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Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

ReedRichards
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Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

I am currently seeing about one computer a day where the network adaptor no longer establishes a proper connection to the router.  The problem is confined to Windows 10 and only a minority of Windows 10 computers are affected.  But it is a larger minority than with any other fault I have encountered.

If you open a CMD prompt and run ipconfig you will see the problem.  Initially it looked as if deleting the network adaptor in Device Manager fixed the problem but that has not worked for the last two computers I have seen.  I think maybe a thorough reboot is required which may be achieved by holding down the shift key before instructing the computer to shut down in order to bypass the normal hybrid sleep shutdown of Windows 10.  

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ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

ReedRichards
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

It may have been widely reported @ejs but it's the worst case Windows 10 bug I have ever seen; I have had to fix 6 computers in the last 10 days (starting on 6th December).  People call me because they cannot connect to the internet.  Yesterday the guy had tried two lengthy calls to BT (his ISP) to no avail before calling me.  And if you cannot connect to the internet you're not going to get the update that (supposedly) fixes the error.     

ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

I just expected that if you're going to talk about the problem, you ought to make some references to what the problem is.

St3
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

i had the same problem with a friends laptop, i reinstalled the drivers for the network card and it worked fine for 4 hours and now wont work again.

I had to connect the laptop to the router using wired connection but seams a waste of time again.

ReedRichards
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

@ejs; I explained the problem in the first sentence of my first post.  You gave some good references for the technical detail of exactly what gets broken to cause the loss of network connection but that's by-the-by when it comes to fixing the problem.  Where you might criticise me for being vague is in the details of how to fix the problem.  That is because the method I used successfully for the first four computers has failed me with the last two.    

ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

What?! You're saying that knowing exactly what the problem is is unimportant when it comes to fixing it? So you just try random stuff and hope you fix it? This must be the worst nonsense I've heard for a while. Perhaps you'd find it easier to fix the problem reliably if you actually knew what the problem is! And it always seems that this kind of rubbish comes from people who declare that they fix computers for a living or work in IT.

One of the earlier articles even gave some commands to fix it:

netsh winsock reset catalog
netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log
ReedRichards
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection


@ejs wrote:

What?! You're saying that knowing exactly what the problem is is unimportant when it comes to fixing it?

 


Actually yes, that's exactly what I'm saying but exactly is the operative word.  When you have to charge people for the time you spend then you need to find a solution as quickly as possible.  So, although it would be great to get to the bottom of what causes every computer problem, that's a luxury that I cannot ask my customers to pay for.  What they want is a solution.  I don't

just try random stuff

but use my skill and experience of what worked in the past for similar issues.  There have been quite a few articles and quite a few suggested fixes, some of which contradict others.  If I get another opportunity I will try the 'fix' you gave as my first option and report back.    

ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

And I suppose I'm the fool for giving away the information for free, rather than agreeing a price with you in advance. But then it has occurred to me that essentially the whole idea of these forums is to get people to do stuff for free under the guise of a "community" that otherwise they'd be paid for.

I would have also thought you'd be paid per incident / fix rather than for how long it took you to fix something.

ReedRichards
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

That's an interesting business model, @ejs; what do you suggest I charge per fix?  I am self-employed so the charging is up to me.

My first call about this problem was from the grandson of the person with the problem.  I suggested he should try deleting the network adaptor in Device Manager and restarting.  He called me back to ask which of the listed adaptors was the one he should delete so I told him.  Then after a few minutes he called me back to confirm that this had worked.  No charge for that.

Most of my clients are not sufficiently computer-confident to want to attempt repairs under instruction over the telephone or do DIY with their computers.  I generally charge a small amount for a visit, even for a quick fix, because my clients tell me that if I did not they would feel they had taken advantage and would be inhibited about calling in future.

   

ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

You seemed to imply you charged per hour, but now it sounds more like you charge a small fixed amount per visit anyway.

With this problem in particular, it sounds like there are various different things that can be done, but there was no indication if any of the fixes were temporary or permanent, which may not matter so long as a temporary fix lasts long enough to get the update for a more permanent fix.

ReedRichards
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

I agree completely that with this problem, actually as with many others, there are various things that can be done.  My indication that what I did lasted long enough for a permanent fix to be installed is that nobody has yet called me back to say that their problem has recurred.  

I charge per hour, usually in 20 minute increments, rounding up for the first 20 minutes then usually rounding down.  If I'm there for less than 5 minutes I would usually offer to waive the charge but I am sometimes pressed to accept a small sum.  Between 30 and 40 minutes I sometimes round down to 30 minutes.   I also offer no-fix-no-fee so would not charge if I don't think the computer can be economically repaired, even if it took me some time to reach that conclusion.

You did not answer my question about how much to charge on a per-fix basis.  What do you think is fair?

 

ejs
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

What do you think I should charge for my consultancy services for answering your questions?

Strat
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Re: Recent Windows 10 Update Breaks Network Connection

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat) A bit off topic aren't we guys.

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