Realtek on-board Ethernet Controller driver not found

[pvc]

I installed some windows updates including an OPTIONAL update to my Realtek Ethernet Controller. After the updates a driver cannot be found for my Ethernet Controller. Even worse, I can no longer connect to the Internet.

I tried an image restore to a previous version of Windows. I tried re-installing a new version of Windows. In all cases the Device Manager shows no driver for:
-Other Devices
--Ethernet Controller

I went to Gigabyte.com and downloaded (motherboard_driver_lan_realtek_8111_vista.exe - 3.89 MB). I can't get Windows to accept the extracted .INF driver file. I also tried running the extracted setup.exe file as Administrator. It says that the driver was installed but still no driver for my Ethernet Controller!


Antec P182 || GA-P35C-DS3R V2.1 || QX9650 3.0Ghz || 2x2GB Mushkin 4-4-4-12 DDR2-800 || ECS 8800GT || WD180GB + WD500GB Sata 3.0GB/s || SeaSonic M12 SS-500HM psu || Vista 64-Bit Home Premium || Lite-On 20x DVD

[pvc]

Time for the sledge-hammer approach. I am trying a reformat of the partition and then I will re-install Vista-64.

[Dwarf]

Hi pvc,

Have you started to wield the sledge-hammer yet? Try the rolling back the driver by following the tutorial below.
Dwarf

Device Manager - Roll Back Driver

[WildEagle]

No no, don't do the reformat just yet. First try the suggestion to Rollback the driver

Second, if the driver rollback doesn't work go in to Device Manager, and select Network Adapters, right click on the listing for your onboard RealTek Network Connection and select Uninstall. If given the option to uninstall the drivers, don't right now and reboot. On reboot, Windows will attempt to reinstall the device and drivers.

If this fails, uninstall the device again, but don't reboot. This time click on the Start Button and go to Settings, followed by Control Panel, and open Add Hardware. Then click the next button and choose the second option on the screen that comes up. This will allow you to scroll down through a list of devices until you come to Network Adapters, highlight that and click the next button. Then on the manufactuer list, if RealTek is listed, select the correct Network Adapter and select the option to have Windows Vista attempt the driver installation automatically, or select the Have Disk Option and point it to the directory that the extracted drivers are in. This will usually work.

If it doesn't do another reboot, and then after Windows Vista attempts to install the driver for your onboard RealTek Lan, go in to device manager, uninstall the device, and if given the option to uninstall the drivers for the device, do so, and reboot regardless. Then on booting back in to Windows attempt to install the latest drivers for the onboard lan, which can be downloaded from RealTek or the drivers you downloaded from Gigabyte.

If none of this works, then try the reformat and reinstall of Windows Vista.

[pvc]

I already formatted the partition. However, I can restore the partition image using the Gigabyte backup/restore utility. I will likely restore and try your suggestions. But first let me see if I get around this with the fresh copy of Vista. Be back in a few hours.

[pvc]

Looks like the format mucked up my partitions so I will be starting over from scratch. I don't have much patience with computers that can't connect to the Internet/Network. Thanks anyway for your suggestions.

[pvc]

It may be possible for me to recover with Gigabyte's Express Recovery after all. The image backup file (which resides in the unformatted portion of my C: drive) re-appeared after I put an OS on the primary partition. So I am trying the restore now.

If it restores okay then I will try the suggestions. I have an appointment soon so it may not be until this afternoon.

[pvc]

  Quote: Originally Posted by Dwarf

Hi pvc,

Have you started to wield the sledge-hammer yet? Try the rolling back the driver by following the tutorial below.
Dwarf

Device Manager - Roll Back Driver

I was able to restore my Vista-64 OS from image backup.

The Rollback Driver button is grayed-out so I cannot roll-back the driver.

Also note that this device (Ethernet Controller) is listed under Other Devices? and not under Network Adapters.

[WildEagle]

Hmm, now this is a new one for me, as I've never heard of an onboard ethernet device being listed under Other Devices.

[pvc]

  Quote: Originally Posted by WildEagle

If this fails, uninstall the device again, but don't reboot. This time click on the Start Button and go to Settings, followed by Control Panel, and open Add Hardware. Then click the next button and choose the second option on the screen that comes up. This will allow you to scroll down through a list of devices until you come to Network Adapters, highlight that and click the next button. Then on the manufactuer list, if RealTek is listed, select the correct Network Adapter and select the option to have Windows Vista attempt the driver installation automatically, or select the Have Disk Option and point it to the directory that the extracted drivers are in. This will usually work.

I un-installed the device (Ethernet Controller) from Other Devices? then I went to Control Panel /Add Hardware to get the list of Common Hardware types. I don’t have any Network Adapter listed so I can’t use this solution.