Windows 10: internet only in safe mode; what to look for

Win 10 on PC; AT&T Uverse; Ethernet

For the last couple of weeks my internet connection has been intermittent, and online times getting shorter. Today I was unable to get on the internet at all. Updating the network driver didn't help. I first contacted my service provider (AT&T) and they sent techs on two occasions : first to improve quality of house wiring, and then to install a new router. These changes did not fix the problem. So the third tech gave up and said the problem was probably caused by a Windows update. Google search found that intermittent internet is a common problem, but the suggestions didn't help. Finally I booted in Safe Mode, and suddenly my internet connection is stable.

My question now is : what should I look for in Safe Mode to remove whatever is interfering with my internet connection?

:)

 

I can only connect to the internet in safe mode

Hello Rod,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

With the issue description, I understand that you are unable to connect to Internet in normal mode and able to connect in Safe mode only. I will certainly help you in getting this fixed. I would appreciate if you could help me with more information

• 
  Which Security Software is installed on your computer?
  
  
  
  
  

I would like to inform you that as the Internet is working in safe mode, then this issue might be occurring because of some software conflict or corrupt network drivers. So I would suggest to disable the Security Software which is installed on the
computer and then follow below mentioned steps and check if the issue resolves

Important Note: Antivirus software can help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. In most cases, you shouldn't disable your antivirus software. If you have to temporarily disable it to install
other software, you should re-enable it as soon as you're done. If you're connected to the Internet or a network while your antivirus software is disabled, your computer is vulnerable to attacks.

Method 1:

Step 1: Safe Mode with Networking

To diagnose whether this issue occurs in “Safe Mode”, let’s reboot the computer in safe mode and check if the issue appears there as well.

Safe mode is a diagnostic mode for Windows that starts your computer in a limited state. Only the basic files and drivers necessary to run Windows are started. This helps us in identifying whether the issue is due to some third
party programs conflict. The word Safe mode appear in the concern of your monitor to identify which windows mode you are using. Please follow the below mentioned steps

• 
  Click on the Power button on the login screen.
  
• 
  Press and hold the SHIFT key on keyboard and simultaneously click on
  Restart option.
  
• 
  Once your PC restarts, on theChoose an optionscreen, tap or click
  Troubleshoot. If you don't see the
  Startup Settings option, tap or click Advanced options.
  
• 
  Tap or click Startup Settings.
  
• 
  Tap or click Restart.
  
• 
  On the Startup Settings screen, choose the startup setting for
  Safe Mode with Networking (Generally F5 key is pressed to select this setting).
  
• 
  Sign in to your PC with a user account that has administrator rights.
  

Once the system boots in Safe Mode with Networking then, try step 2

Step 2: Clean Boot

A clean boot is performed to start Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update or when you run a program in Windows.
To know more, follow the article below:



http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135



The same steps can be followed for Windows 10 operating system.



Note: After troubleshooting, refer to this section ‘How to reset the computer to start normally after clean boot troubleshooting’.



Try method 2, if the issue persist



Method 2: Uninstall and Reinstall the Network adapter/drivers

Follow these steps to uninstall and reinstall the driver:

Step 1: Uninstall the network drivers

a) Press “Windows Logo” + “X” keys on the keyboard.

b) Click on “Device Manager” from that list.

c) Search for the network adapter/drivers from the device list, right click on it and then select “Uninstall”. On the un-installation window, if you have an option: “Delete the driver software for this device” you may select that and
then remove the corrupted drivers from the computer.

d) Follow the on-screen instructions to complete it and the restart the computer if prompted.

After the restart, you may again open the Device Manager and then click on the “Scan for hardware
changes” button at the top of the Device Manager window and check if Windows 10 detects the network devices and installs an appropriate driver for it automatically. If that happens, then check if it resolves the issue.



Step 2: Update Driver Software from the Manufacturer’s website:

If the issue still persist, then you may refer to the
manufactures’ website and install the latest
Network adapter/drivers for the device.



Hope this information is helpful. Please write back to us if you need any further assistance, we'll be glad to assist you.

 

I can only connect to the internet in safe mode

I'm running Windows 10 and have been trying to sort out this issue for over a week now. I can not connect to the net while in normal mode. I keep being told my connection is broken. However all my other devices connect fine. I can only connect when in safe
mode. I have been trough numerous potential solutions, none have worked. I have restored to previous points, checked all drivers and adapters, checked memory, registery and VSP. Please see screen shots of the messages I keep getting when I run trouble shooting.
Restarting / Rebooting my router doesn't help either. Please help I totally lost here.

 

It will be either software running at startup or a service disable all startup software and test if it's a service anti virus is best bet. How do you know you have no connection if the browser is failing open for prompt type tracert 194.119.131.66 see if it works

 

If it works in safe mode next step should be doing trying a Clean Boot and troubleshooting from there
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...conflicts.html

 

I did a Safe Mode boot with Internet, but then my wireless keyboard didn't work. I now have borrowed a wired keyboard, but I don't know what to look for in Config.sys or some other place. My guess is that a Windows update changed something that interferes with internet connection. There's at least a hundred items in Config. I don't see anything directly related to the Network Adapter & Driver in the list of services.

Any clues as to what kind of service might cause internet to blink on & off? Otherwise, I'll just have to go down the list and turn-off an item, then reboot a hundred times.


PS__In Config.sys I alternately turned off 3 blocks of items, including MS items, and Internet was OK each time. But since the problem is intermittent, it's hard to tell if that means anything. For now, I have disabled only one MS service, the spying app "dwmapppushsvc". But Google search indicates that Win 10 doesn't allow you to completely eliminate that "service". Time will tell if it makes any difference.

 

Update : after unchecking "dwmapppushsvc" in Config.sys, my internet connection has been stable. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and knocking on wood, with hope that it's a complete fix for the problem. But is MS aware of a bug in its "Diagnostic Tracking Service" spyware? It's also labeled as "WAP Push Message Routing Service", but I don't know if turning it off will have any other noticeable consequences. It will probably be reinstalled in the next Win update.

Windows 10 Preview Has A Keylogger to Watch Your Every Move