Audio driver package removal lifecycle

Removal has a defined object

A package-removal record can refer to a published package, a selected device relationship, a service, or a co-installed component. It does not automatically describe removal of the physical device, audio endpoint, firmware, or every related record. The object named by the lifecycle event is essential.

Stores and runtime are different

Package stores preserve identity and file relationships for package management, while runtime services and drivers expose interfaces. A package can be absent from an active relationship yet remain represented in a store or history. Conversely, endpoint state can be rebuilt from device and topology records.

Audio endpoints are policy objects

Endpoint publication depends on the audio subsystem, device identity, topology, and policy. Removing one package component can affect that relationship, but endpoint names and states do not directly reveal which file was removed or retained.

Trust records close the loop

A package’s catalogs, signatures, declarations, and version fields establish what was published and how it was matched. Removal language should keep those records separate from runtime observations and avoid treating package absence as a conclusion about hardware.

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