John Oldham

Q: Ethernet adapter keeps needing to be reset in Windows 8.1

I am running Windows 8.1 on a Mid 2010 MacBook Pro 15" which has Mavericks installed. I am using the Broadcom NetExtreme Gigabit Ethernet driver (15.6.1.3) provided through Bootcamp 5.1. Eventually, during use, Ethernet connectivity will be lost, and I will need to reset the adapter. I have done this using the troubleshooting section of the Network And Sharing Center Control Panel, manually in the command prompt (ipconfig / release followed by ipconfig /renew), or by disabling and enabling the driver in Device Manager. All three methods get ethernet back but it will eventually drop out again. Usually, but not always, when this happens the indicator lights on the gigabit switch that my cable is connected to will blink rapidly even though there is no traffic. It happens much more frequently if I am streaming audio/video or copying a large file from other computers on my network. One time it kept happening over and over and I had to restart Windows to stop it. I have never had any issues like this booted as a Mac, and my network is fine. Other devices can copy files and use the internet, so I don't think it is an issue with my switch, modem, or router. Are there any changes to settings for the driver in Device Manager that would cure this? Or is there another solution? Thanks!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Nov 26, 2014 4:51 PM

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Q: Ethernet adapter keeps needing to be reset in Windows 8.1

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  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 28, 2014 4:42 PM in response to John Oldham
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    Nov 28, 2014 4:42 PM in response to John Oldham

    John Oldham wrote:

     

    Why didn't you suggest that before?

    I should have. It would have made your life simpler too.

     

    Since you have a 2010 MBP, you would have used the W8.1 installation DVD and the USB stick with BC drivers. Before you execute these steps, let us make sure we do not cause more issues.

     

    1. Insert the W8.1 DVD.

    2. Plug in the USB with BC drivers.

    3. In System Preferences -> Startup Disk select your Bootcamp volume (not the W8.1 DVD).

    4. Click on Restart.

    5. It should boot from the DVD or present a message about pressing any key to boot from the DVD. Press the space bar and let it boot from the DVD. You should see an Advanced Options screen which should let you Repair the installation.

     

    If it behaves differently, please post back.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 5:44 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 5:44 PM in response to John Oldham

    NOTE: I'm replying to your latest post with instructions to repair my Windows system. That post is on page 3 of this thread. For some reason when I go to that page Discussions thinks I am a Guest even though I am logged in. So I clicked Reply to an earlier post.

     

    I followed your instructions but there is no option in Startup Disk to select my Bootcamp volume as a startup disk, just Mavericks and the Windows DVD. I managed to boot from the DVD anyway but got the standard install with no Advanced option. It wanted to move my existing Windows to windows.old and install a new Windows. I stopped and tried working from the Boot Loader (Option key down). Same thing. The Bootcamp thumb drive is not being seen as a startup volume. I rebooted into Mavericks, reformatted the Bootcamp thumb drive, and redownloaded the Bootcamp SW using Bootcamp Assistant. It is still not bootable.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 5:48 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 5:48 PM in response to John Oldham

    Well, duh! You meant the actual Bootcamp volume that is hosed! My bad. Will retry.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 6:13 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 6:13 PM in response to John Oldham

    Still having the "Page 3" issue so I am replying to a post on page 2. I followed your instructions to repair my Windows system correctly this time. But it still just booted into the same error message as posted before. And booting from the DVD still gets me the standard install with no Advanced Options. So this isn't working.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 28, 2014 7:21 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 7 (24,192 points)
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    Nov 28, 2014 7:21 PM in response to John Oldham

    If Windows Installer comes up, is there a Repair option at the bottom left corner of the installer? This is what it should look like (W8 updated).

     

    Win81RecoveryFigA_122613.png

    Win81RecoveryFigB_122613.png

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 28, 2014 7:31 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 7 (24,192 points)
    Safari
    Nov 28, 2014 7:31 PM in response to John Oldham

    Win81RecoveryFigC_122613.png

    Win81RecoveryFigD_122613.png

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 7:36 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 7:36 PM in response to Loner T

    The first screen I get. Then I click next, provide my Product Key, click Next, get to the partition screen, click Next then get the warning about moving the old system to windows.old. I haven't gone beyond that point for fear of losing the old Windows. At no time in that sequence have I seen a screen that looks like the second graphic. It's like the Installer doesn't think the old Windows is damaged enough to need repair and assumes a new install is wanted.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 7:38 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 7:38 PM in response to Loner T

    I don't get any of these screens either. See my previous post. We cross posted again.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 28, 2014 7:51 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 7 (24,192 points)
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    Nov 28, 2014 7:51 PM in response to John Oldham

    Do you get the Install Now and Repair Now (left bottom corner) at all?

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 8:37 PM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 8:37 PM in response to Loner T

    Nope. Just the screens I described, which are for a normal install. My DVD is Win 8.1 64 bit. Are we referencing the same build of Windows?

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 28, 2014 8:42 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 28, 2014 8:42 PM in response to John Oldham

    Just to clarify, your instructions assumed, if I have it correctly, that I would try to boot from Bootcamp partition I selected, and then get a prompt to boot from the DVD. Instead it went through the boot process to the error box mentioned previously. The only way I could boot from the Windows DVD was to explicitly select it from the Mac's Boot Loader.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 28, 2014 9:08 PM in response to John Oldham
    Level 7 (24,192 points)
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    Nov 28, 2014 9:08 PM in response to John Oldham

    If you boot directly from the DVD, do you get an option to Repair?

     

    I have a 2012 MBP with W8.1 64-bit and a USB which has Windows Installer/BC Drivers. This model supports a USB+ISO Bootcamp.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 29, 2014 6:56 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 29, 2014 6:56 AM in response to Loner T

    No I just get the standard install with the message that my old Windows will be moved to Windows.old.

     

    If nuking and reinstalling is the inevitable last option, I have, on the Mac, rebuilt many systems by copying data from their respective folders (Applications, Application support, Preferences, ~/Library, etc) in the hosed system to the matching folders on the new system. I don't know to what extent I can do that from windows.old. There is no real data or paid apps except for a book I dl'ed from Barnes & Noble's Nook.

     

    My main concern with nuke and pave is that I will be using my Activation Code for the third time. Isn't there some kind of limitation there?

     

    The MacBook Pro Mid 2010, my system, does not support .iso image installs.

  • by Loner T,

    Loner T Loner T Nov 29, 2014 7:59 AM in response to John Oldham
    Level 7 (24,192 points)
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    Nov 29, 2014 7:59 AM in response to John Oldham

    If you do not get a Repair option, then my suggestion is remove Windows using Bootcamp Assistant and reinstall using BCA. You want to ensure that the 'bad' ethernet driver version does not come back. Your Nook book should still be available. Activating Windows on the same machine (no new hardware changes) should not be an issue.

     

    It is annoying not to be able to repair the installation.

  • by John Oldham,

    John Oldham John Oldham Nov 29, 2014 8:18 AM in response to Loner T
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 29, 2014 8:18 AM in response to Loner T

    Nuke and pave it is. Warming up my bulldozer. Will let you know. I will keep in mind your Device Manager/Delete driver suggestion if needed. Probably the first thing I should do after the Bootcamp drivers install is to turn off Automatic Updates.

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