A method and device are provided for managing a group of electrical devices, e.g., coder/decoders (codecs) in a computer system, including enabling and disabling a primary electrical device. An address ID module assigns a primary address to designate one of the devices as a primary device. The primary device performs certain functions that are only performed by a single device. Other devices are designated as secondary devices. A signal control circuit receives a BIOS-controlled signal as an input, and outputs a presence signal indicating whether the original primary electrical device is enabled or disabled. If the original primary device is disabled, the address ID module designates one of the secondary devices as the new primary device, and the other secondary devices remain secondary. The new primary device performs certain functions of the original primary device.