Wireless issues following a Windows Update

[Arlyd]

I purchased a HP Pavilion 13-an0006na on Sunday and have had a few issues getting it up and running.

The laptop worked at first but after running HP and Windows Updates on the machine, the wireless became unusable. The wireless wouldn't connect or would connect for a split second before loosing the connection, other times it would try to connect and then the wireless options would disappear completely. It's not that I'm not close enough to the router or that I've turned the WiFi switch off, in the Event Viewer I get the following:

• Realtek RTL8822BE 802.11ac PCIe Adapter: Has determined that the network adapter is not functioning properly
• A corrected hardware error has occurred. 
  • Component: PCI Express Root Port
  • Error Source: Advanced Error Report (PCI Express)
  • Bus:Device:Function: 0x:0x1D:0x0
  • Vendor ID: Device ID: 0x8086:0x9DB0

Having "fixed" the issue twice now (although not knowing exactly how I managed it) I have determined a Windows Driver Update called Realtek Semiconductor Corp. - Net - 4/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - 2024.0.8.104 is causing the issue.

Here's a summary of what I've tried so far:

• Rolled back the Realtek driver - No luck
• Uninstalled the Realtek Driver (and check the delete installed drivers box when offered)  - No luck
• Added a registry to disable Windows updates as per this article  - Didn't work although Windows had already seen the update was available so might be my fault
• Installed all drivers HP Support Assistant (including BIOS Update) - No luck
• Copied the drivers when they were working to the desktop, ran the Windows Driver Update, saw it break and copied the drivers from the desktop back into the driver directly, replacing the new ones - No luck
• Deleted Intel PROSet/Wireless Software - No Luck
• Downloaded older drivers from the Realtek Website - No luck
• Windows Recovery (twice) - No luck
• In Device Manager I changed it to a few different Realtek drivers - No luck

What I just did, which may or may not have fixed it was update the Firmware Driver and I think that's fixed it again.

What I've concluded is that I think the Microsoft Realtek update is not just installing the Wireless but something else which is breaking my machine. Possibly something to do with the motherboard? It appears rolling back the wifi isn't enough to fix it.

I'm happy to use "wushowhide" to hide the update from my machine however I'm concerned another might appear and break the laptop again. It seems HP aren't aware of this issue. I don't mind things going wrong but I don't like it when I cannot determine what's causing the issue and it's making me loose faith in this machine. I am wondering if I should return it. I can't be the only person who's lost their Wifi since getting this driver up date?

Hardware IDs of the Wireless adapter:

PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B822&SUBSYS_831B103C&REV_00
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B822&SUBSYS_831B103C
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B822&CC_028000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_B822&CC_0280

If you have any thoughts, comments or ideas on how to permanently fix this issue, please do let me know but it definitely seems the drivers that Windows have in their repository aren't fit for purpose at this stage.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Realtek has been having lots of trouble getting the 8822 and 8821 wifi adapters to work correctly and are constantly releasing new drivers to the Microsoft update site in an attempt to remedy the problems.

I don't think they're done yet.

See if updating the driver to this version resolves the problem...

05/17/2019,    2024.0.9.103

I have zipped up and attached the above version of the driver below. 

You will have to manually install the driver as there is no exe file included.

Go to the device manager, click on the RTL8822 wifi adapter.

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.

[Arlyd]

Thanks Paul! I stumbled across quite a few of your posts whilst I was troubleshooting and thought "Boy, this guy knows a lot, I hope he sees my post!"

I will give this driver a try when I next have issues - I'm about to do another clean install to see if I'm in the clear.

I think for me personally, I just want to know how to roll back the changes successfuly. It concerns me that I can roll-back my drivers and the issue still persists so it appears to be impacting something else.

Where are you getting these drivers from by the way? Is there a site I can go to in order to see all historic drivers, etc?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The only suggestion I can offer would be to periodically create restore points so you can go back to that date.

I would also create one prior to installing any drivers.

Keep monitoring this webpage, as it seems like a new driver for the 8822 and 8821 wifi adapters is released every week or so!

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=%09Realtek+Semiconductor+Corp.+Net

Click on the title of the driver and it will let you know which model of the Realtek wifi adapter the driver is good for.

As I wrote earlier, these two cards have been nothing but trouble ever since Realtek released them to market.

Now they are scrambling to find the right driver that will get things to work correctly.

There is really nothing HP can do about it, except to quit using those cards altogether and just go with the Intel ones.

[Arlyd]

That's one of the things... Creating a restore point didn't work either! I rolled back to that restore point and still had issues!!! Very concerning.

If they're releasing them every week then, even if I hide the Windows Driver Update, I'll get another the next week? It'll be like constantly chasing a moving goal post.

Very concerning too as my laptop doesn't have an ethernet port... I've had to borrow a USB to Ethernet adapter so I could stop downloading drivers on to a USB stick!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I guess under those circumstances, that a clean install of W10 and installing the driver I posted will resolve the issue.

If you look at some of the replies I have made to other forum members with this or the 8821CE wifi adapter, the disconnecting issues were solved by installing one of the last few driver updates from that site.

I'm thinking that Realtek's approach to fixing this issue is like dropping depth charges on an elusive submarine.

They are getting close, but no direct hits yet.

All I can say is I'm glad I have Intel wifi cards in my HP notebooks!

[Arlyd]

Hi Paul

Just thought I'd give you an update, today I:

• Formatting the hard drives completely
• Did a clean install of Windows 10 from a USB device
• The WiFi was working straight away
• I then downloaded HP Support Assistant and updated my drivers
• The WiFi Driver installed and that's the end of my WiFi
• Tried restarting twice, no luck.
• Downloaded and installed the driver you've suggested, no luck.

It's literally coming up with "No WiFi networks found"

HP/Realtek should really be taking measures to stop Microsoft deploying this driver update. I wonder how many of these laptops have been returned to HP because of this driver issue...

[Arlyd]

Oh and the thing that baffles me is rolling back the driver doesn't work! Once you've done the update once, it's broken. This suggests to me that there's something else the driver update process is doing which isn't a driver and so doesn't get rolled back.

Or maybe it's adding a driver for something else which then causes the issue?

Edit: Ok now I've done the Windows Driver update for Realtek, it's working again! I have no idea what causes it to be so wobbly.

Edit 2: Wait, did another restart and it's gone again.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Can you return the notebook and get one that comes with an Intel wifi adapter?

If not, and you don't want to wait for who knows when the problems with that card will be resolved, if you are good at taking things apart, you may want to consider replacing the wifi card with the Intel model listed in your notebook's service manual.

Intel Wireless-AC 9560 802.11ac 2×2 WiFi + Bluetooth5 (non-vPro)   HP part # L22634-005

It is a much better card with twice the throughput of the Realtek card.

Below is the link to the service manual.  The wifi card R&R procedure can be found in chapter 5.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06142656

Since there are no access doors to get to the hard drive or wifi card, if you decide to upgrade the card, I recommend you get a set of notebook pry tools to facilitate separating the bottom cover from the top without marring or scratching the plastic.

https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Professional-Non-Abrasive-Spudgers-Anti-Static/dp/B01F52ZPBQ/ref=asc_df...

[Arlyd]

As tempting as it is (because it is a beautiful machine) I'm reluctant to spend money on a machine that broke on the very first day I got it. I am loosing trust in the machine. I could open it up, I work in IT Support, but I shouldn't really have to.

Just had the WiFi pinging for a few minutes until eventually I got this:

A corrected hardware error has occurred.

Component: PCI Express Root Port
Error Source: Advanced Error Reporting (PCI Express)

Primary Bus:Device:Function: 0x0:0x1D:0x0
Secondary Bus:Device:Function: 0x0:0x0:0x0
Primary Device Name:PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9DB0&SUBSYS_84C5103C&REV_F0
Secondary Device Name:

Is there a more up to date driver I can get for this device? What should I be trying to update in Device Manager to fix this one?

What is really frustrates me is that the wireless works until a mandatory Windows driver update shoves itself on to my computer.

Edit: Also, where can I find out the news about the wireless device? I couldn't really find anything online so not sure how I'm meant to know when it has been fixed!