Windows 10: Windows 10 forced upgrade wiping out my network adapter

Yes, there's a tutorial on that here, however using metered connections doesn't guarantee stopping 'important' downloads, MS says.

 

Thanks, I wonder if MS considers the upgrade to the latest version of windows a download that will happen metered or not ? (I guess I'll know by tomorrow if it forced the upgrade again)

I tried but so far I was not able to fix either the Ethernet or the wifi adapter when on the latest version.

The upgrade does not delete my Ethernet and wifi adapters, but it somehow makes them unusable, when I check each of them in the device manager it has the same error message for both -

"This device cannot find enough resources it can use. (code 12)"

and nothing I tried has been able to make them usable again EXCEPT using recovery to restore the previous version of windows.

Would the protection I get from having a Softether VPN server on that computer make it so not having all the Microsoft security updates not a real concern ?

.....in case your not familiar with that free open source software - SoftEther VPN Project - SoftEther VPN Project

Not that I still would not try to fix things so I can have the latest security updates with still having my network adapters usable, but wouldn't the VPN keep my computer safe in the meantime ?

 

The tutorial is Set Ethernet Connection as Metered or Unmetered in Windows 10
note that from Creators Update (1703) on you can turn on metered Ethernet in Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet.

From Creators Update (1703) on, it says...



...but I have never seen this work in 1703. It seems to work as intended in Fall Creators Update (1709).

Allow Automatic Updates over Metered Connections in Windows 10

 

Have you uninstalled the drivers and rebooted? I'd guess you have.

There are plenty of references to that error message
This device cannot find enough resources it can use. (code 12)
so researching that may suggest sthg.

E.g.
that means you are probably run out from available pci lanes ... try set pci-e in your bios to GEN 1 , also if you have a option try to set "above 4g decoding" to enable .
Also disable any unused peripherals in bios ... sound card , wifi whatever you are not using
Might have change pci speed to 8x 8 x 4 or something similar , im not sure what your mobo supporting
This device cannot find enough free resources.. 6gpu rig

Which suggests the problem may actually be a PCI driver rather than the drivers for those devices.
(Device Manager, System Devices)

What model is your laptop? How old is it? Which Windows did it come with?

Have you looked at your Device Manager- any yellow triangles?
Example of very old drivers:
Device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12) Solved - Windows 10 Forums

If you haven't yet managed to disable the Windows update service (which kills Windows update) here's an easy way-

 

Thanks, I have that Ethernet connection set to "metered" so by tomorrow I show know whether or not it stops the update that messes with my network adapters and makes them unusable.

 

Thanks !

Acer Aspire 9410z

I think it originally came with Vista, then I later upgraded to an early version of windows 10 Home version.

I'll have to get some screen shots, but in my device manager there are some devices with many duplicate entries (not the network adapters though)

Your PCI driver idea sounds like a good possibility to check out, also what do you think of another possibility someone on another forum suggested -

(quote)
That error you are getting is basically telling you that more than one device has been assigned the same I/O thus both running devices are trying to grab the same memory slot per se, and hence the troubles.

This can occur if the BIOS has been incorrectly setup, or altered, or the operating system [ windows 10 ] has corrupted the settings.

If it was a bios issue, then checking for an update to your BIOS could resolve things, and if there is no update, then another way around this would be to remove the CMOS battery for a couple of minutes, to clear bios memory, then reinsert the battery and go into your BIOS and make sure its set to default settings.
(end of quote)

I'll have to check out that winareo tweaker.

 

Ok, you're using it outside specification - i.e. it's not proven or supported for Win 10. Sure, many do that, and many find it works. But it is a risk, and you may find you struggle.

For example, I updated my Vista HP laptop to Win 7, then 8, then 10, but found it quickly overheated- in Safe Mode! This can happen apparently if there is low level driver incompatibility.

Yes, there could well be different causes as you say, and detailed examination of the driver parameters in Device Manager might tell you more. There might be a BIOS update- which although still old- might help. Realistically you could find you're playing trial and error- and there again, you might succeed.

Somewhat after the manner of this (old) article:
The last resort for troubleshooting hardware resource conflicts

Have you ever done a clean install, or has it been continuously upgraded? As it was Vista, you must have done a clean install, as there's no upgrade path from Vista to Win 10, I believe.