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General discussion

Windows 8.1 Airplane Mode Randomly Cycles On and Off

Dec 11, 2014 11:30AM PST

Hello,

I have a newer laptop (HP Pavilion Touchsmart 14) that is running Windows 8.1. I probably should have searched this problem from day one but the issue is so random that I can go 2 months without much of a problem and then I can spend two weeks encountering the problem with every login. When I connect the computer to wifi, whether it be my home wifi, a hotel wifi or an airport wifi, it will sometimes randomly start to cycle in and out of airplane mode for no apparent reason. I can open the settings or wifi icon from the tray (pretty much anywhere I can access the airplane mode toggle) and try to toggle the thing manually but it ignores my mouse clicks and continues to cycle on and off. The same is true if I use the wifi button on the keyboard.

I have tried resetting the wifi card and also disabling firewall but any correlation to the problem seems random. I have also checked that the hardware drivers are up to date. I cannot seem to find any real cause or solution (I have googled the problem extensively and all that comes up are ways to reset the card or different methods for turning airplane mode on and off, none of which helps).

For me the ideal solution is a way to permanently disable airplane mode on my computer. I don't need it and don't want it anyway and would LOVE to rip that mode out of this computer completely.

Has anyone encountered this issue and is there a fix or a way to delete airplane mode from my system?

Thank you,

Brian

Discussion is locked

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Sounds like a power saving mode.
Dec 12, 2014 1:52AM PST

To cut power it would be proper to get into airplane mode. We don't need an internet connection every second so my bet is it's a scheme to get more battery time. Are you are battery power at the time? Did you explore the new power controls?
Bob

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RE: Power Saving
Dec 13, 2014 7:43AM PST

Well I reset everything to max performance but it does not seem to make a difference. Is there a way to remove this feature all together? I do not need it nor want it.

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I'll have to write no.
Dec 13, 2014 7:55AM PST

At least it's not easy to find yet. HP's number/model number would be that 14 with more like 14-b109wm or such. Without that I can't see if the docs tell more. So for now, no.
Bob

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Model Number
Dec 17, 2014 11:21PM PST

Sorry to take so long to get back. Model number is indeed 14- b109wm. I really want to remove airplane mode altogether if there is any way to accomplish this.

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There is still no solution to this issue that I can find
Jan 1, 2015 11:07PM PST

I still cannot find a way to circumvent the airplane mode function in Windows 8.1. I want to make it so that it can NEVER be placed in airplane mode again, but I do not know how to accomplish this. Is this possible and if so how can I accomplish this?

My laptop is an HP 14- b109wm running Windows 8.1.

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I can't be sure
Jan 1, 2015 11:47PM PST

But I did run into another laptop (different model) that would flash "airplane mode" when the WiFi dropped out. I wonder if your request is driven by a change in messages and the cause is the usual and not something new.

If it's what I suspect then it is not going to be possible to change this without buying another Windows 8.1 license, doing a clean install and using some other USB WiFi dongle so you avoid HP's drivers and apps. Then instead of airplane mode messages you may see "WiFi not connected" messages.

Since WiFi is not uninterruptible, I have to write there is no fix unless we get wired or move routers to same room and optimize the setup.
Bob