WiFi driver keeps uninstalling and deleting after a Windows 10 update

[DanitDG]

Hi everyone. I'm facing an issue I haven't seen on a lot of other forums. Following a Windows update today, my WiFi driver suddenly started deleting itself. I will be working for around an hour, hour and a half, and my screen will freeze completely, peripherals will go defunct and it will stay that way until I shut it down it by holding down the power button. When I turn it on again, the WiFi driver will be absent from device manager. This has happened thrice in the 8 hours since the Windows update.

I have tried installing it using AMD's Driver update package- that worked until it froze and deleted itself again. I tried downloading drivers from the HP site and faced the same issue whether I used HP Support Assistant or manually installed the drivers. I tried drivers from RealTek, MediaTek, Qualcomm and Broadcom. Same issue in each.

I am using an HP 15g206ax laptop with 8GB RAM, a 500GB hard disk, and running Windows 10 64-bit. There's a Radeon HD 8500M processor and R5 dedicated internal graphics card. This is the very first time I have faced this particular issue. 

Would love some help on this. I am at a loss, and I have a lot of important data on this machine. Thank you in advance

[praveen196]

 @DanitDG Welcome to HP Community!

As I understand, Wi-Fi disconnects after Windows 10 update,

No worries, as I'll be glad to help you, that said, I'll need a few more details to dissect your concern & provide an accurate solution:

Have you tried any tried any troubleshooting steps?

Let's try these steps to resolve the issue: 

Check for bandwidth consuming apps or services then test connection speeds

Devices such as smart TVs, wireless TV receivers, laptops, tablets, and phones might be consuming bandwidth and making your Internet service slower. Likewise, applications running on your computer might be using bandwidth in the background.

To isolate this further:

1. Try turning off or temporarily disconnecting any other devices that are using the same Internet connection.

2. Close all other applications on your computer, and then test the connection speed again.

3. Check to see if the problem occurs within a specific application. If it is program specific, here is a list of items that could help isolate this issue further.

• Check the developer’s website for updates or fixes.

• Try uninstalling and reinstalling the application.

• Try using another similar application.

If the wireless connection speed is still slow, test the network performance with a different device. If the same behavior exhibits, please contact your internet service provider (ISP) as this may be an issue with your internet connection or associated hardware.

If the problem doesn’t show on the other device or if another device is not available to test with, continue to the next step.

Verify connectivity to the wireless network

Manually check if you are connected to the correct wireless network.

1. Click the wireless networks icon in the notification area of the taskbar. (See below for examples)

2. Confirm that the computer is connected to the correct network.

3. If the computer is not connected, select the network and click Connect.

4. Enter the security key or passphrase for the selected wireless network (this would be located on a label on the bottom of most routers) or if your router has a WPS button you can also connect by pushing that button.

5. Click Next and test for wireless connectivity.

6. Try connecting to the Internet again. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

NOTE: The status of the network icon in the notification area can help identify the cause of the network issue.

Select your operating system to view the different network icon images.

Windows 10 network status icons

 If there is a red x over the network status icon, this means there are no wireless networks currently available.  If there is a star on the network icon, this means you are not connected to any network.  A successful connection with a strong signal. (this doesn’t take the different signal strengths into account).  If there is an exclamation mark, this means you are connected to network but have no Internet access. You should check the router or modem to see any Internet connection problem.

Temporarily disable the firewall software

Temporarily disable the firewall software on your computer to see if it is interfering with the Internet connection speed.

1. Right-click the taskbar icon associated with your firewall software and select Disable firewall or similar.

2. After disabling the firewall, test the Internet connection performance. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

• If the connection is still slow, then the firewall is not part of the problem.

• If the connection is faster, then adjust the firewall settings or use a different firewall.

CAUTION: Remember to re-enable the firewall after testing.

Update network adapter drivers through Device Manager

Installing the latest wireless LAN adapter driver can resolve common issues with the wireless Internet connection. Use Device Manager to find the latest WLAN driver.

1. In Windows, search for and open Device Manager.

2. Double-click Network adapters, right-click the name of the Wireless Adapter, then select Update Driver Software.

3. Click Search automatically for updated driver software.
4. If an updated driver is found, follow the instructions to install it.

Try connecting to the Internet again. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

Update the BIOS (notebook PCs): Follow steps from the link: https://support.hp.com/ca-en/document/c00042629

Disable power management state for wireless adapter in Device Manager

Most wireless devices can be turned off by the system to save power. In some sleep scenarios, the device might not wake properly when the system returns from sleep or hibernate. To prevent this from happening, adjust the power management settings for the wireless adapter.

1. In Windows, search for and open Device Manager.

2. Double-click Network Adapters to expand the list, right-click the wireless (Wi-Fi) adapter in the list, and then select Properties.

3. In the Adapter Properties window, click the Power Management tab.

4. Remove the check next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, and then click OK.

5. Close Device Manager, restart the notebook computer, and then attempt to reconnect to the wireless network.

Confirm only one antivirus/firewall software is running

Performance can be negatively affected when multiple antivirus programs are installed on your computer. Uninstall all but one antivirus program.

For Windows 10 and 8

To remove programs and software components from your computer hard disk drive, follow these steps:

1. In Windows, search for and open Programs and Features.

2. In the Uninstall or change a program window, select the program you want to remove from the list and click Uninstall or Uninstall/Change at the top of the program list.

3. Read and respond to any messages that may open while the software is being removed from your computer.

4. Test to see if the wireless issue continues. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

Temporarily disable Bluetooth

Try temporarily disabling Bluetooth to see if this impacts the network performance.

After disabling Bluetooth, try to see if the wireless issue continues. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

NOTE: If no Bluetooth device or options are present, your PC may not have been equipped with this feature.

Windows 10

1. Right click Start and select Settings.

2. Click Devices and select Bluetooth.

3. Slide the Bluetooth settings to Off.

Use the Network and Internet Troubleshooter (Windows 10):

Use the Network and Internet Troubleshooter (Windows 10)

The Network and Internet Troubleshooter tests the network for problems and attempts automatic repairs for any issues found.

1. Right-click the wireless connection icon in the notification area, then select Troubleshoot problems. The Windows Network Diagnostic window opens and the troubleshooting process begins.  NOTE: This is an image of a connected network, your icon may look different depending upon the status.
2. After automated troubleshooting has completed, read the information on the screen.

• This describes problems found, fixed, or actions necessary to resolve the connectivity problems.

• When complete, follow any recommended actions and try connecting again.

• If the problem persists or there were no issues found by the troubleshooter, close the results screen and continue to the next step.

Change the channel band selection on your router

If your computer can connect to the wireless router but performance is poor or the connection drops, changing the wireless channel band might help. Changing the wireless channel works best for 2.4 GHz routers and environments with lots of wireless network activity, such as apartment buildings.

The steps to change the wireless channel depend on your wireless router brand and model. You can use the following general steps to change the channels for many routers. If these steps do not work, refer to the user guide that came with your router.

1. Connect your computer directly to the router using a supported network cable.

2. Open an Internet browser and enter the default IP addresses for your router into the browser URL address field.

3. Enter a user name and/or password.

4. Scan through the setup pages on the web form to find the channel selection settings.

5. Write down the name of the channel your router is currently using in case you need to change it back.

6. Select another number and save your settings. For example, if the channel is set to 6, select channel 1 and save.

7. Test your wireless devices on your network to see if performance has improved. If not, you can repeat these steps and try another channel until you find one that works well.

Test the wireless issue again. If there is still a problem continue to the next step.

Restart the PC

1. Restart the computer with the wireless issue.

2. After the computer has restarted, try connecting to the Internet again.

Keep us posted,

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, 

Give us a virtual high-five by clicking the 'Thumbs Up' icon below, followed by clicking on the "Accept as solution" on this post, 

Have a great day!