Windows 10 disables network adapter before forced update

I've tried to search Google for this but I only get hits about people's internet no longer working after updating from a previous version of Windows to 10.

This has happened twice in a row, the two latest Windows 10 updates have done this to me. A popup will appear saying it needs to restart for an update, and, typically I'm using the computer at that time so I don't want it to update, so I click "later" or whatever which delays it for an hour.

After about 55 minutes, another popup will appear warning me that I have 5 minutes before a restart is required. Also at this time, I lose internet connection. I checked my modem, router, range extender, etc. and everything was in order. Other devices that were connected to the WiFi have no issues, but my Windows 10 computer, which needs to restart to install an update, is not connected. Running the troubleshooter at this time will tell me it needs to reset the network adapter and it needs administrator permission. If I allow it, it will say it has resolved the problem, but there is still no internet connectivity. Running the troubleshooter again tells me there is no driver installed for the network adapter. No driver? Really? When it was working just a second ago?

So, to help 'force' you to stop using the computer so you will comply with the update, Windows 10 can disable your network adapter so you have no internet access, and in this day, that's a big deal when using a computer. As I said before, this is the second time this has happened to me. I was very confused until I remembered it happening not long ago as well, and both times were right before an update I had delayed. Figures Microsoft would want to force you to allow the computer to update, the sneaky little...

a reply to: Aldakoopa

1. Format your drives.
2. Load Win7 or Linux.
2a. Set Win7 to refuse Win10 upgrade

3. Seek therapy, and bill Microsoft for the sessions.....

I logged in just to say this in case you didn't know and it comes in handy because this has happened to my partner and a few people I know who's pc's I've had to fix...
When the internet stops working, go to network and sharing centre, change adaptor settings, right click on wifi card or wired connection, whatever you use, click properties then when the window opens select ipv4 whatever it says, click properties and change the dns settings to manual and use Google DNS or whatever your preference, Google dns is first line 8.8.8.8, second line 8.8.4.4 then click verify on exit and ok and the internet will work again, changing the dns seems to break whatever Microsoft are doing to disable the network card or block it but in the long run, the answer to all your problems, in my humble opinion, download ubuntu or any linux distribution and say goodbye to Microsoft. Hope that helps, if not maybe it'll help someone else who comes across the thread.

Regards,
Elijah23

I tried the Google DNS thing last time it happened and it didn't work. It wasn't just sabotaging my connection, it was disabling the drivers for the hardware entirely so it would not work.

As far as ditching Windows and going to Linux, I would love to, but until Linux becomes a more viable gaming platform, I'm stuck using Windows to play most of the games I love. This is my gaming PC, after all, and I'm not overclocking my CPU to check email or running an R9 Fury to display web pages and youtube.

a reply to: Aldakoopa

I would suggest installing manufacturer specific drivers for your network adapter. If you can give some detailed specifics regarding your current hardware, I might be able to offer more suggestions.

a reply to: Aldakoopa

Fair enough, makes sense, gaming is the one area linux lacks and the one pc I own (my partner has a windows 10 laptop but thats her fault .. I mean choice) but the one pc I own that has windows on it is my gaming rig but I use a custom windows 7 on it, if you can't go to Linux and it is a possibility for you then I'd recommend going back to 7 but up to your own needs I suppose. Updates is just one of many windows 10 problems for me, bloatware and Cortana's mere existence (I know you can turn her off but she's still there...) being a couple more. They skipped windows 9 because 8 was so bad, 10 is so bad we may see windows 16 next but I sympathise with your position when it comes to gaming and proprietary software, Linux will catch up but it's going to be a couple more years and a continuing open source movement to get it there.

Regards,
Elijah23

originally posted by: seattlerat
a reply to: Aldakoopa

I would suggest installing manufacturer specific drivers for your network adapter. If you can give some detailed specifics regarding your current hardware, I might be able to offer more suggestions.

They're definitely manufacturer specific. Downloaded the latest straight from the motherboard manufacturer's website.

As for specifics:

CPU - i5-4670k overclocked to 4.2GHz

Motherboard - ASRock z97 Extreme 6 (with both Realtek and Intel Ethernet ports, currently using the Intel one)

RAM - 16GB Corsair Dominator 2400MHz

PSU - Corsair HX850i

GPU - Sapphire R9 Fury Nitro OC+

Hard drives - 120GB Samsung 830 SSD (Windows installed, a few games), 3TB Seagate NAS HDD (most other games and programs are installed here)

----------------------------------------------------

For a while I was using an Archer T8E PCIE wireless adapter made by TPLink, it was one I was sent to review, and I used it a while even after I was done with the review just because I was too lazy to remove it. When I recently upgraded my RAM and GPU is when I finally removed it. I didn't notice the internet cutting out before updates while using it, only when I use a wired connection.

a reply to: Aldakoopa

For me? The only thing it does is update when I next turn it on. It says to please wait, Windows 10 is installing updates. It takes less than 3 minutes and all is good. Never when Im on it...only on a startup. Its always been like that.

Never any inconvenience...just a 2-3 minute wait on start-up.



PS I gotta think its related to games n stuff also on your computer...some conflict. I have nothing else really installed-downloads, which usually have some drivers...which may be in conflict on yours...whereas not mine.

a reply to: Aldakoopa

If you have Windows 10 Pro you can go into services.msc and disable the Windows Update Service to stop updates altogether. Make sure you have a good antivirus + firewall if you do this, since you won't be getting the latest security updates.

IMO that's what everyone should do, until Microsoft gives us the ability to peruse updates and pick and choose which ones we want to install. Just like how it worked in Windows 7. It's complete and utter BS to force updates on people, especially after I've personally experienced Windows 7 updates that have caused blue screens, and Windows 8 updates that made my laptop fail to boot and required a system restore from a recovery disc to make it work again.

What do you do in Windows 10 if they release a broken update like they have in the past, and you can't say no? You're up # creek, that's what. Everyone should turn the update service off until they return to us the power to pick and choose again.

Also if you don't have it, I highly recommend Spybot Anti-Beacon. It turns off all the Windows 10 tracking BS at the click of a button.

originally posted by: Aldakoopa

originally posted by: seattlerat
a reply to: Aldakoopa

I would suggest installing manufacturer specific drivers for your network adapter. If you can give some detailed specifics regarding your current hardware, I might be able to offer more suggestions.

They're definitely manufacturer specific. Downloaded the latest straight from the motherboard manufacturer's website.

As for specifics:

CPU - i5-4670k overclocked to 4.2GHz

Motherboard - ASRock z97 Extreme 6 (with both Realtek and Intel Ethernet ports, currently using the Intel one)

RAM - 16GB Corsair Dominator 2400MHz

PSU - Corsair HX850i

GPU - Sapphire R9 Fury Nitro OC+

Hard drives - 120GB Samsung 830 SSD (Windows installed, a few games), 3TB Seagate NAS HDD (most other games and programs are installed here)

----------------------------------------------------

For a while I was using an Archer T8E PCIE wireless adapter made by TPLink, it was one I was sent to review, and I used it a while even after I was done with the review just because I was too lazy to remove it. When I recently upgraded my RAM and GPU is when I finally removed it. I didn't notice the internet cutting out before updates while using it, only when I use a wired connection.

I had that EXACT setup. Lightning struck, and I woke up, in a DELOREAN in 1955. Weirdest damned thing...

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: Aldakoopa

For me? The only thing it does is update when I next turn it on. It says to please wait, Windows 10 is installing updates. It takes less than 3 minutes and all is good. Never when Im on it...only on a startup. Its always been like that.

Never any inconvenience...just a 2-3 minute wait on start-up.

PS I gotta think its related to games n stuff also on your computer...some conflict. I have nothing else really installed-downloads, which usually have some drivers...which may be in conflict on yours...whereas not mine.

I've had updates like that, but lately they have required me to restart my computer. I usually turn my comp on around lunch, put it to sleep when I go back to work, then get back on in the evenings until I go to bed, and shut it down. It has been happening in the evenings as soon as I wake it up from sleep, so I'm assuming it probably downloads an update, and wants to install it ASAP, so it wants me to restart.

Otherwise, I doubt that games are causing any driver conflicts.

My girlfriend works at Staples, and I was just telling her about his. She says a lot of customers have been having the same issue with their Windows 10 computer's internet not working. If she can find out if it's also happening to them because they're postponing an update, I'm sure it's actually a "feature" that Microsoft built in to get your butt off the computer so it can restart. As I mentioned, this has only happened to me twice, both 5 minutes before a scheduled restart for an update, and both times my computer with Windows 10 was the only device affected. Both times, after the restart, the internet went back to working normally. It can't be just coincidence.

originally posted by: peskyhumans
a reply to: Aldakoopa

If you have Windows 10 Pro you can go into services.msc and disable the Windows Update Service to stop updates altogether. Make sure you have a good antivirus + firewall if you do this, since you won't be getting the latest security updates.

IMO that's what everyone should do, until Microsoft gives us the ability to peruse updates and pick and choose which ones we want to install. Just like how it worked in Windows 7. It's complete and utter BS to force updates on people, especially after I've personally experienced Windows 7 updates that have caused blue screens, and Windows 8 updates that made my laptop fail to boot and required a system restore from a recovery disc to make it work again.

What do you do in Windows 10 if they release a broken update like they have in the past, and you can't say no? You're up # creek, that's what. Everyone should turn the update service off until they return to us the power to pick and choose again.

Also if you don't have it, I highly recommend Spybot Anti-Beacon. It turns off all the Windows 10 tracking BS at the click of a button.

I don't have Windows 10 Pro, but I tried to disable all the tracking crap back when I first installed it. I followed instructions on a Tek Syndicate video on what to disable. That info is probably outdated by now, and who knows what these updates may have turned back on and whatnot.

Just so everyone knows, I appreciate the advice you're offering in this thread, but I'm not really in need of help. I am pretty good with computers, I was mostly posting this for information purposes, to let people know this might be another wonderful (/sarcasm) function built into Windows 10.

I fought with this for a few days. Try this. something about fast start not letting the update complete

-Right click on the start menu button
-Click on command promt (admin)
- type "netsh" and press enter
- type "winsock reset" and press enter
- restart your computer

.- Start
- Settings
- System
- Power and sleep
- additional power settings
- click on "choose what the power buttons do"
Scroll to top of screen, you may need to click “Change Settings that are currently unavailable” to enable the uncheck option
- scroll down to Shutdown settings
- uncheck the box next to "turn on fast startup"
- click save changes

I have 4 gaming systems and 2 laptops . Each have been updated to Windows 10 then Windows 10 Anniversary . No issues whatsoever . What is the code for the devices showing in Device Manager (10 , 28 ???) . Yellow ! on the device ? The only way to disable a device in any Windows is manually .

In the network adapter properties, see if the "allow computer to turn off network to save power" (or something like that, I writing it from what I remember the Portuguese version says) is checked, my computer has had some problems with that in Windows 10 and before it with Windows 8.

originally posted by: Gothmog
I have 4 gaming systems and 2 laptops . Each have been updated to Windows 10 then Windows 10 Anniversary . No issues whatsoever . What is the code for the devices showing in Device Manager (10 , 28 ???) . Yellow ! on the device ? The only way to disable a device in any Windows is manually .

It's weird because it just started happening the past couple of weeks since I removed my wireless adapter and switched back to a wired connection. I Uninstaller unnecessary drivers and updated the necessary ones, and it ONLY happens 5 minutes before a restart is required, after I've chosen to postpone it by one hour the first time it warned me.

Another strange thing to me is that I've never had it require a restart to update before. It's only been recently that this has begun. I was one of those lucky people who had Windows 10 magically appear on their computer overnight, though. I accidentally left my computer on one night running 7 and woke up the next morning with 10. A friend I play games with says that happened to several of his friends but somehow he was spared.

a reply to: Aldakoopa

I see. With mine it may say "Your computer did not shut down properly. Please wait while we update and Windows will restart your computer". Then it says Updates, takes about 3 minutes...no more...and it starts. Beyond that on a regular basis...I havent any issues.

Also...I never sign into my laptop...and I never turn of home wifi...I just power my laptop button off and walk away.

Additionally, I never sign in and out of ATS...or any other of my sites... click them, they are open.... Good luck and let us know if you learn anything useful to the rest of us...

a reply to: Aldakoopa

Sounds like your drivers were updated with Windows' native drivers and not OEM