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All network adapters missing from device manager (Surface Pro 3 i5, Windows 8.1)

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amount

PCHF Member
Mar 6, 2021
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#1
The wifi suddenly stopped working on my Surface Pro 3 so I ran Windows Network Diagnostics. Result: "Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter."

I went to Device Manager. Network devices weren't there so I clicked "Show hidden devices." This revealed the network devices, but most of them were grayed out. I updated the driver for each device, but they were all up to date. I restarted the computer, but nothing changed.

I then uninstalled the network drivers, hoping to refresh everything. Restarting the computer didn't bring them back and neither did clicking "Scan for hardware changes."

I tried disabling and enabling wifi in BIOS, but no luck there either.

I tried downloading and installing drivers from MS (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38826), but that didn't change anything.

Network adapters are still not showing up in device manager and I can't think of anything else to try.

Any ideas? Thanks!
 
#2
The NIC device itself may have failed.

Have you tried uninstalling the device itself in Device Manager then restarting the computer to see if Windows gives you a detected new hardware message, you must first make sure that the wireless device is enabled in the BIOS and golden rule #1 be sure to create a new system restore point first.

If you follow the steps above and Windows does not display the found new hardware message that goes some way to suggesting that the wireless card has failed.
 
#3
Yes, I uninstalled all of the network adapters in device manager. I restarted hoping Windows would detect the new hardware, but it didn't. Wifi is enabled in BIOS.
 
#4
Not the same, you have to uninstall the actual card itself as in the Network Interface Card.

If the card is not working it can still be detected by Windows and/or the BIOS but if a broken device is removed from the Device manager and then the computer restarted the history of the device being present has been removed from Windows meaning that if the card is broken it will not be detected, if the device is detected you should get the new hardware device detected message.

If you do not get the new hardware device detected message after the reboot you should use the scan for hardware changes option in Device Manager, if that does not detect the card it suggests that it has failed.
 
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