HP Pavilion Windows 10 only 1 bar on wifi when other devices have 4 or more

[MilindPuri]

The laptop is only 2 weeks old, purchased with Windows 8.1 and upgraded to Windows 10.  Wifi was working perfectly until 24 hours ago when it kept losing connection and went from 0 to 1 bar.  Other wifi devices had normal signal strength.  I tried again today, even comparing with a near identical laptop which is on a fresh install of Windows 10 and could show more wifi services than my own one with both placed side by side within a few metres of the router.

I googled around and tried setting the power plan setting to max performance on battery.  It made no difference.  There was no difference on battery power or plugged in.  I tried HP Support Assistance to restore the driver which was V17 before and still V17 after.  

I then tried HP Support Assistant and Windows Update to find any updates.  There were none.  I then came to the support pages for the device and saw updates dated 4th October 2015.  Puzzled why HP Support Assistant hadn't found them, I used the hp support pages to check for updates.  This downloaded a new version of HP Support Assistant and this successfully downloaded a number of updates, include Wireless driver updates (v18).  

I still only have 1 bar most of the time though it goes up and down a lot, peaking at 3 on battery power.  I have reset the power plan settings to default and there is no difference.  Still other devices around me have more signal strength than this.

So what exactly is going on.... is there a fault on the wireless?  If I dare venture out with the laptop will others get wifi signal and I will not?

Or... is the driver so clever at power saving that it can increase the power as needed so I can always get wireless?  If that is the case how come it is still not listing as many wifi services around me as the other laptop?

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milidnPuri

after the update which have drivers installed?

Intel WLAN driver and not more?

Install first the Intel® Chipset Device Software  setupchipset.exe

[MilindPuri]

The chipset driver was one of the ones that installed in the same batch as the wireless driver.

I think the problem started after KB 3093266 was installed by windows update, I can see forum posts mentioning problems. My sons HP pavilion now wants to update this, I will not do it in case the same thing happens.

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Milindpuri

For Bios update deactivate the Internetsecurity

The BIOS F43 Corrects the FCCID of the wireless LAN card information.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp72501-73000/sp72545.exe

Install the HP System Event Utility

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp71501-72000/sp71716.exe

[MilindPuri]

Hi thanks - I already have both of these, the HP support assistant picked up about 9 or 10 updates in total yesterday.  Last night the problem was still there and going further away from the router the signal was lost completely when other devices showing 4 or 5 bars.

This laptop is practically unusable now 😞

[MilindPuri]

Well it seems that the BIOS was still at F40, not sure what HP Support Assistant actually did, I only noticed after I upgraded a similar laptop and noticed the BIOs upgrade screens which I hadn't see on my own one.  So I forced it again through the website even though HP Support assistant did not think I needed to update anything.  Made no difference to the wifi signal strength 😞

Looking at other things I need to "force" it is hard to tell which drivers to pick, they all seem to have a RevA and RevB with the same dates on.  Looks like its time to call HP to work out which is the right drivers needed as HP support assistant insists that I am upto date.

[go2]

please install the KB

[MilindPuri]

Well I had a chat with HP support, it seems that this laptop is not suitable for windows 10.  So we should not buy any laptops until Windows 10 is stable enough for the manufacturers to actually ship units with windows 10 on it?

Excerpts from the chat that are of interest, it doesn't make very happy reading and makes me wonder if I am better off taking this "new" laptop back to the shops 😞

"after a few updates from microsoft the wifi was /is unstable on most of the computer as Microsoft and HP are working together to provide resolution for the wifi,it will be released in the following updates"

"I request you to please wait for the updates or I request you to please reinstall the windows 8.1 as the computer was more compatible with the 8.1"

"I request you to please wait till early November, for the updates or I would recommend you reinstall the operating system to windows 8.1 using the recovery discs or the partition available on the computer."

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milindPuri

Uninstall the Intel Proset

and test the system without the Proset applications

the problem is not the intel wlan MS patch is the problem

Back to 8.1 is on solution

Please read it

Post your internet security software name and version

Last proset driver

[MilindPuri]

This is quite ridiculous that I have to go back to windows 8.1.

A friend of mine has a different model HP laptop but also a Intel wireless card, today it too stopped working on wireless after an update to the July 2015 driver was added in automatically.  Upon un-installing the Feb 2015 driver worked fine.  What a wonderful world we live in where people's equipment now breaks after automatic updates and the less tech savvy will be clueless.

In my case even the Aug 2015 driver did not work.  I can't go back to the February one I can't find it anywhere, yes there are some listed on the Intel site but there are so many variants of the same thing.

Going back to windows 8.1 may be the only option but I am getting by with a USB wireless stick as I have run out of time to mess about going back then going through all the updates again.  People are laughing at me with a brand new laptop and having to plug in an external wireless stick.

Quite ridiculous, I am even thinking of making a court case just to test the ridiculousness of this out, it is simply not acceptable to sell consumer goods and then have them not working, with MS busy forcing everyone to upgrade to windows 10 it simply HAS to work.