Windows XP: Disabling Devices

There are times that you may need to disable a device driver for diagnostic or performance reasons. For example, if you think a device driver is preventing your computer from working properly, you can disable it to see if it fixes the problem. Also, by disabling unused drivers you may help decrease boot time of your computer because it doesn't have to load them.

To disable a device driver, follow the instructions below:

• From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and select Properties.
• Click the Hardware tab and press the 'Device Manager' button.
• Expand the category that contains the device that you want to disable.
• Right-click on the device and select Disable.

The device should now be disabled and should remain that way until you re-enable it. To re-enable it use the same instructions above, except select Enable instead of Disable.