Pavilion g6 network adaptor driver missing

[nick6013]

I have a Pavilion g6-1331sa laptop which was getting a bit slow and cranky so I decided to clean load Windows 7 from scratch and rebuild.  With some help (?) from Microsoft I got the W7 OS loaded OK, so now have a virgin basic set up. I now need to load other software like Office, Norton etc, but my PC will not connect to my broadband / internet.

The issue is 'Windows did not detect a properly installed network adaptor'.

Device Manager shows a (!) next to 'Network Controller'  (also against Ethernet Controller, PCI Device and SMI Controller).  If I double click the 'Network Controller' branch the general properties say 'The drivers for this device are not installed (Code 28). If I click 'Update Driver' here and then 'Search Automatically', nothing is found.

If I go for 'Browse' and 'Let me Pick', I can select 'Network Adaptors' and variou manufacturer/products appear. I tried 'Atheros' (as it was famiar') but the options produce an 'Update driver warning', saying 'installing this device is not recommended . . . .Windows cannot verify . . . etc). 

Other guidance for installing drivers generaly assumes you have internet access.  Any solutions out there?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You need these drivers...Donwload them from another PC.  Copy them to a USB flash drive, and install them from that.

SMBus Controller:  I have zipped up and attached the driver you need for that device below.

You have to manually install the driver.   Save and unzip the file I attached to its folder.  Do not do anything with the files in the folder.

Go to the device manager and click on the smbus controller needing the driver.

Click on the driver tab.  Click on Update Driver.  Select the Browse my computer for driver software option, and browse to the driver folder you unzipped.

Make sure the Include Subfolders box is checked, and the driver should install.

Then restart the PC.

Ethernet Controller:

This package provides the Realtek Local Area Network (LAN) Driver that enables the Realtek Network Interface Card (NIC) Chip in supported notebook models that are running a supported operating system.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp55001-55500/sp55083.exe

PCI Device:

This package contains the driver that enables the Realtek Card Reader in supported notebook models that are running a supported operating system. The card reader enables users to read from or write to supported removable storage cards, which are typically used in digital cameras, digital music players, and cellular phones.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp55001-55500/sp55085.exe

There is no information online regarding what model wifi adapter your notebook has.

The device you see labeled as a Network Controller is the wifi adapter.

Please post the hardware ID from the Network Controller device, and then I will post the link to the wifi driver you need.

Use this guide for how to find the hardware ID for a device...

https://www.howtogeek.com/193798/how-to-find-drivers-for-unknown-devices-in-the-device-manager/

[nick6013]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your advice. I got some more support from Microsoft and eventually managed to install the sp55083 Eternet adaptor which got my internet access working. That seemed to take all day, and they seemed to suggest the PCI and SMBus drivers were not important (although they did run Windows Update and an AMD (Raptr?) utility which installed numerous updates . I thought all was OK, but after they were off the line I realised that I still did not have WiFi access, just the hard wired broadband access.  

I assume I need a separate WiFi adaptor downloaded. I belive I understand the process now, but the question is which driver to download ??

My laptop product ID is A8M93EA#ABU (a g6-1331sa) and using this I can check the HP recomended drivers. I assume I should be looking at the Driver-Network section. There are a number of drivers here, I mentioned I had tried some Atheros and Broadcom options without success before.  Unless I hear from you, I am going to try the Ralink 802,11 b/g/n Wifi adaptor.

I don't think I understand your question about the 'hardware ID from the Network Controller device'.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

This is what I am looking for regarding the hardware ID (example below), and if you follow the instructions to find it using the link I posted above, you should be able to easily find it.

PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_1494103C&REV_04
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1502&SUBSYS_1494103C
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1502&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1502&CC_0200

You need to click on the device labeled as a Network Controller in the device manager.

Of course you can just go down the list and try every wifi driver listed on the support page, but by doing that you run the risk of corrupting the windows registry and not being able to install the right driver when you get to it.

Then you have to go back to square one and reinstall windows.

When you look up the hardware ID for a device, you will be 100% sure you install the right driver for it on the first try.

[nick6013]

Hi Paul,

Trying the 'How to Geek' link and have identified the following hardware ID's

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8176&SUBSYS_1629103C&REV_01
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8176&SUBSYS_1629103C
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8176&CC_028000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8176&CC_0280

I Googled the top one, and see you have previously answered a similar question about these (in 2013!) . The old link you supplied then is broken. Other posts refer to a ' Realtek RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter' which is in my HP list.

So downloaded this and ran the sp55342 executable. This driver now appears under 'Network adaptors' in device manager, under the other Realtec PCIe FE Family Controller previously  installed for the ethernet connection (Network Controller is no longer under 'Other Devices'). 

Not sure yet how this will now enable my wifi, but I'll investigate further.

'

[nick6013]

Great! I went to the Network and Sharing Centre and clicked'Change Adapter Setings' - found teh Realtek WiFi device and got connected to my broadband.

Thanks for your help!

Nick

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Nick.

Glad to have been of assistance.

Paul