Problem with Windows 10 version 1903 network drivers.
Problem with Windows 10 version 1903 network drivers.
I recently switched to version 1903. Upgrading means I saved my data and reinstalled Windows since the 1803 version was quite outdated. I also obtained the Intel NIC driver because my motherboard no longer receives support from MSI. Occasionally, when I wake the machine from sleep, my network connection drops. Device Manager displays code 10. Restoring sleep and waking it resolves the problem, but I wish it didn’t happen. This issue also occurred with Windows 10, though not always. All power-saving settings are disabled. My system specs include an i5 3570k, 16 GB RAM, 950 Evo 500 GB SSD, and a 2 TB Seagate HDD (HD7950). MSI Z77A-GD65 is installed. I’ve faced other problems with Windows 10, mainly visual mouse cursor issues that appear and disappear. I suspect Windows 10 may not be compatible with my hardware. This was a test of the 1903 release. Since my Plex server will also need an upgrade, I might upgrade it to Ubuntu instead.
Windows 10 settings are spread across multiple locations, so examine the power management configuration panel applet and the NIC properties under device management. Also review the BIOS for power management settings, and verify if a BIOS or NIC firmware update is available. If using a third-party firewall or antivirus, consider disabling it to test.
I discovered a PCIe setting and disabled it. I’m hoping this fixes the problem. The BIOS shouldn’t have any entries, since I never experienced issues with Windows 7. This issue doesn’t occur on Windows 10 during every sleep cycle, though it seems more frequent lately. The computer can stay asleep all day without problems, and it can wake up for 10 minutes before the NIC driver malfunctions. I’m convinced Windows 10 wasn’t designed for older machines like this one. If Apple had fewer quality control problems, I’d probably just buy a Mac and ignore it.
I noticed these issues are often fixed by directly adding the .INF files, though setting up drivers manually can be challenging. Webpack solutions for Intel® Ethernet Adapters are available, and installing Intel® network adapter drivers in Windows is straightforward.
Do you use a third-party firewall or security software? These can definitely cause problems. I removed GData's firewall after it stopped my Ethernet connection completely. My IP remained, but all traffic was blocked. HTTP, DNS, PING—everything stopped until I restarted the system. It took a few hours for the issue to appear, and it seemed like the network card wasn't fully activating. Probably not the driver, but more likely a power management issue.
Checked all the configurations and they’re disabled. If it were a power-saving problem, it should occur consistently. Also, when I log in and open Device Manager, the network card isn’t listed—even though it wasn’t installed. This suggests a driver problem. I believe the driver is malfunctioning and Windows isn’t recognizing it. Only AVAST free and Malwarebytes are installed; no third-party firewalls. I’m ready to admit it and purchase or build a new system. It looks like Windows 10 performs poorly on older hardware, and even after updates, it sometimes works at all.
My experience differs from yours. I've seen Windows 10 run on hardware that really should have been given a burial at sea, woefully underpowered cheap-as-chips laptops and desktops (think APU based horrors) and even those dreadful 10" tablet style $@#% with 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage. No problems other than being painfully slow. Microsoft did drop the ball with the initial release of 1809. I didn't lose any files, but it did break the action center and it took several months before it was finally fixed with an update. Try disabling and/or removing those. You shouldn't visit any dodgy sites and such during that time, but at the very least you can rule out software being (part of) the problem.