network adapters

I have these things in the network adapters part of device manager:
Direct parallel
WAN miniport (IP)
WAN miniport (L2TP)
WAN miniport (PPTP)


What are they and how are they removed?

You must be seeing those in safe mode? Correct
They usually do not show in regular mode.
I dont believe you can remove them. Someone else may know but
I think they are part of windows and cant be removed

I can't get into normal mode or safe mode with networking. I get the message I was talking about at the W2000 forum. I've sorted out the ADSL card driver.

If I reinstall Windows will there be loads of updated files overwritten?

I've given up and restored a backup.

In answer to the original question & to try & firm up Ferrit's partial understanding of this (& for others who might wonder) , as I see we've cured this by restoring a backup .. if you go googling you'll find out the various bits you were on about described in terms like this ..

The WAN Miniport Driver is part of the DIVA for Windows 95, DIVA for Windows NT and ISDN Server for NT from Eicon that offers support for RAS over ISDN on Windows NT machines. The WAN Miniport Driver allows two NT or Windows 95 machines to connect over ISDN giving TCP/IP, NetBEUI and IPX connectivity between the two machines

& they only show up in device manager if you click the 'show hidden devices' key - in either normal or safe modes :)

They are 'standard devices' representing transport functions in the osi network layers model - like so & are added whenever there is a device (present & working in device manager) capable of making an outside connection via 'networking' ;)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I know ya cant remove em,prolly all i really need to know.
But thanks confus-ed