Wifi Adapter doesnt appear in device manager

[FantasticPrior]

I uninstalled my wireless adapter in an effort to fix some connection issues, but I cant seem to get it back to appear in the Device Manager. It doesn't show up when I show hidden devices.

I have no BIOS settings to make it appear.

I have downloaded and attempted to install the driver files, but everytime the install program opens and then closes without doing anything. I am thinking that you cant install a driver for something not actually plugged into your computer, so hence why it fails.

I feel like I am running out of options short of restoring my computer using a disc image I took a few weeks ago.

I am open to any and all suggestions and Thanks in advance for your help.

Edit; Wifi Card Ralink 5390R

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You are correct.  If the card isn't showing up in the device manager, installing a driver won't work.

I would suggest that you remove and firmly reseat the wifi card.

Sometimes the contacts get oxidized, which breaks the electrical circuit.

Leave the antenna cables connected if you can, to make it easier to reinstall the card.

Consult the service manual for your specific model HP 2000 for the wifi card removal and replacement procedure.

Unplug the notebook from A/C power and remove the battery before working inside of it.

If that doesn't get the card to show up, most likely it has died on you.

[FantasticPrior]

Thanks for the quick reply. I will try to remove and reseat the card and see what happens.

If the card did die, that would be strange, as it was functioning OK with no sign of impending failure until i uninstalled it from my system..

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Yes, that would be unusual, but if you can't get it to show back up, and you are pretty sure the card is good, then you will have to reset the PC.

One other thing you can try would be to go to the device manager, click on the View tab.

Enable the 'Show hidden devices' option, and see if the Ralink card shows up in light shade.

If it does, right click on it, select Uninstall, check the uninstall driver box, restart the PC and see if W8.1 installs it normally again.

[FantasticPrior]

Yeah , no luck. I took out the card, contacts looked fine. Blew some compressed air at the contacts and at the slot, and reinserted it.

Computer still doesnt recognize it, and it doesn't show up when I select " show hidden devices". I then presume my card somehow self-busted?!

When I uninstalled it, i didn't intinally delete the driver file. I went into Programs and Features and did some clean up. Maybe I shot myself in the foot...

Is there a way you know of to check/confirm? I attempted to run the UEFI self test, but since i have a dying battery, i think it failed on that first, I didn't pay attention to the results.

If the card is busted, then I think the easiest solution is just to get a USB wifi adapter instead..

Thanks for all of the help!

[FantasticPrior]

My computer also has one of those F12 wireless toggles, which is now stuck at an orange light, since I assume its connected with the onboard wireless chip.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

There is no way to check to see if the card is bad that I know of.

The orange light just means the wifi is off.  I assume pressing the F12 key does nothing?

Yes, the easiest thing to do would be to use a USB wifi adapter.

They make some nano-size ones that hardly stick out of the USB port, and you can get wireless AC models of those.

[FantasticPrior]

Yeah, pressing it does nothing.

I saw somewhere that pressing on startup resolves it, but it either triggers network boot, or the UEFI system diagnostics.