Function Key not working, how to turn on wifi on Windows 7

[JerzyBB]

Hi

Sorry for long and 

After having struggled with Windows 10 for 3 weeks, the system still used 100% of CPU for some internal work not leaving user chance to do anything.I came into conclusion that this system is to heavy for this not very powerful machine.

I downgraded os system to Windows 7 Proffesional, from my MSDN Subscription, deleting factory installed Win 10.

I installed all possible to get win 7 drivers, as adviced on one of the forum posts for resolving key poblems,

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75505.exe

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75506.exe

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75509.exe

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75511.exe

and

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75629.exe

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75508.exe

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp75501-76000/sp75513.exe

(video driver 75508 did not work, 75629 was not available)

I resolved nearly all problems (I could live with standard video) but one with not working wifi is show stopper.

All drivers for wifi are installed and seems to work ok, I can see adapter settings for wifi connections but can't see any network available even sitting oposite my router. (I can connect by cable, LAN driver works ok)

I think the reason for issue with wifi is functional keys problem that I can't turm wifi on by pressing F12.

Investigationg wifi connection problem I get the message that I have to turn the wifi switch on. I can see that for this machine it is possible only with functional keys. 

Unfortunatelly, brightness and plane mode functional keys do not work.

Please give me a solution how to solve one of the following problems:

- how to make all function keys working, both brightness and wifi keys

-or, how to turn on wifi other way. e.g. by running command in windows powershell

-or,  how to have wifi turned on on computer start and never turned off

This is critical for me to have wifi running, I can't use cable in location that I am going to use this computer.

Please help.

Regards,

Jerzy

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

See this long discussion.

There is no way that anyone knows of to get the Intel 3168 AC wifi adapter to work on W7.

If your notebook has a celeron processor, one of the graphics drivers I posted on the top of page 3 of the discussion should work.

If the graphics driver works, then the brightness Fn keys should also work.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/HP-250-G6-win-drivers/td-p/6494...

You'll need to purchase an external USB wifi adapter if you want to use wireless.

[JerzyBB]

Hi Paul

Thank you for your answer. I can see you spent a lot of time for investigation.

It is unbelivable that having a piece of hardware on board and all drivers installed correctly in the system I can't turn this hardware working because of the button. It is shame for HP that don't care for users and don't provide a alternative solution.

I am reluctant to buy a usb wifi, despite it is cheap and  quick solution, but I am engry that I have paid for something that should work. Also, that I paid twice, first for other os that was installed on the machine, second

for additional usb devices. I am sad that HP is installing w10 and selling them to people (usually not technical) on the computers that are not possible to work efficiently with this system. 

I will try to investigate this further. I should be a way progrmically turn wifi on. I don't need even this funny "plane mode" button working.

Maybe there is someone who did it and will advice.

If any progress I will update this thread with the solution.

Regards,

Jerzy

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Yes, it is crazy.

I am of the belief that because Microsoft will not support newer PC's for anything but W10, that M$ is asking the hardware manufacturers to put blocks to equipment to prevent it from working.

There has got to be a windows registry setting that controls the power to the wifi adapter, and on W7, the default setting must be off instead of on.

You didn't let me know if the graphics drivers I posted worked for your notebook (if it has a Pentium or Celeron processor).

If it has a 7th generation Intel core processor, as some of the 250 G6's do, then some clever guy found a way to modify a W10 graphics driver to work on W7--even though Microsoft and Intel doesn't support any PC with the Kaby Lake chipset for anything but  W10.

So... if your notebook has a 7th gen core processor, then see this discussion, Bruce BTS' post, and you can probably modify the same driver he used to work on W7.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/Windows-7-VGA-drivers-Probook-450-G4/...

And yes, if you can figure out a way to turn on the wifi adapter on W7, we would love to know what the solution is.

[Ian50]

" I am of the belief that because Microsoft will not support newer PC's for anything but W10, that M$ is asking the hardware manufacturers to put blocks to equipment to prevent it from working."

Yes, Paul, that is my conclusion too.

There's another wrinkle here, too.

I thought as you have that there must be a registry setting in the W10 Intel driver for the AC3168 that turns the power on/off to that adapter, and that such a registry setting would be missing in the Win7 driver.

So I downloaded both drivers and attempted to extract the various files within so I could compare. The hope was I could pinpoint the differences and then maybe resolve the issue.

And what happened ? The Win7 driver extracted ok and I saved the various files from that extraction for later comparison. But the Win10 driver would not extract, no matter which programme I used to try this.

Stymied again. Perhaps someone better able for this extracted comparison could try.

This issue has surfaced again in another new thread ... keeps turning up.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

How about if you extract the files out of  W10 IT driver?

1st one on the list, and then click on the first zip file on the actual driver webpage. 

That extracts to a driver folder with drivers.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000017246/network-and-i-o/wireless-networki...

And maybe, just maybe, the W7 driver also in that folder will actually get the wifi adapter to work without the proset software.

You don't need the proset bloatware anyway if you let Windows manage your wireless network connection.

[Ian50]

That was helpful, Paul.

I haven't tried to install the "barebones" Win7 driver as yet - I'm aware of the need to ensure that *ALL* the previously installed files from the PROSet driver are first deleted. Intel, like so many others now, does not fully clean up after itself.

However, the comparison of Win7 and Win8.1 driver files is really interesting. Very close to each other, both in actual files and file sizes. The differences are the key, of course.

I'm too pushed for time right now but I'll revert when I am able. We may have something, maybe not.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You may even want to clean install W7 again and start from scratch.

That way everything is clear of anything you tried previously.

Make a system image first, and then you can easily revert to it if the experiment with the IT drivers is not successful.

[Ian50]

Yes, I keep those images monthly in any case.

What I would like at the moment - to avoid wasting my time - is assurance that W8.1 turns the power off/on with the Airplane key.

I'm only relying on an earlier comment that the Airplane thingie was only implemented from W8 up.

If you can assure me that the AC3168 works ok in W8.1, I'll persist. The INF files in the Win8.1 driver are quite "loquacious" in revealing the differences from Win7 - as my time becomes less constrained, I'm quite hopeful that the registry settings may yet reveal themselves.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

That is correct.

Airplane mode only works with W8 and up.

There is no way I can assure you of anything other than that the wifi adapter works fine on W10.

No one has ever tested the 250 G6 on W8.1.

Just W7 and W10.

I have no skin in the game, so it is up to you as to whether or not you want to proceed with any further experimentation with W7/W8.1.