Adapter WiFi vanishes during power-off or extended inactivity.
Adapter WiFi vanishes during power-off or extended inactivity.
), and Windows 10 Pro (also tried 11). Everything seemed fine until the night before I shut it down. When I restarted, the WiFi adapter disappeared—also visible in Device Manager when hidden devices were enabled. After many attempts (restarts, rolling back updates, network resets, driver reinstalls), I discovered that if you power off the PC, unplug the power cord for 15 seconds, then plug it back in and restart, the WiFi adapter should reappear. This issue pops up consistently during long shutdowns or when putting the machine to sleep. Even though plugging it back in isn’t too troublesome, it’s frustrating having such a minor problem with a brand-new build. My guess is it relates to how Windows Runtime stores drivers for quick boot in sleep/hibernate modes. I’m not deep enough to dig up the details, but I’ve heard people suggest reseating the CPU or using RMA for the GPU. Have any of you tried anything similar? Thanks in advance, Doroki!
Hey there, I just got my hands on some parts and assembled a compact ITX system around my existing GPU. I’m still figuring out the impact of these components, especially since this is my first post here. Here’s what I’ve set up: MB Gigabyte B650I AX CPU Ryzen 7 7700 RAM T-Create 32GB 6000MHz (without EXPO), GPU Inno3D RTX 3070Ti, iChill PSU, Cooler Master v1100 SFX (on sale
), and Windows 10 Pro (also tried 11). Everything seemed fine until the night before I shut it down. When I restarted, the WiFi adapter disappeared—also visible in Device Manager when hidden devices were enabled. After many attempts (restarts, rolling back updates, network resets, driver reinstalls), I discovered that if you power off the PC, unplug the power cord for 15 seconds, then plug it back in and restart, the WiFi adapter should reappear. This issue pops up consistently during long shutdowns or when putting the machine to sleep. Even though plugging it back in isn’t too troublesome, it’s frustrating having such a minor problem with a brand-new build. My guess is it relates to how Windows Runtime stores drivers for quick boot in sleep/hibernate modes. I’m not deep enough to dig up the details, but I’ve heard people suggest reseating the CPU or using RMA for the GPU. Have any of you tried anything similar? Thanks in advance, Doroki!
Consider trying to remove the driver and reinstall it. Launch Device Manager via the Start Menu, navigate to Network adapters, locate the WiFi adapter, and right-click to uninstall it. In the top bar, select an option like "Search for added devices" or similar. Windows will then locate the missing driver and install it. Ensure all Windows applications close and restart the system.
After completing that, it seems the issue is likely with a faulty WiFi card. You have two options: replace it or purchase an external WiFi dongle. Most are under $30, and the one I previously used cost around $15. More expensive models usually include external antennas for improved range and signal, but mine was shorter than a flash drive and performed just fine. Many don’t need drivers to install—they work directly out of the box. All you need is to select it as your network card by right-clicking the WiFi icon in your taskbar, choosing it to connect, and re-entering your password.
It might be a low-cost way to avoid trouble, but I think it’s worth sending the board back for replacement since the return policy still applies. I’ll hold off on more replies until I get other suggestions before moving forward.
If it's covered by the warranty, don't delay sending it back via RMA yesterday if you can't do it sooner.
Verify your BIOS configuration and examine the device for a power conservation feature.
In the end I went with @Thomas4 's suggestion and have sent off the board for RMA, with speedy deliveries I have already received a new board and have no further issues. Mind that, just to be sure, I went for a different board (ASRock B650I Lightning). If you are reading this and experience the same issue, please RMA your board if it's still within warranty. Otherwise this is an excellent (and cheap) suggestion you could go for: