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keso1977

9 Posts

850

May 7th, 2020 20:00

17 R5, Windows 10 updates, connection issues

Need help, please !

I have new Alienware 17 R5 laptop. After initial setup everything was fine, until I run Windows updates. After restarting PC, I'm experiencing serious network connection issues.

Windows update is not working anymore (error encountered, we couldn't connect to the update service...)
Can't sign in to OneDrive anymore, Windows Defender Smart Screen can't connect. Microsoft Store can't load the page. I can't connect to most websites, some of them I can, though.
Simply, I can't connect to any Microsoft Service or most websites. I've double checked, I have internet, and I'm able to connect to some websites, but most I can't (dell.com included). I haven't install any antivirus software, or any software yet, since this is a new laptop.

I've tried possible solutions:
1. Windows troubleshooter couldn't identify a problem
2. Reset windows update settings (stopped services, deleted Windows SoftwareDistribution folder)-didn't help
3. Changed WiFi adapter properties (unchecked Client for Microsoft Networks, changed Internet Protocol Version 4, DNS settings)-didn't help
4. Reinstall all network adapter drivers in Device Manager-didn't help
5. Run SFC and DISM commands-didn't find any problems
6. Flushed DNS- didn't help

The last option I tried was clean windows installation. After that, all seemed to be ok, internet connection was fine, until I run windows updates. After restart, same problem, again ! I can't even roll back updates or uninstall them, because there is no such an option. And I can't use new laptop for internet at all.
Fortunately I have another, older Alienware notebook, I'm using now, with windows version 1903, which is running ok, so I'm assuming this huge problem is windows 1909 update.
I'm aware this is most likely Windows issue and I've already post this on Microsoft Windows forum, too, I don't know how to contact Microsoft support directly. I'm trying this community as well, since it's Dell, Alienware, system and there might be some incompatibility between latest windows updates and network adapters in Alienware systems. Not sure if anyone from Microsoft or Dell actually read this, though.

1 person also has this problem

Silicon42

2 Posts

July 25th, 2023 10:00

I recently came into ownership of this same model and had the same problem. The problem also occurs when trying to install Windows 11 and update it. After much troubleshooting, I tracked the issue down to  bad driver updates labeled as "Intel Corporation - Extension - 3.1122.329.2" and "Intel Corporation - SoftwareComponent - 3.1122.329.2" the latter of which is the actual problematic one but is dependent on getting the first and may start downloading as soon as the first is installed, so it's easier to just block the first one. This is apparently some component of the Intel Killer WLAN driver but I couldn't find more details than that. As this is technically a driver you might be able to uninstall it from the Device manager without doing a fresh install but that's not the route I took.

My work around for this is as follows:

  1. Download wushowhide.diagcab to a USB drive, ideally from the official microsoft link here. This will be needed later to hide the problematic driver update.
  2. Install Windows WITHOUT an Internet connection, i.e. selecting "I don't have Internet" and "Setup later" for the Microsoft account in the networking segment of installation.
  3. Once it boots, Open PowerShell as administrator and type "net stop wuauserv" to stop the windows update service. Some driver updates might still install in the background but I'm fairly sure the problematic one isn't one of them.
  4. Once the update service has stopped, connect to your network and run the wushowhide.diagcab file.
  5. Click "Next" then after a loading bar "Hide Updates" and then in the list that appears, find "Intel Corporation - Extension - 3.1122.329.2", check the box next to it, and click "Next"
  6. Once that completes close the window and go back to the PowerShell window and type "net start wuauserv" to restart the update service. After that there shouldn't be anymore issues with Windows Update.

egtan

2 Posts

October 19th, 2023 23:05

Hi, all.
Has anyone been able to solve this for Windows 10?

I noted that @Silicon42 's proposed solution is for Windows 11.

I just reinstalled my Alienware 17 R5 and am hitting this same issue. 

egtan

2 Posts

October 20th, 2023 01:55

Thanks @Silicon42 . I just reinstalled Windows 10 on my Alienware 17 R5 and can confirm your solution works and solves the problem. I disabled / hid the 2 updates "Intel Corporation - Extension - 3.1122.329.2" and "Intel Corporation - SoftwareComponent - 3.1122.329.2" from being installed and now Windows Update runs fine. 

Thank you. :-)

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