Edit

PCI Express or ExpressCard device appears connected after being hot-unplugged

  • Article

This article helps you resolve the problem where the hot-pluggable PCI Express or ExpressCard device may still appear in Device Manager after you remove the device.

Original product version:   Windows Vista
Original KB number:   2470260

Symptoms

If you have a hot-pluggable PCI Express or ExpressCard device installed in a computer running Microsoft Windows Vista, and then remove (hot-unplug) the device, there is no indication that the device has been removed. For example, the device may continue to appear in Device Manager. Choosing the Scan for hardware changes action in Device Manager allows the device removal to be detected, in which case the device no longer appears in Device Manager.

Cause

This problem may occur on Windows Vista if the hot-pluggable PCI Express or ExpressCard device is installed in a slot provided by certain PCI bridges that signal the device-removal event in an unexpected way.

The Windows Vista PCI bus driver (PCI.SYS) expects certain PCI Express/ExpressCard hot-plug events to occur together, such as SlotEventEnableRequest & SlotEventLinkStateActive, or SlotEventSurpriseDisableRequest & SlotEventLinkStateNotActive. Some PCI Express bridges do not signal these events together at the same time, with the result that the Windows Vista PCI.SYS does not successfully process these PCI hot-unplug events.

Resolution

This problem is resolved in Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Server 2008 SP2.

Applies to

  • Windows Vista Ultimate
  • Windows Vista Enterprise
  • Windows Vista Business
  • Windows Vista Home Premium
  • Windows Vista Home Basic
  • Windows Vista Starter