Windows 10: Wifi Network Adaptor disappearing - HW or SW? How to fix?

Well, it has bombed out (consistently with 2x "Error: WLAN AutoConfig detected limit connectivity, performing Reset/Recover.adapter.
Code: 2 0xDEADDEED 0xEEEC"), but at least now it is fixed with a just (hard) reboot, not a full system restore. So that's progress, right?

I'll try winding it back to Build 351, disabling Manufacturer's updates and using "safe mode" to remove drivers etc and (hopefully) "Intel PROSet/Wireless Software for BlueTooth Technology". Fingers crossed....

 

I am having also issues. Yesterday all Day, I had transfer speed of around 22MB/s . Today I installed the newest Intel Drives, now speed dropped to 16MB/s and I can not get speed back.
I will give one more try and if it does not help I will go back to 351.

EDIT: I am Unistalling KB3200970 (447) and will get the Stock 1363.0 build. After that I will restore an Image with 351 and disable for ever Windows Updates. I am full of this, updates breaking things and my PC being a test Machine reporting errors to MS.

 

I am very happy to go back to 351. Now I get the 22MB/s but I had to uninstall the 18.3.3.2 from Intel and let Windows install the default Driver.
Any way system , seems much more quicker with 351, things open at once, do not take ages to load, with that nerving "pause Delay".
I hope you have solved your problem, if not I would suggest to do a Windows Repair with an In-Place upgrade, will not delete anything it just re-install Windows over the existing one. Afterword Download KB for 351 in Windows Catalog and install it over and AU (Avoid Updates).
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - Windows 10 Forums

 

Hi

I'm glad you got your problem sorted.



-In the end I decided to disable Auto Updates entirely

-I still couldn't remove "Intel PROSet/Wireless Software for BlueTooth Technology". I removed the drivers in safe mode, but couldn't use the Programs and Features "remover" while in safe mode ("Windows installer is not available in safe mode..."), so couldn't remove Intel PROSet/Wireless Software for BlueTooth Technology at all.

-I reverted to 351 and disabled updates



It bombed out after 6 hours with the ususal "2 0xDEADDEED 0xEEEC" error in the Event viewer.
btw, I did find other 2 0xDEADDEED 0xEEEC events, which _didn't_ cause the Network Adapter to fail.
I also discovered that restarting the PC TWICE brought the Network Adapter back (rather than having to doing a system restore).

-

I am currently soak-testing the original condition (447 - the one when I wrote the OP) waiting for it to fail to see whether restarting twice brings the Network Adapter back up.

I am also considering restoring to August (51, post Anniversary) status and turning AU off, incase it was one of the earlier wifi patches (351, 187/9) that caused the problem.

I am also considering restoring to Factory conditions (Win8.1) and turning AU off to see what happens.

Each of these means waiting 3-5 hours for a fail to occur, and I'm running out of time to spend on it !

- - -

Regarding the Windows Repair you mention: My system has a proprietary Recovery system (One-Key-Recovery software, integrated with a physical button that reverts it to Factory settings (Win8.1)). I couldn't live without and it would be a disaster if it got nuked.

As this is not a vanilla Windows install, would the Windows Repair only operate on the OS Partion 5 (explanation) and not mess up the other Partitions (especially the OEM recovery partition 3)?

 

Hi,
As for the Bluetooth uninstall problem, try instead to Install BT Driver, reboot and uninstall then and see if that solves the problem.
Also, delete in Device Manager every single Driver that are present in Bluetooth section. Under Network, you can delete every single Driver, there are also Bluetooth Related Drivers.
Do not forget to choice the Option "Show Hidden Devices" under "View" in Device Manager Menu.

You can try this 2 things:
1) Power off Laptop and remove Battery, wait 30s and put it back
2) Power off , afterwords Press and HOLD Power button for 20s
There are people saying this had helped their WiFi cards.

About Recovery/Restore Windows:
First of all, everybody should have a "System Image" from PC , this is easiest way to revert to a previous State.
System Image is available under Control Panel>File History>System Image Backup.
This System Image is complete automatic , also the Restore of it, you do not need to care about Partitions, Windows will manage it all automatic.
You should also have a USB System repair Disc to Boot System in case of failure.
This things you must have done, if you do not have it, you should do it now.
The One-Key-Recovery , if it is still working at all, will erase every thing on System, at least I think it will do. I never used it.

The Windows Repair, is not changing nothing in System is just copying Windows Files and Install it new over the existing Installation, so preserving all Files / Docs / what ever there is actually in your system. But a System Repair can not be done to perform a "Downgrade" , it is only working for the same OS Build or Upgrade the current Build to the Buid in ISO of the repair.
To go Back to Windows 8.1, the options are :
1) By means of an existing System Image, but going back from W10-AU seems that it will erase all Disk / Reformat /Re-partition it, at least in the restore Option this Check Box is selected and can not be unselected.
2) Under Settings>Update & Security there is an Option to go Back to an earlier Build. This option is time Limited, Windows will delete all files need after some time and there is no more possibility to go back.

If you do not have any System Images, I think your best option is to Unistall KBKB3200970 (447), afterwords perform a Windows Repair as I said above, and after it is finished install KB3197954 (build 351) from Windows Catalog.
Because after a Repair, Windows UPDATE will try to install Build 447 automatically, it is better first of all to download KB Build 351 and Disable Internet, because to install the KB Windows Update Service must be enabled. You can also set your Internet Connection as "Metered Connection" so that Windows will not Update System over Metered Connections

EDIT:Changing WLAN Card Drivers / Removing /Resetting/ Install will revert the Metered Connection Setting to Default

 

BobSter2, I think the path you should go straight ahead to minimize your testing time and efforts, try at first the Power Off things I told you above, then uninstall KB-447 and perform a Windows Repair.
Then, Install KB-351 and see it issue is gone.

If not , then I would consider to buy a cheap USB WLAN Stick and see if problem is gone.

After this point you can definitively evaluate if there is something wrong with Windows or you WLAN Card/ Drivers.

 

...still waiting for this to fail, at the moment (11 hours)
thanks *Smile
btw, was the power thing "1 THEN 2"; or "1 OR 2". ?
I'm in the middle of nowehere and can't even find anywhere to buy a torx screwdriver to get the back off and access the battery! I've also been looking for a USB wifi adapter without success...

 

I hope you succeed on it.
About the Power Button, I thought the Battery was easy removal. That is not worth to open the case just for to disconnect it.
Option 2 - Power OFF , press and Hold Power Button for 20s is the one , if it fails again, to go.

 

I concur with Adalwar's suggest to buy a cheap USB Wifi device to see if the problem is the device or the drivers. According to the detailed specs, your device either contains:

For the purposes of simple testing, you'll save money by going 802.11g/b/n. Newegg has 42 available for $10 and under. Or you may have a friend who has one already they can loan you just for testing with. Try it out, and see what happens. If the access issues go away, you've isolated the device (and its drivers) as the most likely cause.
HTH,
--Ed--

 

I just confirm that Driver 17.15.0.5 works much better that 18.3.3.2. I tried the 18.3 various times and result always the same : Speed begins at 22MB/s and after 1 Minute or so it drops down to 12MB/s. With 17.15 it stays more or less stable at 22MB/s.

On my other Laptop, Intel ATOM, installing 447 also installed in background a bunch of System Driver for Motherboard and that was not good, speed was droping to 6MB/s! Well, Updates for my understanding is intended to make system better and more stable.
Anyway I solved the Problem installing the Original OEM Platform / ChipSet Drivers.

If you still have issues , you may also want to try to re-install your Motherboard Chipset Drivers, but the Original from OEM Manufacture that were coming with your Laptop.

 

I think that was just in the old days and we are going to have to get used to this new reality!!

---

My last test was to go back to my original (problem) state (from the OP) and see whether restarting twice would bring the adapter back after a fail. The result is that whereas in the original state (a week ago), the adapter failed every ~6 hours and needed a full system recovery to get it back, NOW (in exactly the same state, via restore point) it only fails every 12-14 hours and only needs a (single) restart to bring it back. Apart from having done the "hold down the power button" thing, the improvement is unexplained, but welcome.

----

After 13 hours sitting on a bus to the next "town" I have managed to find a USB Wifi Adapter and am soak-testing it now.

----

While I'm waiting, can I ask?....

For the MS recovery software - are you referring to:
1) the (Legacy) Windows 7 system included in Windows 10, [Control Panel>Sytem and Security>Backup and Restore (Windows 7)>Create a System Image]; or
2) the new, Windows 10 "File History" thing? [Control Panel>Sytem and SecurityFile History>Select Drive...]

I'm actually quite fond of my proprietary "One Key Recovery" (OKR). As well as being able to restore to factory conditions, it lets me make my own Restore Points at any time. I make a new restore point at least once a month (and, of course, restore back to it, to verify that it works). It has saved my life many times. It also lets you make a bootable USB restore drive. And the "push button" factory reset works fine. It _would_ delete all my user data from C: if I had it stored there, but long ago I set up a separate partition for my files (like this), so it doesn't touch my files. I am happy to back those up manually via synchronisation software.

I did look at the Windows alternatives a while back and decided I didn't need them (though I forget why). Having a quick look now - the Windows 7 one wants available disc space the same size as the used space on C: (58GB) (whereas the OKR compresses the same image down to <30GB). The "File History" one seems to want a dedicated drive solely for its own purposes. Is that right?

thanks

 

Hi,
Oh, Yes , I have not seen before that option "Back up and Restore (Windows 7)" in Control Panel, must be new in W10-AU. I was always going thru File History>"System Image Backup" (at bottom of left Pane) but they are both going to the same Menu: "Create a system image" is what you have to choose. Remember you have to have Free Space no External Drive at least as much as your used Space in Drive C.
For the USB Boot (Rescue Drive/Repair Disc) you need a 8GB USB Stick.

The "File Hstory" itself deals with saving/restore your USER data ( I think only the MODIFIED data; I also do not use this option), not the System OS, this is going to be done with "Backup and Restore".

If you have experience and find that OKR is doing the job, then probably the System Image is not necessary.

 

48 hours' testing with the cheapo USB adapter yields no problems, so I guess the problem is with (a) the (internal) card; (b) the drivers; or (c) interoperability between the OS and the drivers.

I think for now, I will "suffer" with it as-is (the symptoms are less severe than when it first presented - less frequent and now needing only a restart to bring the Network card back up). I can try a more robust fix when I get back to my own country where I have a mailing address and some screwdrivers!

thanks for all your help *Smile

 

Hi,
I am glad to hear that you can now work without being disturbed by Devices not working properly.
I doubt very much it has to do with the Internal Card Hardware , it is likely to be Software related.
I myself have problems with Drivers for a similar Card, while transferring a 8GB file, I am seeing time to time a great speed drop and then back to normal speed, so it is a kind of "reset" just it continues.
It is Windows and Drivers that are not playing well. Nothing to do about it, the only solution is to roll back to a OS Version where the Card is working fine.
Cheers.

 

Any updates on finding a solution to this problem? My computer is having what sounds exactly the same issues, but i have an HP m7-k211dx laptop and intel AC 7260 wifi card. Only difference is the wifi drops at random times, sometimes instantly (just after booting computer) up to and in excess of 5 hours. But most of the time I will be browsing the web using google chrome and my computer will become jittery and chrome will eventually stop responding and then soon after my wifi says limited connectivity and cant see any other networks. Rebooting the computer only brings the card back sometimes and other times when the computer reboots I have to re-enable it in network connections in control panel even though I didn't disable it. I tried upgrading and downgrading drives, I also just installed a fresh copy of windows 10 (full reset of computer) and I still have the problem