From: a@b.c   
      
   From a 3-second search in Google....   
      
   1.  Press [Windows]+[Break] to bring up the System Properties dialog box.   
   2.  Select the Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button.   
   3.  Click the New button below the System Variables panel.   
   4.  In the New System Variable dialog box, type   
   "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices" (without the quotes) in the Variable Name   
   text box and 1 in the Variable Value text box.   
   5.  Click OK to return to the System Properties dialog box and then click OK   
   again.   
   6.  Select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button.   
   7.  In Device Manager, go to View | Show Hidden Devices.   
   8.  Expand the Ports (COM & LPT) branch.   
   9.  To remove an unused device driver, right-click the icon and select   
   Uninstall.   
   10.  Reboot when complete.   
      
   In the future, start with step 6.   
      
   Courtney sends.....   
      
   (from Greg Shultz, TechRepublic)   
      
   "Ken Weiss"  wrote in message   
   news:r9Cah.4394$1s6.1915@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...   
   > Has anyone figured out how to remove unused com ports from the registry?   
   > I am up to Com 43 now and have software that won't work on ports above 20.   
   > I have not been able to remove the unused com ports.  They are marked "in   
   > use" and cannot be reassigned.   
   >   
   > Thanks for any assistance.   
   >   
   > Ken   
   >   
      
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