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Question

Ethernet doesn't have valid IP config, at a TOTAL loss

Apr 4, 2018 5:46PM PDT

All online solutions I have tried do not work. All solutions here I have tried and do not work. Went to brothers with different ISP and router and it still did not work. I've replaced my motherboard (ASUS H170 Pro Gaming) with a brand new one and nothing. The only thing that HAS worked was totally wiping my computer and reinstalling windows 10. After 2 weeks, it stopped working again.

1) When I came home that day, computer was off which means there was either power outage or update and my comp turned off as it is usually sleep mode.

I have a laptop running windows 10 and the ethernet cable connections works fine with it. Also works with xbox.

I called a computer shop and told them everything I've done and they told me (honestly) that I'd waste my money going there as I've tried everything they would have.

I'm pretty tech savvy but hoping I'm missing something dumb.

INFO:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP-0NK0B0D
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) I219-V
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 38-D5-47-7E-89-40
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.76.204(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

Discussion is locked

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Answer
A recent discussion in these forums found
Apr 4, 2018 6:24PM PDT

That Microsoft was using plus supplied the wrong driver. Be sure to disable driver updates in W10 and go get the one specific to your board. Be sure to boot Safe Mode and remove the non-working adapter and driver.

Finally I take it that other laptops, PCs, XBox and such are fine on this cable. I've lost count of cable failures.

The clue it's the driver and Microsoft's choice of driver is the 2 weeks till it stopped working.

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Drivers
Apr 4, 2018 6:38PM PDT

First off thank you for the help.

So I have tried reinstalling all drivers from the original motherboard disk today. I popped the CD in and installed them. It doesn't work. I then downloaded the newest windows 10 ethernet driver on my laptop and transferred it and installed that. Didn't work......

Any suggestions?

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That was noted as a dead end.
Apr 4, 2018 6:41PM PDT

I can't find the discussion so in short they had to boot safe mode to peel out the Microsoft choice of drivers and manually delete the driver file to thwart Windows from using them. It was also important to disable Windows from updating drivers.

So they did that, installed the maker's drivers for motherboard chipset then the LAN driver and it started to work.

Pretty awful and tedious for everyday Windows users.

Remember I take your word that other devices work on this cable connection and you power cycled all the gear before booting this PC.

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Pending Trial
Apr 4, 2018 6:52PM PDT

Thank you, I will try that tomorrow and see what happens. Will repost updates within 24 hours (about to head to bed, long day of work tomorrow)

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Attempts
Apr 5, 2018 6:35PM PDT

I booted into safe mode and tried to delete driver. It would not delete. It would show the uninstall bar but stay there after.

I went into regular startup and deleted it. It deleted this time. Popper in the driver disc my motherboard came with. Installed drivers. Still no connection.

I also tried:
- static IP address
- enabling LAN setting in bios (Power Up on PCI card.) When enabled, this removed the "!" from my internet icon, so it looked like it was working, but I still had no connection

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Time for a hardware test.
Apr 5, 2018 6:46PM PDT
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Just checking ...
Apr 6, 2018 1:41PM PDT

Have you reset TCP/IP stack?

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Just a tip.
Apr 6, 2018 2:20PM PDT

Be sure to ask the member with the issues.

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Most likely
Apr 6, 2018 3:33PM PDT

Highly likely I've done this multiple times over the span of my 5 month issue.

Now that I'm on the forum and everyone is being so helpful, when I get home Sunday/Monday I will document everything I've tried to update.

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Wireless
Apr 8, 2018 11:32PM PDT

You said you use a laptop, so did the Wireless network can work properly?

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Yes
Apr 9, 2018 11:22AM PDT

Yes the laptop (with windows 10 and auto-update) works fine via Wifi AND Ethernet. My xbox also works both Wifi and Ethernet. MY Switch works Wifi (no ethernet capability.) Galaxy S5, 2013 Macbook Air. No issues on any other devices.

One other laptop in my house occasionally with windows 10 also works. Forget what kind he has.

Will be trying Linux boot for sanity check after work today in a few hours.

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My Next Step Here Would Be To Swap In A New NIC
Apr 9, 2018 1:33PM PDT

After all the things you've tried and tested, it could be a bit of failed hardware. It's fairly common for an ethernet card to go south. As such, we frequently swap in a known good ethernet card to check that possibility off the list. They're cheap and easy to replace. Disable the old one from the list in Device Manager, uninstall and remove it if it's in its own slot, then install the new one.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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New Motherboard
Apr 10, 2018 5:23AM PDT

I have already replaced the motherboard. Same motherboard, but brand new. Wouldn't that rule out this issue as I plug ethernet into motherboard?

And also, wouldn't botting in Linux, and seeing that internet connects also rule this out?

Post was last edited on April 10, 2018 5:25 AM PDT

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Yes.
Apr 10, 2018 7:32AM PDT

But it appears the Microsoft Windows driver issue is in play and what I'm finding is that many just can't deal with that. Adding a NIC after disabling Microsoft driver updates is a solid workaround.

Sad to read another story like this but hey, most of us would just want to avoid such hoop jumping.

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Questions about Windows driver issue
Apr 10, 2018 7:47AM PDT

Is this a known thing? If so, I'm wondering then why my laptop that has same OS can connect to ethernet and run fine.

Adding a NIC after disabling drive updates.
- I think I may have done this. I uninstalled the ethernet driver from device manager. I then put motherboard disc in and installed drivers from scratch. It still didn't work. Would this essentially be the same concept? Also, is it possible that near instantaneously it could have worked then updated via windows 10 and it stopped?

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Because it's a different PC.
Apr 10, 2018 8:25AM PDT

That the driver works in.

As to you thinking you did this, we had to hunt down the actual driver files and delete those to remove Windows penchant for selecting the wrong driver file.

Again this is only something you see if you work hundreds of PCs. Pretty annoying but not unheard of.

I know folk want a deep explanation but hey, that's Microsoft for you. They do OK, but far from perfect.

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Bummer
Apr 10, 2018 8:31AM PDT

This is pretty much at the point now where it sounds like its becoming a different language the my limited IT knowledge cannot translate.

What would be my best, permanent option? I would love to reset my entire computer and OS again (worked in the past) then disable auto updates. That would probably work right? If so, my issue now is that my computer will not let me wipe/reset it. It will also not let me reinstall windows from the USB it came with.

If the other option is better, disabling updates and adding a NIC, how do I do that. It sounds like based on what you, said Its out of my area of expertise. Also, would I need to buy a new NIC card, remove the old one from my new motherboard and replace it?

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You proved that worked.
Apr 10, 2018 8:40AM PDT

I read above you did a clean install, it worked then later it didn't.

Since all this reads like the same old issue, I can't guess why it won't work again.

Until some update turns on driver updates again. There's a big W10 update coming and we always have to watch out for the driver update thing.

-> What is this about removing the "old one" from the motherboard. The board you pictured looks to have the onboard NIC as part of the motherboard so remove? How? I usually just use the BIOS to disable it if need be.

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Assumption
Apr 10, 2018 8:47AM PDT

I didn't quite understand what you meant by "adding a new NIC." I assumed you meant removing the one from the motherboard (which sounds like its not possible.)

Did you mean add a NEW one and disable the old one?

Also, it sounds like if I wipe the computer, reinstall and disable auto driver updates it should work again? Can you confirm this for my simple brain lol? Also, I've read its not so easy to disable driver updates on windows 10?

If this is the case, I need to figure out WHY my computer refuses to allow em to wipe it, or reinstall windows again.

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All skill levels arrive here.
Apr 10, 2018 9:00AM PDT

Some will take the extra step to disable the onboard NIC (which isn't a card but chips on the motherboard) but this isn't always needed or required.

All skill levels arrive here. Some can dig into Windows to find the driver files, others must add a NIC and use that instead.

There's no sin in either solution.

As to confirm I can't tell you it will work again but it should. Why? Because Microsoft keeps changing the OS and what I did last month may change next month.

But that doesn't mean we can't try again.

I think by this point you see why many will just install the new NIC (card) and call it a day.

-> This is a long thread so I didn't repeat the usual advice about how I install Windows and more. When I do a clean install, along the way the BIOS is updated and set to defaults. Then Windows is installed then the drivers for motherboard, audio, video, LAN and Wifi. Then what else is required for this install. I find many folk just install Windows then skip drivers that seem to be working. That can work but sometimes not.

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(NT) And Yes, Disable The Onboard Nic, Install A New One
Apr 10, 2018 10:52AM PDT
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Just to pipe in
Apr 10, 2018 3:20PM PDT

I can't say you're encountering the same issue I did with multiple PCs but, if you opt to replace the NIC, I'd recommend that you get one with a different chipset. If you have an Intel, get a Realtek. Why? Because it's always possible that another NIC will have the same chipset make and model and require the same driver that's already in the Windows driver store. Another thing to consider is to turn off power management for the network device as well as to turn off Windows "fast startup". Don't ask me why but it was an aid to resolving the problem I fought with for weeks.