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On Windows 7 systems, whenever you plug in a new USB peripheral (mouse, keyboard etc.) the message always pops up that a new device has been detected, followed by one stating that drivers are being installed, followed by another stating that the drivers have been installed. At some point if you start using a new USB mouse or a new USB keyboard, you get those messages all over again.

When you start using a new peripheral like a new mouse or keyboard, are the drivers that were installed for the old peripherals ever removed? Or do they just pile up in the system?

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    I've done this so I know but why don't you give it a shot. Plug a mouse in then remove it and put another in. Then remove that and put the first in again. Did you see it install the driver again?
    – krowe2
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 22:01
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    Does it really matter? Is the OS disk limited enough in space that the accumulation of some little driver directories would have any adverse effect on the system? Since windows isn't known for self-restraint, I'd speculate that, windows doesn't bother to automatically clean up no-longer-used drivers. But, I could be wrong.
    – killermist
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 22:32

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From what I could find via Google ("windows 7 uninstall old USB drivers") Windows 7 leaves all old USB drivers in place. This site explains how to uninstall old ones: http://www.faqforge.com/windows/uninstall-usb-drivers-on-windows-7/. But from what I can see in my system, it would be hard to figure how what is old and what isn't. Considering the possible risk of disabling something I need, I'd just as soon leave the old drivers alone. They're not hurting anything.

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