disabling hardware wizard- stop installation attempt

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I started my computer with a non-standard (something I
built) device attached to my com1; port and ever since
then everytime i restart my computer xp tries to install
this non existance device which has long since been
disconnected. How do I stop xp from making these
installation attempts because it's causing xp to crash
everytime I use the com port unless I delete this unknown
device in device manager first.

Ps. I believe once I came across a list in xp of all
hardware that has ever been installled on a computer
(whether they had been removed or not) but I can't
remember how to get to it.