Network Adapter Missing?

[Wallywoo]

Greetings. My Pavillion Elite HPE is about 2-3 years old. It recently crashed hard and does not work. I was able to reinstall Windows 7 but I lost all of my data and programs. The computer now works but can't connect to the internet. HP said to contact Microsoft and Microsoft said to contact HP. Then Microsoft called back and said tell HP the computer model number and they can tell you which network adapter is needed. Then I can download? Not sure if I need hardware, software, driver, etc. Please help!

[AtBo]

Hello: Could you please provide the exact model number of your HPE Desktop? With the correct model number, yes, the correct drivers for your computer can be downloaded from HPs Support page for the unit...

[Wallywoo]

Model No. HPE-510t

Thanks!

[AtBo]

You're welcome. Go to this link:

http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-Pavilion-Elite-HPE-Desktop-PC-series/5035344/model/5060998/dr...

Click the blue go icon. Look under Drivers-original and focus on the most recent RaLink driver. That is the original network driver for the PC. Take a look in the other areas for your other drivers.

If you download the drivers, you may consider it a good idea to place the installers somewhere on a backup drive (once you are done using them to install) in case you find you need to reinstall Windows again...

[Wallywoo]

I have downloaded the exe file on another computer and will bring it home on a flash drive to install on my home pc and hope it works. Yous stated to take a look in the other areas for my other drivers. What other drivers? Thanks again.

[AtBo]

Wallywoo...

I was referring to the other drivers located on the same page with the network adapter driver.  I noticed there was some software that came on your PC, also.  I think maybe you had beats audio?  Anyway, I will be happy to walk through the drivers listed, so you can decide which ones to download and install.  Once you have installed the driver for the network adapter, it will be easier, since you will be able to access the internet directly from the other PC to download drivers for installing directly to that computer...

[Wallywoo]

Install did not finish. I got error message "Your system does not meet the minimum requirements for this update. Update has been cancelled. (9996)"

[AtBo · Accepted solution]

OK, try this. Apologies, I was taking a guess, but I didn't realize you didn't have another PC at home. If it wasn't the one, I was hoping you could download to another PC and try the other ones. It must be one of these two (likely the first one):

Original Atheros Wireless Networking Controller Driver 8.0.0.316 Rev. A 31.7 MB Nov 22, 2012 Download HP's Terms of Use Details

Original Realtek Networking Controller Driver 7.26.902.2010 Rev. A 1.7 MB Jun 10, 2013 Download HP's Terms of Use Details

Fairly certain the second one is for your ethernet port. You will want to install that one too, if you think you will connecting at any point directly to a router via the ethernet adapter.

[Wallywoo]

The 2nd one worked! Back online. Thanks so much.

[AtBo]

Wallywoo...

You're welcome.

I apologize. I didn't think you might be having to download on a computer at another location, so I didn't think to intruct you to download them all at once. Now that you have the internet back, you can methodically go back through the drivers on the same downloads page and install them. Careful, as some of them are duplicates. Just use the newer one, when you see the driver has more than one version. Skip the BIOS updates. Usually, they are not 100% required, and they require special installation.

Good luck, and try to find a way to make a backup of your system, so you can have copies of your files!