[SOLVED] Can't connect to internet: Windows7 can't see, connect to, or otherwise acknowledge any form of internet connection

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[SOLVED] Can't connect to internet: Windows7 can't see, connect to, or otherwise acknowledge any form of internet connection

Anonymous

Computer: Win7 Pro 64-bit

Fresh install, can't register or get updates due to lack of internet

I performed a fresh install just tonight. It absolutely does not see any type of internet connection at all. It does not detect the wireless router (my Nook tablet and iPhone see it & can connect). Direct line from wall to computer or cable modem to computer yields no indication by Windows that anything was even plugged in. All built-in troubleshooting yields nothing (because it has to connect to the internet to get any results!). Missing drivers, maybe: Windows says to go download them via Automatic Updates....great, except I can't get online! All stock "recommended settings" are turned on. All personal attempts to troubleshoot result in nothing, tells me to do everything I already have tried, and other dead-ends. The connection wizard gives me the option to connect via dial-up or broadband (DSL), but the DSL option only allows me to either enter in ISP info (not applicable to me, I have none) or install from an Install CD (again, not applicable to me, I don't have one). I'm not on dial-up, I have cable internet and all you do is plug a hard wire straight from the wall into your computer. As far as Windows 7 is concerned, the internet doesn't exist.

Windows XP never gave me these problems (I miss XP), and Linux doesn't give me these problems (I am posting via Linux). Both of those just worked. The response by Mohammed Raieed, and the links he provided to the original poster did not work for me. I still have no internet. The same ethernet wire plugged into my fiance's WinXP computer gives him immediate internet access. The same wire put back into my computer and booted into Linux provide me with immediate internet access. Linux auto-detected my internet connection from First Boot-up after install, and WinXP could also connect with minimal fuss on First Boot-up after install. So what's so horribly wrong with Win7 that it can't even do the most basic task of getting internet so that it can even register itself? It would love to install updates & drivers too, but those all require internet...which it can't connect to and does not see. I have ruled out hardware problems; it is purely an OS or software problem. If Win7 is this bad, I'd really hate to deal with Win8. Good thing I only wanted Windows 7 for gaming on....

Please, I am begging for help! This is ridiculous. >:-(

Sorry for the bits of rant in there... it's late, I'm sick, and I'm terribly frustrated.

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Answer 1

A clean install of Windows does not mean, that every driver was installed. I wish it was, but that can not happen today. Does your friend have the same computer (everything but the serial number) or is it different in any shape?

Making sure the Network Drivers are installed:

Open the Start menu.
Type in "device manager" without quotes
In the hierarchical list, expand, "Network adapters and Unknown devices
List the names of items under Network adapters.
On all the items list under Unknown:

a) Right-click and select Properties

b) In the properties window, click the Details tab.

c) In the properties field, select Hardware Ids

d) List the everything the Value section

Answer 2

Hi,

What is the make and model of the computer?

It looks like you have not installed the network drivers and that is the reason why you are facing the issue. I would suggest you to download the network drivers from the computer manufacturer’s website using any other computer and then install the drivers and then check.

But before that I would suggest you to run the network troubleshooter which would tell you the exact reason behind the issue.

Using the Network troubleshooter in Windows 7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Using-the-Network-troubleshooter-in-Windows-7

Let us know about the status of the issue. We would be happy to help you.

Answer 3

Thank you both, Tadasha and Dmssargent for your responses.

An update on my status:

It is a home-built gaming computer (not the first I have ever built) that is dual-booting Linux for gaming and productivity, and Windows 7 for whatever remaining games that won't run in Linux. This is the first version of Windows to ever give me this amount of headache. I very nearly took the Windows drive out and re-enacted the printer beating scene from Office Space. I kid you not. That drive was soooo close to a glorious beat-down. But I digress....

Tonight, I finally managed to get it to accept LAN/ethernet drivers. On yet another repeated attempt, I stuck my motherboard's driver CD in (again!) and ran it. Again. This time, for reasons that I can't figure, it finally actually used the drivers that were installed (again). I don't know why it didn't accept and use those drivers the first time I installed them yesterday, right after installing Windows. Yes, I had rebooted after Windows install, and rebooted again after installing the motherboard drivers (which included the LAN/ethernet drivers). No idea why it worked now, but not the first many times I retried the driver CD.

So now I finally have internet, which means Windows7 has finally been able to register and validate itself. MS should bring XP back; that was a quality OS right there. Win7 (and from what I've seen of Win8), not so much.

Again, thank you both for your help. :-)

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[SOLVED] Can't connect to internet: Windows7 can't see, connect to, or otherwise acknowledge any form of internet connection

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