" and "Bluetooth", that already was on Device Manager list, the first time i powered on the new laptop.

So are the "greyed out" devices just drivers that the manufacturer installed?
Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production by the manufacturer?

I know for a fact, that there can only be one network card in the MoBo / only 1 slot - and that one I removed after a year of having the laptop.

Thank you

Click to expand...

• Devices that have the device node (devnode) status bit DN_NO_SHOW_IN_DM set.
• Devices that are part of a device setup class that is marked as a NoDisplayClass (for example, printers and non-PnP drivers)
• Devices that were physically removed from the computer but whose registry entries weren't deleted (also known as non-present devices or phantom devices).

=====

Some are generic, some are virtual, others were simply devices attached - running the Quality Tests (normally, before getting packed - every laptop has to be tested - by attaching different devices to each of the USB ports available and by passing a number of Quality Tests).

PS.Call the OEM (Dell, ASUS, etc) - and just tell them you have a serious case of OCD and the hidden mess they left behind running their Quality Tests - triggered your PTSD. And that the therapy you have to go through - to get over this - is worth more than the price of the laptop. Even demand for the manager, some are sympathetic for cases like this - and they might give you a 20$ coupon on your next purchase.

Into_Oblivion1 said:

Or are they actual hardware, that has been connected to the laptop at some time during production by the manufacturer?

Click to expand...

This.

Any hardware ever hooked to your computer, before or after you bought it, will show up as a greyed out "ghost device" in Device Manager.

Ghot said:

This.

Any hardware ever hooked to your computer, before or after you bought it, will show up as a greyed out "ghost device" in Device Manager.

Click to expand...

Indeed. And they do attached a lot of devices to each port - during the quality tests....


Tho, that's just "a commercial" - In reality, it's mostly just human labor and there's nothing exiting about it (a real bore - but pays the bills). Tests involving some machinery - are done mainly on prototypes (after a model becomes part of mass production - it's mainly humans doing all the testing - "manually"). Then again, this human practice could become a thing of the past - if we're to take the A.I. revolution into account...

Anyway, there's also virtual devices on that list. For example: Generic Volume Shadow Copy - which is used by Windows features like System Restore - but also specific apps which rely on Shadow Copy to function. Thus, in this case - its hidden devices (or ghost - as some call it) - is tied to a virtual attachments or a scheduled task.

There's also Hidden Devices - which i wouldn't recommend removing (despite being virtual). Such as "Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator" - which is basically a preemptive windows feature - meant to speed-up the device allocation process for specific devices attached at a given time (highly useful - if the system is used as an audio station - attaching/switching all kinds of audio gear). Without it you'll run into all kinds of issue - while attaching a Mixer (for example) - even tho, generally speaking - Windows runs perfectly fine if it's removed. Tho, i think Microsoft already ran into this situation before - and even if removed - it will reinstall automatically at system restart (as if missing a recognized driver). After all - it's also a generic software/driver.

Ghot said:

Any hardware ever hooked to your computer, before or after you bought it, will show up as a greyed out "ghost device" in Device Manager.

Click to expand...

Despite it got a clean Windows 11 install?
First time I turned on the laptop, it had a fresh Windows install (creating an account, choosing language etc.)

neves said:

Some are generic, some are virtual, others were simply devices attached - running the Quality Tests (normally, before getting packed - every laptop has to be tested - by attaching different devices to each of the USB ports available and by passing a number of Quality Tests).

Click to expand...

Generic and virtual:
They were installed with Windows?
Or the manufacturer installed them?