Thanks for your response.
I may need to delete the DFU driver in order to get back the default driver for virtual Com port. Today, when switching from DFU mode to VCP mode, the VCP driver is not found. I have not seen any control within Device Manager that provides capability to hide or show inactive or disabled devices. I will search for one now you indicate it may exist.
My current working hypothesis is that my uploading of example sketch has somehow changed the USB signature of the device. The lack of a battery due to broken connector may also be involved.
My diagnosis will be helped when on Monday my replacement Wio lte device from Mouser gets delivered. I will discover then if the problem of incompatible battery connectors is common among the mouser-held stock manufactured on 04/30/2020 or is just a single instance.
I will also be able to discover if the symptom of unrecognised VCP noted earlier carries through to the second instance or not.
If not carried over (that is, if the device is now recognised by windows) this would indicate that the sketch has altered the COM port signature of the device.
I do not understand the terms used in your second paragraph. I will study some more to see if I can make some sense of it. I think it is referring to the writing of a further sketch to perform the actions you describe. It’s beyond me at the moment.