PCI network card showing up as a removable device in taskbar

If I update the BIOS on my Intel motherboard to any one of the three most recent BIOS's, my add-in Intel network card (located in one of the pci slots) shows up as a removable device in the taskbar (Much like a USB device; for example a passport removable hard drive or flash drive). However, the motherboard's network controller does not exhibit this behavior.

Intel support is telling me that it can vary as to how the devices are detected by Windows and that this is normal. I have never ever seen a pci slot card being detected as a removable device in the 20 years that I have been using Windows, so I was wondering if what they are telling me is a valid statement? It seems kind of scary that this is happening.



System: Custom
Motherboard: Intel DP55KG
PCI Network Card: Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter (82574L)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit

I guess I posted to the wrong forum site.

I have a PCI-E card that I use for more HD sada connections, and it appears also as a removable device.

bishop101 said:

I have a PCI-E card that I use for more HD sada connections, and it appears also as a removable device.

Thanks, at least I am not the only one. Whether it is OK or not I don't know, but I guess I will just give it a try and see if anything bad happens. I have bare metal backups.