If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you
modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore
the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the
registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SYMPTOMS
When you try to remove a hard disk controller in Device Manager,
you may receive the following message:
This device is part of a multi-function device and cannot be
removed independently. To remove this device, select and remove
the multi-function parent. This will also remove any other devices
that are part of the multi-function device.
RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve
problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own
risk.
To resolve this issue, use Registry Editor to locate the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\MF\CHILDxxxx
where
xxxx represents the numeric value of the folder.
Delete the following folder under each CHILD
xxxx device
PCI&VEN_8086&DEV_xxxx&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_00&BUS_00&DEV_0D&FUNC_01,
where
xxxx is assigned a different value for different child devices related to the same parent.
This removes the child device from Device Manager and allows Windows 98 to
properly detect and set up the hard disk controller.
This behavior may also occur in Windows 95. If you check hard disk controllers
in Safe Mode Device Manager and see duplication of the child devices,
you may need to delete the folders referred to in this article. You may need
to delete the folders if you are removing the parent device(s) from Safe Mode
Device Manager and the NOIDE key in the registry does not fix your problem.