Should unused FireWire IEEE 1394 card be removed?

I have an HP desktop system with XP Home and a PCI card for the FireWire ports.

I don't have anything attached to these ports, so I assume this card is just taking up space (1 PCI slot).

Is this card also taking up any resources?

Would it make sense to pull it out or disable it somehow?

Or is there something that I absolutely need to be doing with this? i.e. some whiz-bang new gizmo?

Thanks, DaveBo

It won't be using any resources fortunately (well, not if your OS is well designed. I don't know if windows is because I don't have the source in front of me, unlike Linux... but that's another matter altogether), so don't take it out. If you have an mp3 player (many support 1394), DV camcorder, some digicams, or a firewire external enclosure, yes, you too can benefit :p

Also, some internal components now use firewire (there is at least 1 firewire internal DVD+/-RW), these can usually be attached on the inside of the card as to avoid wire clutter.