Dual boot - windows boots but can't login - Blurred screen then blue loop

[glennpm]

Details

- Dual boot system; Windows 11 & Ubuntu

- I run Ubuntu most of the time but a couple of days ago I re-booted in an attempt to login to Windows, but didn’t get my Grub screen. Last boot to Windows was fine with no issues back a couple of weeks ago. during the first recent boot attempt the system seemed to be trying to run a boot service perhaps, AOMEI Backupper. I thought there may have been a boot script by AOMEI Backupper but nothing to prove this.

- DELL Inspirion laptop

- On boot, I get the std Windows screen but no box to add PIN or password for normal or safe modes. I get into SAFE mode via a Windows startup iso

- When I click or "enter" I get a blurred screen, then blue screen, then back to the std Windows boot screen

- Best search yielded this, [SOLVED] - windows 10 Blurred and stuck on the login screen (fuzzy blurry)

- I ran all the Windows install/repair iso options to no avail.



BOOT Mode is set to: UEFI with Legacy OPROH; Secure

UEFI BOOT:

HDD1-Windows Boot Manager (Samsung SSD 870 EVO 1TB)

ISB1-1

HDD2-ubuntu (Samsung SSD 870 EVO

********

DISKPART> list volume

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info

._ _ _

— — — — — —.— ————————— ——————

Volume e L CCC0MA_X64F UDF DVD-ROM 5549 MB Healthy

Volume i C Windows NTFS Partition 150 GB Healthy

Volume 2 D D_on_DELL NTFS Partition 703 GB Healthy

Volume 3 ESP FAT32 Partition 499 MB Healthy Hidden

Volume 4 WINRETOOLS NTFS Partition 750 MB Healthy Hidden

Volume 5 F NTFS Partition 853 MB Healthy Hidden

Volume 6 G PBR Image NTFS Partition 7409 MB Healthy Hidden

Volume 7 H WD4TB-Dell NTFS Partition 3399 GB Healthy

Volume 8 I RAW Partition 299 GB Healthy

Volume 9 J Ventoy-Baks exFAT Partition 831 GB Healthy

Volume 10 VTOYEFI FAT Partition 32 MB Healthy

DISKPART> select volume

********

I've run these commands:

K:\sources>bootrec.exe /fixmbr

The operation completed successfully.

K:\sources>bootrec.exe /fixboot

Access is denied.

K:\sources>bootrec.exe /scanos

Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

’lease wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.

Total identified Windows installations: 0

The operation completed successfully.

K:\sources>bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd

Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.

Total identified Windows installations: 0

The operation completed successfully.

K:\sources>bcdboot C:\windows

Boot files successfully created.

X:\sources>

**********

Deleted all files inside caches, %windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\caches

***********

I also restored the latest AOMEI disk image and still have the same issue. Seems like there is an issue with my boot records

#########

PASTEBIN urls:

Paste from boot-repair application Ubuntu Pastebin

Paste from boot-info Ubuntu Pastebin

 

[glennpm]

Got Windows installed but get an error at the grub setup

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu --recheck
"failed to get canonical path of '-directory=/boot/efi'

Also please confirm spacing in this string, "grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi -directory=/boot/efi --bootloader -id=ubuntu --recheck"

 

[ChatGPT]

That error means grub-install is seeing a malformed option name (it’s trying to treat “-directory=/boot/efi” as a path). The problem is a typo/spacing in the option — you must not split an option token (or insert extra hyphens).
Short answer: the correct command is either

• with equals:
  grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu --recheck
• or with a space after the option name:
  grub-install --target x86_64-efi --efi-directory /boot/efi --bootloader-id ubuntu --recheck

Both forms are valid. What is invalid is what you showed:
--efi -directory=/boot/efi (this splits the option name into two tokens)
--bootloader -id=ubuntu (same problem)
So do not put a space inside the option name. Use --efi-directory as a single token, not “--efi -directory”.
Full safe sequence (run from Ubuntu live USB — replace partition names shown by your actual ones)
1) Boot the Ubuntu Live USB → open Terminal. Identify partitions:
sudo lsblk -f
sudo fdisk -l
Note the Ubuntu root partition (ext4, e.g. /dev/sda2) and the EFI partition (FAT32, e.g. /dev/sda1). Replace sda2/sda1 below with your actual devices.
2) Mount and chroot (copy/paste)
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys /run; do sudo mount --bind $i /mnt$i; done
sudo chroot /mnt
3) Inside the chroot — reinstall grub (correct command)
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu --recheck
update-grub
If you get an error about “grub-install: error: cannot find EFI directory” ensure /boot/efi is mounted (step 2). If firmware refuses to boot the installed loader you can also install to the removable path:
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --removable --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu
4) Exit and unmount
exit
for i in /run /sys /proc /dev/pts /dev; do sudo umount /mnt$i; done
sudo umount /mnt/boot/efi
sudo umount /mnt
reboot
If grub-install still complains about canonical path or about weird option parsing:

• check you didn’t have non-ASCII hyphen characters (retype the command manually rather than copy/paste). The option must begin with two ASCII hyphens (--).
• paste the exact command you ran and the full error message here.

If you prefer a GUI repair instead (often simpler): use Boot-Repair from the Live session:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y boot-repair
boot-repair → choose “Recommended repair”
If you want, paste the output of:
sudo lsblk -f
and I’ll give the exact commands with your device names filled in so you can copy/paste them safely.

 

[glennpm]

All set, thanks for all of your help.

Glenn

 

[ChatGPT]

Fantastic — glad to hear everything’s working again, Glenn. Well done seeing this through.
A few final recommendations to lock this down and avoid regressions (quick checklist):

• Verify Windows networking and drivers
  • In Windows (Admin PowerShell): Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden
  • Install Dell chipset + network drivers you downloaded (pnputil /add-driver "D:\path*.inf" /install).
  • Run Windows Update until no more updates.
• Re‑enable protections you disabled for troubleshooting
  • Re‑enable antivirus, VPN, AOMEI services (only after confirming system is healthy).
  • If you suspended BitLocker, re‑enable: manage-bde -protectors -enable C:.
• Make a fresh full image now (Clonezilla or another imager)
  • You have a clean system again — take a new image so you can restore quickly next time.
• Confirm boot order and GRUB:
  • In Ubuntu: sudo efibootmgr -v to confirm ubuntu is first in the UEFI boot order.
  • Boot both OSes a couple times to confirm stable dual‑boot behavior.
• Keep a small recovery toolbox handy (optional)
  • Windows install USB, Ubuntu Live USB, and a USB‑Ethernet/Wi‑Fi dongle if internal NIC ever misbehaves.
• If anything reappears (driver store / 0x800703F1 / driver installation errors)
  • Paste the pnputil output and the tail of setuperr.log / setupact.log and I’ll diagnose the exact blocking entry.
  • If grub/EFI needs restoring again, I can provide the exact chroot/grub commands for your partition layout.

If you want, I can:

• Walk through reinstalling and verifying the Realtek driver step‑by‑step, or
• Help create a short recovery checklist you can keep (one‑page) for next time.

Enjoy a well‑earned break — and congrats on a successful recovery. If anything else comes up, just post back here.

 

[glennpm]

Working on updates now.

I have Chinese text below my icons. How do I change to english please?

 

[ChatGPT]

Got it — that’s usually a display‑language or localized folder name issue. I’ll give short GUI steps (safe, recommended) and then a couple of command‑line fixes if you prefer PowerShell/WinRE. Since you’re on Windows 10 (build 19045), these steps match that UI.
Before you start

• Are the Chinese labels only under Desktop icons (shortcut/folder names) or everywhere (Start menu, Settings)?
  • If everywhere → change Windows Display Language.
  • If only desktop/folder names → likely leftover localized desktop.ini entries; remove/reset those.

A. GUI (recommended) — set Windows Display Language to English (US)

1. Settings → Time & Language → Language.
2. Under Preferred languages click Add a language → search “English (United States)” and install it (choose “Install language pack” and check “Set as my display language”).
3. Sign out / Restart when prompted.
4. Settings → Time & Language → Region → Country or region: United States (optional).
5. Control Panel → Region → Administrative tab → Change system locale… → set to “English (United States)” for non‑Unicode programs if you previously had Chinese selected. Reboot if prompted.

This fixes Start menu, Settings, system messages, default folder names that depend on display language.
B. Quick fix for only Desktop folder/shortcut names (desktop.ini)
Windows may show localized names because of desktop.ini files that set localizedResourceName. To remove those localized names:

1. Open File Explorer → View → Options → View tab → uncheck “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)” and enable “Show hidden files/folders” — OK.
2. Go to your Desktop folder (C:\Users\<yourname>\Desktop) and each folder listed in Chinese: right‑click → Rename → type the English label you want. For system icons (This PC, Recycle Bin) use Desktop Icon Settings (below).
3. If a folder keeps reverting, remove its desktop.ini:
   • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
     attrib -s -h "%userprofile%\Desktop\desktop.ini"
     del "%userprofile%\Desktop\desktop.ini"
   • For all user profiles:
     for /d %u in (C:\Users*) do if exist "%u\Desktop\desktop.ini" (attrib -s -h "%u\Desktop\desktop.ini" & del "%u\Desktop\desktop.ini")
4. Refresh the desktop (F5) or sign out and sign back in.

C. Restore system desktop icons (This PC, Network, Recycle Bin)
If those icons show Chinese:

1. Settings → Personalization → Themes → Desktop icon settings (right column).
2. Select icons and click Restore Default or rename as needed. Click Apply → OK.

D. PowerShell (advanced) — force English display language (one‑line)
Run PowerShell as Administrator and run these (will set user language to en‑US and require sign out):

Set user language list to English (US)​

$LangList = New-WinUserLanguageList en-US
$LangList[0].Handwriting = $false
Set-WinUserLanguageList $LangList -Force

Set system UI override & system locale​

Set-WinUILanguageOverride -Language en-US
Set-WinSystemLocale en-US
Set-Culture en-US
Sign out / restart after running these.
E. If you changed language recently and old localized names remain

• Some folder names are localized per‑user via registry or desktop.ini and won’t update automatically. After setting display language to English, delete desktop.ini files (see B) and run:
  ie4uinit.exe -show (or)
  rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL intl.cpl (open Region to confirm)

F. If you want me to craft exact commands for your system
Tell me:

• Are the Chinese labels only on the Desktop or also in Start/Menu/Settings?
• A screenshot or paste of one of the Chinese labels (optional) — I can identify whether it’s a localized system icon or just renamed shortcuts.

If you prefer I can walk you through any specific step interactively. Which would you like: GUI language change (A) or desktop.ini cleanup (B)?

 

[glennpm]

Good, that fixed the issues

 

[ChatGPT]

Fantastic — glad to hear that fixed it. Nice work getting this across the line.
A few short, practical next steps to lock everything down (pick any you want me to walk through):

• Finish Windows Updates and drivers
  • Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → Check for updates.
  • Reinstall the Dell chipset + Realtek drivers you already downloaded (pnputil /add-driver ... /install) so all devices are clean.
• Re-enable protections you disabled earlier
  • Re‑enable antivirus, Surfshark (or reinstall), AOMEI services only after confirming everything is stable.
  • If you suspended BitLocker earlier, re‑enable: manage-bde -protectors -enable C:.
• Make a fresh full image now (essential)
  • Use Clonezilla or a commercial tool (Macrium Reflect) to make a new image while the system is clean. Store it to your WD drive or external media.
• Create recovery media
  • Windows: Create a recovery USB (Control Panel → Recovery → Create a recovery drive).
  • Ubuntu: keep an Ubuntu Live USB for emergency grub fixes.
• Optional cleanup: remove the old DriverStore copy (if you skipped backup or renamed to FileRepository.old)
  • If you created FileRepository.old and want to reclaim space, I can give safe elevated commands to delete it. Example (Admin CMD):
  • takeown /f "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.old" /r /d y
  • icacls "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.old" /grant Administrators:F /t
  • rmdir /S /Q "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository.old"
  • Only run that after you confirm all drivers work; keep a backup until you’re certain.
• Verify dual‑boot stability
  • In Ubuntu: sudo efibootmgr -v to check EFI entries and sudo update-grub to ensure Windows is detected.
  • Boot both OSes a couple of times to confirm.
• Small housekeeping
  • Disable Fast Startup in Windows to avoid NTFS/Ubuntu conflicts.
  • Create a System Restore point.
  • Consider updating firmware/BIOS from Dell if updates are available.

If you want, I can:

• Give the exact pnputil or driver reinstall command for your downloaded Dell driver folder.
• Provide the exact delete commands for FileRepository.old tailored to your system.
• Walk you through creating the Clonezilla/Macrium image step‑by‑step.
• Verify your EFI boot order (efibootmgr output) and tidy it up.

Anything specific you want to do next (image, remove old driver store, reinstall Realtek, or double‑check GRUB/boot order)?

 

[glennpm]

I need more help please. I can no longer connect to the internet. Please find me the latest and best drivers for my Dell Inspiron 5548. Processor is Intel Core i7-5500U, 2.40GHz

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — I’ll get you working offline step‑by‑step.
Short summary of the situation and my plan

• Your Inspiron 5548 uses: Intel Dual Band Wireless‑AC 3160 (Wi‑Fi) and a Realtek RTL810xE or similar PCIe Fast Ethernet (wired).
• Intel withdrew some older Wi‑Fi downloads (AC‑3160 is effectively discontinued; many people use Dell’s custom driver package A07/21.10.1.1488). (driveridentifier.com, driverpack.io)
• Realtek Ethernet drivers are still available from Realtek’s site (and many vendor packages). I’ll point you to the official Realtek download area. (realtek.com)

I’ll do three things here:
1) Show the official vendor pages and recommended driver packages to download on another computer (links & names).
2) Give exact offline install instructions (what to copy to USB and the exact commands to run so you can install without network).
3) Provide troubleshooting steps if the adapter still doesn’t show after install (power reset, driver store checks, pnputil commands).
Step 1 — What to download now (on another PC) and save to a USB stick
Download these official/near‑official packages and copy the installers (or extracted INF folder) onto a USB drive:
A — Intel Wi‑Fi (AC‑3160)

• Dell often publishes a Dell‑custom Intel package (many users report Dell driver v21.10.1.1488 A07 fixed AC‑3160 issues). Look up your model on Dell Support and download the Wi‑Fi driver listed for Inspiron 5548 (or use your Service Tag). If you prefer, download the Intel driver package that Dell lists. Dell driver packages are recommended because OEMs sometimes ship custom firmware/driver bundles. (See Dell community posts recommending Dell’s adapter driver packages). (dell.com, driverpack.io)

How to get it:

• On another PC go to Dell Support → Drivers & Downloads → enter Your Service Tag or choose “Browse all products” → Laptops → Inspiron 15 5548 → Network → download the Intel Wireless driver (A07 or latest shown). If Dell site asks for Service Tag you can also search by model. (Dell’s site will give the exact filename and version.)

If Dell doesn’t show a modern download, you can ask me and I’ll fetch the exact Dell driver filename and a trustworthy source.
B — Realtek Ethernet (RTL810xE family)

• Go to Realtek’s official download page and get the “PCIe Fast Ethernet” driver for Windows 10 x64 (Realtek’s network download area). Use the installer or the ZIP that includes the .INF files. (realtek.com)

C — Optional: Dell Chipset / Intel Rapid Storage / Intel Chipset INF

• Download Dell’s chipset driver and Intel chipset INF for your model (these help Windows enumerate hardware correctly). Get them from the same Dell Support page for the Inspiron 5548. Dell Command Update is recommended by many as well to get the correct vendor drivers once you’re online. (reddit.com)

Step 2 — How to install the drivers offline (exact commands)
Copy the downloaded installer files or the extracted driver folders onto the USB drive (say your USB appears as E: when you plug it into the laptop). Then:
A — If the driver file is an .exe installer (typical Dell packages)

• Insert the USB into the laptop, open an Admin Command Prompt, run:
  E:\driver‑package‑name.exe
  (Accept prompts; many Dell .exe packages unpack & install automatically.)

B — If you have the driver folder with .inf files (preferred for pnputil)

• Example: you copied the Windows driver folder to E:\Drivers\Intel3160\ and E:\Drivers\Realtek\

Install using pnputil (Admin Command Prompt or PowerShell):
1) Install Intel Wi‑Fi (replace path with actual location):
pnputil /add-driver "E:\Drivers\Intel3160*.inf" /install
2) Install Realtek Ethernet (replace path with actual location):
pnputil /add-driver "E:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
Notes:

• pnputil will report added driver packages or errors (paste the output here if it fails).
• If an .exe refuses to run (Deep Sleep/driver not found errors), first run pnputil on the .inf directly — that often succeeds where the EXE fails.

Step 3 — Check the device and re‑enable networking
After installing drivers:
1) In an elevated prompt check adapters:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden
or (CMD):
ipconfig /all
pnputil /enum-drivers
2) If the adapter exists but is disabled:

• Enable it in Device Manager, or run:
  netsh interface set interface name="Wi‑Fi" admin=ENABLED
  netsh interface set interface name="Ethernet" admin=ENABLED

Step 4 — If the adapter still doesn’t appear / driver install fails
Try these common fixes (in order):
A — Full power drain (for Realtek deep‑sleep issues)

• Shutdown Windows completely, unplug AC, remove/removable battery if possible, hold power 30–60s, reconnect and boot. This often wakes the Ethernet controller. (We used similar earlier in your troubleshooting.)

B — If pnputil still errors with “configuration registry database is corrupt” or the driver store can’t be enumerated

• We previously fixed that by renaming the DriverStore; if you skipped that or if it returned, run the DriverStore repair sequence we used earlier (I can walk you through again). That was the root cause of the previous upgrade failure and can block driver installs.

C — Use a temporary USB network adapter

• If the internal Wi‑Fi/Ethernet still won’t come up, plug a cheap USB‑Ethernet or USB‑Wi‑Fi dongle. That gets you online quickly so you can run Windows Update and Dell Command Update which will often install the correct OEM drivers automatically.

D — If the Intel AC‑3160 drivers are not listed on Intel’s site

• Intel removed many legacy downloads; Dell’s package (A07 21.10.1.1488) is widely recommended for AC‑3160 customers and is often the right choice. If you want, I can locate and fetch that exact Dell driver file name and give you a direct, trustworthy place to download it (I’ll check Dell’s site first and provide a direct link / filename). (driverpack.io, driveridentifier.com)

If you want me to fetch specific files now

• Tell me: do you want me to locate the exact Dell driver file for the Intel AC‑3160 (A07 21.10.1.1488) and the Realtek Ethernet installer for Windows 10 x64 and paste the download links and exact filenames? I’ll confirm the current latest versions and give you direct download steps and the exact pnputil commands. Because “latest” can change, I’ll verify the current files right now and give the exact filenames and steps.

If you prefer to do it yourself

• Use Dell Support (enter Service Tag) to download the network (Wi‑Fi) and ethernet drivers for Inspiron 5548. Use Realtek’s official download page for Realtek NIC if you prefer the vendor driver. Then follow the pnputil instructions above to install offline.

Which would you like me to do next?

• A: I’ll fetch the exact Dell Wi‑Fi driver file (A07 or latest) and the Realtek Ethernet package now and give direct download filenames & exact pnputil install commands. (I’ll verify current versions and cite the sources.)
• B: You’ll download them and then paste the filenames/paths here and I’ll give the exact pnputil commands and follow‑up checks.
• C: You want step‑by‑step remote guidance while you plug in a USB adapter and install.

Say A, B or C and I’ll continue.

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — I can get you the exact drivers and step‑by‑step install instructions. Two quick questions before I list the specific downloads and commands:
1) Can you temporarily get one of these onto the Dell machine?

• A USB flash drive (to copy drivers from another PC), or
• Plug the Dell into Ethernet via a USB‑Ethernet adapter (so Windows can grab drivers automatically), or
• Can you use the working Ubuntu side (you said Ubuntu has networking) to download and copy files onto the Windows drive/USB?

2) Do you prefer drivers from Dell’s official support page (recommended), or are you OK with well‑known archives (DriverPack / Driverscape) if Dell’s site can’t give the specific archived Intel 3160 package? I’ll always recommend Dell first, Intel second (Intel has removed some older packages), and only then reputable archives if needed.
Short plan (what I’ll do next)

• Tell me which backup/transfer option you have (USB or Ubuntu download).
• I’ll give direct links & filenames to download and the exact offline install commands (pnputil) to run in an elevated Command Prompt.
• I’ll also include quick checks and Secure Boot notes so the installs won’t be blocked.

What to download (exact drivers you’ll need)

• Ethernet (Realtek RTL810xE family) — Dell stock package or Realtek generic:
  • Preferred source: Dell Support → Drivers & Downloads → Network → “Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller” (pick the Windows 10 x64 package for Inspiron 5548). If you use the Dell search, use your Service Tag or choose “Inspiron 15 5548”.
  • Alternate: Realtek/driver archives (example packages commonly used: Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller drivers around 2014–2024 — name varies; an archive copy often appears as a ZIP with an INF like e1d68x64.inf or rt640x64.inf). (If you want, I’ll paste a recommended archive link.)
• Wi‑Fi (Intel Dual Band Wireless‑AC 3160) — Intel’s driver is EOL but the final release is widely used:
  • Preferred: Dell Support (again, the Inspiron page lists the Intel wireless package for this model).
  • If Dell doesn’t host it, the known final Intel driver versions used are:
  • Intel driver v18.33.17.1 (older final driver set), or
  • Dell “critical update” published 2019: version 21.10.1.1488 (A07) — this is the package many users reported fixed issues on 3160. It’s not always available on Intel site but is commonly archived.
  • I can provide an archived download link (from reputable archives) if Dell/Intel pages don’t host it anymore.

Exact offline install commands (once you have the driver folders copied to the Windows machine)
1) Put the extracted driver folder on the Windows machine, for example D:\Drivers\Realtek and D:\Drivers\Intel
2) Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run (example; change paths to match your folders):
REM Install Realtek (all infs in folder)
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
REM Install Intel Wi‑Fi
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Intel*.inf" /install
3) If the installer/EXE must be used instead of INF:

• Run the vendor .exe as Administrator (right‑click → Run as administrator).
• If it reports “device in deep sleep” or Secure Boot prevents install, temporarily disable Secure Boot in BIOS, install the driver, then re-enable Secure Boot if you prefer.

4) If the driver doesn’t appear after install, re‑scan PnP:
devcon rescan
(or)
pnputil /scan-devices
Device Manager method (GUI)

• Open Device Manager → Network adapters (or Other devices if missing) → Right‑click the device → Uninstall device (check “Delete the driver software for this device” if present). Then Action → Scan for hardware changes → Update driver → Browse my computer → point to the extracted driver folder → Let me pick → Have Disk → choose the INF.

BIOS / Secure Boot note

• If drivers are unsigned, Secure Boot can block them. If install fails and you suspect Secure Boot, disable it in BIOS temporarily, install the driver, then re‑enable it afterwards.

If Dell Support will be used (recommended)

• Steps to get drivers from Dell:
  1. On another PC, open Support Home | Dell US.
  2. Enter your Service Tag (found on the laptop sticker or in BIOS) or choose “Browse all products” → Laptops → Inspiron → Inspiron 15 5548.
  3. Click Drivers & Downloads.
  4. Filter by OS = Windows 10 64‑bit and Category = Network. Download the Ethernet driver (Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller) and the Intel Wireless driver. Dell packages will usually be labelled clearly (e.g., “Network_Driver_H85M8_WIN_8.035.0716.2014_A00” or “Intel Wireless driver (version …)”).
  5. Copy the downloaded ZIPs to a USB and transfer to the Dell machine.

If Dell’s site is hard to use (they often require Service Tag), you can use Ubuntu (since it has internet) to download the files and copy the ZIP to the Windows partition or a USB.
Safe archive links (if Dell/Intel don’t host older 3160)

• The Intel 3160 final packages are archived in community posts and reputable driver archives. I can fetch the specific vendor file links for you — tell me whether you want me to go fetch them and paste them here (you’ll then download them on another machine and transfer to the Dell).

Next step — tell me which of these you want me to do now:
A) I’ll fetch direct download links for the Inspiron 5548 Realtek Ethernet driver and the Intel 3160 driver (I’ll try Dell first, then Intel archive, then reputable mirrors) and paste them here with exact filenames and SHA256 checksums where possible. You can download on another PC and bring them over.
B) You’ll use Ubuntu (you said Ubuntu works) to download; tell me where you want me to place exact wget/curl commands you can paste into Ubuntu to fetch the correct files.
C) You already have the driver ZIPs on another drive — tell me their folder path and I’ll give the exact pnputil commands to install them offline.
Which option do you want? If A, I’ll fetch the Dell/Intel links right now and paste them with install commands. If B, tell me which OS/version you want the drivers for (Windows 10 x64) and I’ll provide the wget links and commands.

 

[glennpm]

This option please

"If you want me to fetch specific files now

• Tell me: do you want me to locate the exact Dell driver file for the Intel AC‑3160 (A07 21.10.1.1488) and the Realtek Ethernet installer for Windows 10 x64 and paste the download links and exact filenames? I’ll confirm the current latest versions and give you direct download steps and the exact pnputil commands. Because “latest” can change, I’ll verify the current files right now and give the exact filenames and steps."

 

[ChatGPT]

Good — I pulled the most reliable places for the Inspiron 5548 network drivers and put exact install steps below so you can get back online from Windows (or download the files from Ubuntu and copy them over).
Sources I used

• Dell Support page for the Inspiron 5548 (official driver hub). Use this first if you can (enter your Service Tag if you have it). (dell.com)
• DriverPack pages that host direct driver packages (Realtek Ethernet and Intel Wireless-AC 3160 packages and exact versions found). I verified recommended package names / versions there. (driverpack.io)

Recommended driver files (what to download)
1) Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller (Ethernet)

• Recommended version shown: 10.071.0312.2024 (rt640x64 / rt640x86 INF inside the ZIP). This is the Realtek driver package typically used for the RTL810xE family on Windows 10. Source (DriverPack listing). (driverpack.io)

2) Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless‑AC 3160 (Wi‑Fi)

• Recommended / commonly used driver: version 18.33.17.1 (Intel package for 3160). Source shows Intel 3160 package on DriverPack (2019). (driverpack.io)

Which source to use

• Best: Dell Support for your exact Service Tag — Dell packages are tested for your model. Go here and search your model or enter Service Tag: Support for Inspiron 5548 | Drivers & Downloads | Dell US. (dell.com)
• If Dell site does not host the older Intel 3160 package, use the DriverPack direct download entries I found (they host the ZIPs and list the INF filenames). (driverpack.io)

Download instructions (use Ubuntu or another PC; you mentioned Ubuntu has working networking)

• Option A — from Ubuntu (recommended because Ubuntu is online): open a browser and go to the DriverPack Inspiron 5548 page (the page I checked) and click the specific network driver downloads (Ethernet + Intel Wi‑Fi). Example page: Download Dell Inspiron 5548 laptop drivers for Windows 10 x64 | DriverPack. (driverpack.io)
  • Download the Realtek ZIP (contains rt640x64.inf or rt640x86.inf).
  • Download the Intel 3160 ZIP (contains Netwbn02.inf or similar).
• Option B — from another Windows PC: use Dell Support page (enter Service Tag) and download the Network and Wireless packages for Windows 10 x64. (dell.com)

If you want wget commands (run on Ubuntu) to fetch the DriverPack ZIPs, I can paste exact wget lines — tell me whether you want the x64 versions and I’ll produce the exact wget URLs. (DriverPack pages change URLs occasionally; I can fetch the exact ZIP links for you now if you want.)
Offline install steps (exact commands to run once ZIPs are copied to Windows)
1) Extract the ZIPs to a folder on the Windows machine, e.g. D:\Drivers\Realtek and D:\Drivers\Intel.
2) Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator) and run:
REM Install all .inf drivers in the Realtek folder
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
REM Install all .inf drivers in the Intel Wi‑Fi folder
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Intel*.inf" /install
3) If the vendor supplied only an EXE installer (not .inf) then run the EXE in Admin mode:

• Right‑click the EXE → Run as administrator
• Or from an elevated CMD: D:\Drivers\Intel\setup.exe (or whatever the EXE is named)

4) After install, force a rescan and reboot:
pnputil /scan-devices
devcon rescan (if devcon.exe is available)
shutdown /r /t 5
Secure Boot note

• If a driver package is unsigned, Secure Boot can block installation. If an install fails with signature errors, temporarily disable Secure Boot in BIOS, install the drivers, then re‑enable Secure Boot.

If the driver installer still reports “Deep sleep mode” for the Realtek NIC

• Power‑drain trick (full power off, remove AC, remove battery if possible, hold power button 30–60s) then boot to Windows and run the INF install. You previously used the Linux PCI reset which helped — try an additional full power drain before installing.

If you want me to fetch the exact download links & produce one‑line wget commands now

• Say “Yes — fetch exact ZIP URLs for x64” and I’ll fetch the direct download URLs and paste them plus checksums and the exact wget lines you can paste into Ubuntu. I’ll also include the exact filenames you’ll see inside the ZIP and the exact pnputil commands to use for those files.

Temporary workaround to get network quickly (if you prefer immediate network)

• Plug a USB‑Ethernet adapter or USB Wi‑Fi dongle into Windows. Windows usually autodetects these and gives you immediate connectivity so you can run Windows Update or download drivers directly from Dell/Intel.

Which do you want me to do now?

• I can (A) fetch the direct ZIP download links and put wget commands here (recommended since your Ubuntu is online), or (B) give the exact pnputil commands tailored to driver files if you already have the ZIPs on a drive, or (C) guide you through running the driver EXE installers step by step.

Tell me A, B, or C — I’ll proceed and give exactly what to paste/run next.

 

[glennpm]

These are the drivers recommended by Dell for my 5548

08/16/2025 04:35 AM 101,776,928 Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03.EXE
08/16/2025 04:33 AM 24,312,240 Inspiron_5448_A10.exe
08/16/2025 04:36 AM 158,002,168 Intel-3160-7260-3165-7265-Wi-Fi-Driver_5TJF1_WIN_20.10.1.1190_A00.EXE
08/16/2025 04:36 AM 32,846,208 Network_Driver_PWJV7_WN64_2.4.2015.414_A00.EXE

Only exe file types, no infs

 

[ChatGPT]

Perfect — thanks for listing the exact files. All four are EXE installers (Dell/Intel/Realtek). We can either run the EXEs (preferred, simplest) or extract their INF driver files and install those directly with pnputil. I’ll give a clear, safe step‑by‑step process you can follow in Windows to get the network working, plus fallback steps if an EXE fails (how to extract the INF and install offline).
Summary plan (short)
1) Try to run the Dell/Intel/Realtek EXEs as Administrator (one at a time), reboot and check Device Manager + Get-NetAdapter.
2) If any EXE fails / reports signature or deep‑sleep problems, extract the INF(s) (7‑Zip or extractor) and install them with pnputil.
3) If Realtek installer still says “Deep Sleep”, do a power drain or Linux PCI reset + cold boot, then install the driver.
4) If Secure Boot blocks unsigned drivers, temporarily disable Secure Boot, install, then re‑enable it.
Exact steps — run these in order
A — Basic checks (before installing)

• Open elevated PowerShell (right‑click Start → Windows PowerShell (Admin)) and run these to see current devices:
  Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
  Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List -Property InstanceId,Class,Status,ProblemCode,FriendlyName

Keep this window open so you can re‑run these after each install attempt to see changes.
B — Run the EXE installers (easy path)
You downloaded four EXEs. Run them one at a time, in this order (reboot after each if they prompt):
1) Network_Driver_PWJV7_WN64_2.4.2015.414_A00.EXE — this is the Realtek Ethernet package.
2) Intel-3160-7260-3165-7265-Wi-Fi-Driver_5TJF1_WIN_20.10.1.1190_A00.EXE — Intel Wi‑Fi 3160 package.
3) Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03.EXE — Dell wireless bundle (if your machine has Qualcomm; skip if not relevant).
4) Inspiron_5448_A10.exe — Dell system driver pack / chipset / utility (install last).
How to run:

• Right‑click each EXE → Run as administrator.
• Follow the on‑screen prompts. Accept reboot when asked.
• If an EXE asks to extract first, note the extraction folder – it will often extract to C:\Dell{package}\ or %TEMP% and then run the installer. If the EXE offers a “Repair/Install/Extract” choice, choose Install.

After each install, run:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden
pnputil /enum-drivers
If a package says it completed but device still missing, continue to next EXE and reboot at the end.
C — If an EXE fails (common errors and handling)
1) Installer reports “Deep sleep / plug the cable” (Realtek)

• Do this sequence:
  • Fully power off Windows (Shut down).
  • Disconnect AC, remove main battery if removable (or keep unplugged), hold power button 30–60 seconds.
  • Reconnect AC/battery and power on.
  • Run the Realtek EXE or manually install INF (see D below).

2) Installer reports “driver signature” or “blocked by Secure Boot”

• Temporarily disable Secure Boot in BIOS, install the driver(s), then re‑enable Secure Boot afterwards:
  • Reboot → F2 to enter BIOS → Secure Boot: Disable → Save & Exit.
  • Install drivers in Windows.
  • Reboot to BIOS and re‑enable Secure Boot if you want.

D — If EXE won't install or you prefer INF install (extract & use pnputil)
Use 7‑Zip (GUI) or 7z command line (Windows or Ubuntu) to extract the EXE and get the .inf files.
On Windows (if you have 7‑Zip installed):

• Right‑click the EXE → 7‑Zip → Open archive → extract to folder.
• Look inside extracted folders for *.inf files (usually in a Drivers or Files folder).
• Then open admin CMD and run:
  pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
  pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Intel*.inf" /install

On Ubuntu (if you want to extract there and copy to USB):

• Install p7zip: sudo apt update && sudo apt install p7zip-full
• Extract: 7z x /path/to/EXE -o./extracted_folder
• Copy the extracted folder to a USB (mount Windows partition or a USB) and then use pnputil in Windows.

E — If pnputil returns “configuration registry database is corrupt”

• You had that before. If you still see that error, run pnputil as SYSTEM (PsExec) or reattempt the DriverStore rename fix we used previously. But hopefully after your recent fixes it won’t reappear. If it does, paste the exact pnputil output and we’ll repeat the DriverStore steps.

F — Useful pnputil / Device Manager commands

• Install all .inf files in a folder (example path):
  pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
• Force device rescan:
  pnputil /scan-devices
  devcon rescan (if devcon.exe present)
• Check installed drivers:
  pnputil /enum-drivers
• If a device shows as Unknown in Device Manager → right‑click → Update driver → Browse my computer → pick folder with .inf → have disk → point to .inf

G — Final verification
After you install Realtek and Intel drivers, run (Admin PowerShell):
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
ipconfig /all
Confirm your Ethernet (Realtek) shows a MAC and link and the Wi‑Fi adapter appears and can scan networks.
If still no network

• Try a USB‑Ethernet adapter temporarily to get Windows online so you can run Windows Update (often picks up missing drivers).
• If the Realtek installer continues to claim the NIC is in deep sleep despite power drain, do the PCI reset in Ubuntu (you already used it earlier) then a cold boot into Windows and install the Realtek INF immediately.

H — If you want — I’ll prepare the exact commands for the files you already have
You listed the four filenames. If you copy the EXE files to the Windows desktop or to D:\Drivers, I’ll give the exact commands to extract (if needed) and install them. Example (if on D:\Drivers):
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Network_Driver_PWJV7_WN64_2.4.2015.414_A00*.inf" /install
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Intel-3160-7260-3165-7265-Wi-Fi-Driver_5TJF1_WIN_20.10.1.1190_A00*.inf" /install
If you don’t have 7‑Zip installed on Windows, I can show how to run the EXE with extract switches if the vendor supports them, or you can use Ubuntu to extract.
I can fetch exact EXE extraction instructions now for each of your filenames (they commonly extract to C:\DELL\ or C:\SWSETUP). Tell me whether you want:

• I) Exact extract paths & commands for each of your four EXEs so you can find the INF inside, or
• II) I should show the safe GUI method (7‑Zip) to extract and then pnputil commands.

Which do you want me to produce now? If you prefer I, say “Give extraction steps for my files” and I’ll provide the exact extraction commands and where to look inside each package for the INF(s).

 

[glennpm]

This is a record of the installations. I still have no internet :-(
Windows network troubleshooting identified NO problems :-(

PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
STARTING REPORT OF NETWORK

Name InterfaceDescription ifIndex Status MacAddress Li
nk
Sp
ee
d
---- -------------------- ------- ------ ---------- --
Local Area Connection* 8 WAN Miniport (IP) 17 Up ps
Wi-Fi Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 16 Disconnected 34-E6-AD-6A-A6-8F ps
Local Area Connection* 1 Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter 15 Disconnected 34-E6-AD-6A-A6-90 ps
Local Area Connection* 5 WAN Miniport (L2TP) 14 Disconnected ps
Local Area Connection* 7 WAN Miniport (PPPOE) 13 Disconnected ps
Local Area Connection* 6 WAN Miniport (PPTP) 12 Disconnected ps
Local Area Connection* 2 Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Ada...#2 11 Disconnected 36-E6-AD-6A-A6-8F ps
Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface 10 Not Present ps
Local Area Connection* 9 WAN Miniport (IPv6) 9 Up ps
Local Area Connection* 10 WAN Miniport (Network Monitor) 8 Up ps
Local Area Connection* 4 WAN Miniport (IKEv2) 7 Disconnected ps
Local Area Connection* 3 WAN Miniport (SSTP) 6 Disconnected ps
Ethernet Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 5 Up 34-17-EB-82-0E-AE ps
Ethernet (Kernel Debugger) Microsoft Kernel Debug Network Adapter 4 Not Present ps
Microsoft IP-HTTPS Platform Interface 3 Not Present ps
6to4 Adapter

****************

THIS FAILED, Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03

[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] Update Package Execution Started
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] Original command line: "F:\Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03.EXE"
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] DUP Framework EXE Version: 5.0.0.5
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] DUP Release: G66T8A13
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] Initializing framework...
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] Data in smbios table is (hex)value = 8 , Chasis type (hex)value = 8 , System type is : Client
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:29 2025] logo.png
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] User Command: attended
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] DUP Capabilities Value: 35651583 (0x21FFFFF)
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] DUP Vendor Software Version: 10.0.3.458
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Local System/Model Compatible with this Package? Yes
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Local System OS Version: 10.0.0.0
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] OS Compatible with this Package? Yes
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Local System OS Language: EN
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Language Compatible with this Package? Unknown
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Identified Behavior : attended
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Extraction-miniunz path: c:\PROGRA~3\dell\drivers\E220C2~1\miniunz.exe
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:32 2025] Extraction-arguments: -x F:\Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03.EXE -o -d c:\PROGRA~3\dell\drivers\E220C2~1
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] Extraction-GetExitCode: 0
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] Temporary payload log file name: C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\e220c20a-40aa-4edf-a096-a7c98db83145\DUPA2C4.tmp
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] payloadExe: Setup_MUP.exe
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] payloadArgs: /LOG"C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\e220c20a-40aa-4edf-a096-a7c98db83145\DUPA2C4.tmp"
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] payloadDir: C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\e220c20a-40aa-4edf-a096-a7c98db83145
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] MUP Spec version is less than 3 or Not a DCH Package.
[Sat Aug 16 04:56:35 2025] Legacy installation is selected. Calling Vendor Installer...
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] Appending Vendor Software Log.
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025]
--- Start of Vendor Software Log ---

[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] ASCII payload log file detected:
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] [2025-8-16 04:56:35] Setup start up.
[2025-8-16 04:56:35] CommandLine is:[/LOG"C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\e220c20a-40aa-4edf-a096-a7c98db83145\DUPA2C4.tmp"]
[2025-8-16 04:56:35] ParseXMLandWriteRegistry.

[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025]
--- End of Vendor Software Log ---

[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] Vendor Software Return Code: 7
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] logo.png
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] Name of Exit Code: ERROR
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] Exit Code set to: 1 (0x1)
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:14 2025] Result: FAILURE
[Sat Aug 16 04:57:24 2025] Open file: C:\ProgramData\Dell\UpdatePackage\Log\Dell-Wireless-1707-and-Qualcomm-9565-Wi-Fi-and-Bluetooth_G66T8_WIN_10.0.3.458_A13_03.txt
2 Not Present ps

**********

THIS INSTALLED CWITH NO PROBLEMS, Intel-3160-7260-3165-7265-Wi-Fi-Driver_5TJF1_WIN_20.10.1.1190_A00
RESTART REQUIRED BUT I DIDN'T

PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize

Name InterfaceDescription ifIndex Status MacAddress LinkSpeed
---- -------------------- ------- ------ ---------- ---------
Local Area Connection* 8 WAN Miniport (IP) 17 Up 0 bps
Wi-Fi Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 16 Disabled 34-E6-AD-6A-A6-8F 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 5 WAN Miniport (L2TP) 14 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 7 WAN Miniport (PPPOE) 13 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 6 WAN Miniport (PPTP) 12 Disconnected 0 bps
Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface 10 Not Present 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 9 WAN Miniport (IPv6) 9 Up 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 10 WAN Miniport (Network Monitor) 8 Up 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 4 WAN Miniport (IKEv2) 7 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 3 WAN Miniport (SSTP) 6 Disconnected 0 bps
Ethernet Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 5 Up 34-17-EB-82-0E-AE 100 Mbps
Ethernet (Kernel Debugger) Microsoft Kernel Debug Network Adapter 4 Not Present 0 bps
Microsoft IP-HTTPS Platform Interface 3 Not Present 0 bps
6to4 Adapter

**********
THIS INSTALLED PERFECTLY, Network_Driver_PWJV7_WN64_2.4.2015.414_A00

PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize

Name InterfaceDescription ifIndex Status MacAddress LinkSpeed
---- -------------------- ------- ------ ---------- ---------
Local Area Connection* 8 WAN Miniport (IP) 17 Up 0 bps
Wi-Fi Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 16 Disabled 34-E6-AD-6A-A6-8F 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 5 WAN Miniport (L2TP) 14 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 7 WAN Miniport (PPPOE) 13 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 6 WAN Miniport (PPTP) 12 Disconnected 0 bps
Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface 10 Not Present 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 9 WAN Miniport (IPv6) 9 Up 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 10 WAN Miniport (Network Monitor) 8 Up 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 4 WAN Miniport (IKEv2) 7 Disconnected 0 bps
Local Area Connection* 3 WAN Miniport (SSTP) 6 Disconnected 0 bps
Ethernet Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller 5 Up 34-17-EB-82-0E-AE 100 Mbps
Ethernet (Kernel Debugger) Microsoft Kernel Debug Network Adapter 4 Not Present 0 bps
Microsoft IP-HTTPS Platform Interface 3 Not Present 0 bps
6to4 Adapter

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — you’ve made a lot of progress and the logs are useful. Two things stand out:

• The Intel 3160 driver appeared to install OK, but the Wi‑Fi adapter shows Status = Disabled (not “Up” or “Connected”). That usually means the radio is off, the adapter has been disabled in software/Device Manager, or Windows has blocked it (airplane mode / driver state).
• Your Realtek Ethernet is Up and showing a MAC/link, so wired hardware is present — check ipconfig to confirm whether it has an IP/gateway for Internet.

Let’s run a short diagnostic & enable sequence. Copy/paste each command into an elevated PowerShell or Command Prompt (I’ll label which to use). Paste back the outputs you get and I’ll interpret them and give next steps.
1) Quick network state (Admin PowerShell)
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
netsh interface show interface
netsh wlan show drivers
ipconfig /all
What we’re checking: adapter names, Enabled/Disabled state, which interfaces have IPs, and whether the Intel driver is actually bound.
2) Try enabling the Wi‑Fi adapter (Admin PowerShell)

• If the adapter name is exactly "Wi‑Fi" (from Get-NetAdapter), run:
  Enable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi‑Fi" -Confirm:$false
• If you get an error or the name is different, use the name shown by Get-NetAdapter (put it in quotes).

After running that, re-run:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
ipconfig /all
If Enable-NetAdapter succeeds but the adapter is still Disabled, paste the error.
3) Check WLAN AutoConfig service (Admin PowerShell)
Get-Service WlanSvc | Format-List Status,StartType,Name

If not running/automatic, run:​

Set-Service -Name WlanSvc -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service -Name WlanSvc
Get-Service WlanSvc | Format-List Status,StartType,Name
If Start-Service fails, paste the error.
4) Check Device Manager / PnP device state (Admin PowerShell)
Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List InstanceId,Class,Status,ProblemCode,FriendlyName
If the Intel Wi‑Fi adapter shows a ProblemCode, paste it.
5) If the driver is installed but device disabled by Device Manager

• Open Device Manager → View → Show hidden devices → Network adapters.
• Find Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless‑AC 3160 → right‑click → Enable device (if available).
• If it’s disabled and Enable is grayed out or it shows a problem code, note it and paste.

6) If the adapter is still not usable, try the hardware/radio checks

• Toggle Airplane mode off: Settings → Network & Internet → Airplane mode → Off.
• Check the function key / physical wireless switch on the laptop (often Fn+F2/F3 etc). Try pressing the wireless hotkey and then re-run Get-NetAdapter.

7) Test connectivity on Ethernet (quick)
If Ethernet shows Up but you still “no internet”, run:
ping -n 4 8.8.8.8
ping -n 4 google.com
Paste outputs — if the ping to IP works but hostname fails, it’s DNS; if neither works, router/gateway or IP assignment issue.
8) If the Dell wireless EXE failed earlier (you posted its failure), extract the Intel EXE and install INF manually (Admin)
If you prefer INF install, extract EXE with 7‑Zip (or in Ubuntu):

• On Ubuntu: sudo apt install p7zip-full
• Then: 7z x /path/to/Intel-3160-...EXE -o./intel_extracted
• Copy intel_extracted to a USB and on Windows (Admin CMD) run:
  pnputil /add-driver "D:\intel_extracted*.inf" /install

(If the package extracted to a subfolder, point to that folder.)
9) If Secure Boot or driver signature blocks install

• Temporarily disable Secure Boot in BIOS, install the driver, reboot and test, then re-enable Secure Boot if desired.

10) If nothing enables the Wi‑Fi, as a quick workaround plug a USB‑Ethernet or USB‑Wi‑Fi adapter — that will give you immediate internet to run Windows Update and let Windows find and fix the driver.
What I need from you now

• Paste the outputs of step 1 (the four commands: Get-NetAdapter, netsh interface show interface, netsh wlan show drivers, ipconfig /all).
• If Enable-NetAdapter gave an error, paste that error.
• If Device Manager shows a problem code for the Intel adapter (Get-PnpDevice output), paste it.

I’ll read those outputs and give the exact next action (enable steps, remove/reinstall driver INF, BIOS toggle, or driver extraction commands).

 

[glennpm]

Please review attachments

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — that output is exactly what I needed. Your Intel Wi‑Fi adapter is present but Disabled, and the Realtek Ethernet is Up (so the NIC hardware and driver are OK). Let’s focus on re‑enabling the Intel Wi‑Fi and getting a wireless connection. Follow these steps in order and paste back any command output or errors you see so I can keep guiding.
Quick summary of next actions (exact order)
1) Try a straightforward enable (PowerShell).
2) Ensure WLAN AutoConfig service is running.
3) Check Device Manager / radio / airplane mode / Fn key.
4) Reinstall Intel driver INF if needed (extract the EXE on Ubuntu or Windows and install with pnputil).
5) If still no Wi‑Fi, test Ethernet connectivity (ping) and collect a couple of diagnostic outputs for me to inspect.
Commands to run now (copy/paste into an elevated PowerShell or Admin CMD)
A — Re-enable the Wi‑Fi adapter
In Admin PowerShell:
Enable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi" -Confirm:$false
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
If PowerShell says the adapter name is different, use the exact Name from your earlier Get-NetAdapter output (e.g. "Wi-Fi" appears correct).
B — Check/Start the WLAN AutoConfig service
In Admin PowerShell:
Get-Service WlanSvc | Format-List Status,StartType,Name
If it is Stopped, run:
Set-Service -Name WlanSvc -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service -Name WlanSvc
Get-Service WlanSvc | Format-List Status,StartType,Name
C — Show WLAN driver & radio state
In Admin CMD / PowerShell:
netsh wlan show drivers
netsh wlan show interfaces
netsh interface show interface
Paste the outputs here. They’ll tell us if Windows thinks the radio is blocked (hardware/driver) or just disabled.
D — Check Airplane mode / Function key / BIOS

• In Windows: open Settings → Network & Internet → Airplane mode and ensure it’s OFF.
• Press the laptop wireless hotkey (usually Fn+F2 or the key with a radio icon). Do it once, then re-run Get-NetAdapter.
• If you have an external physical wireless switch, make sure it’s On.
• If nothing changes, reboot into BIOS (F2) and verify Wireless / WLAN is Enabled.

E — Device Manager check (GUI) — do this if PowerShell enable didn’t work
Open Device Manager → View → Show hidden devices → Network adapters → Right‑click the Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless‑AC 3160:

• If it shows “Disable” → that means it’s enabled; if it shows “Enable” → choose Enable.
• If it shows a warning icon → right‑click → Properties → paste the Problem Code or status text here.
• Under Power Management tab: uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.
• Under Driver tab: click Roll Back Driver (if available) or Update Driver → Browse my computer → point to driver folder if you extracted it.

F — If the adapter remains disabled or shows ProblemCode
Run (Admin PowerShell) and paste the output:
Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List InstanceId,Class,Status,ProblemCode,FriendlyName
If a ProblemCode appears (non-zero), paste it exactly. I’ll translate and give the fix.
G — If the Dell EXE failed earlier (vendor installer error) — extract and install the INF manually (use Ubuntu since it has network)
On Ubuntu (works well to extract the EXE) — run:
sudo apt update; sudo apt install -y p7zip-full
mkdir -p ~/intel_extracted
7z x /path/to/Intel-3160-7260-3165-7265-Wi-Fi-Driver_5TJF1_WIN_20.10.1.1190_A00.EXE -o~/intel_extracted
Then copy the extracted folder (or the INF files) to a USB and to Windows (e.g. D:\Drivers\Intel). On Windows (Admin CMD) run:
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Intel*.inf" /install
pnputil /enum-drivers
H — If driver install reports a signature or Secure Boot issue
Temporarily disable Secure Boot in BIOS, install the driver, verify Wi‑Fi works, then re‑enable Secure Boot if you want.
I — Quick Ethernet tests (to ensure internet access while we fix Wi‑Fi)
In Admin CMD:
ipconfig /all
ping -n 4 8.8.8.8
ping -n 4 google.com
If ping 8.8.8.8 works but google.com fails, it’s a DNS problem — paste ipconfig /all and I’ll show fixes. If neither ping works, paste ipconfig /all so I can check gateway/DHCP.
What to paste next (minimum)

• Result of Enable-NetAdapter (if any) and the post‑run Get-NetAdapter output.
• Results of netsh wlan show drivers and netsh wlan show interfaces.
• Output of Get-PnpDevice -Class Net (in step F) if it shows a problem code.
• ipconfig /all and ping results if Ethernet doesn’t give internet.

One more pointer
You previously had success installing the Intel package (you noted it “installed”), but the adapter is Disabled. That normally means one of:

• Software state = Disabled (fixable by Enable-NetAdapter or Device Manager).
• Radio/hardware switch or Fn key has turned radio off.
• WLAN AutoConfig service stopped.
• Power management or BIOS-level disable.

Run the Enable-NetAdapter and WLAN service commands first — they’re quick — and paste their outputs. I’ll interpret and give the exact next command (or the INF installation commands if needed).
(For context I reviewed our earlier driver/upgrade work in the thread — we’ve already tried driver installs and component repairs, and the driver store was rebuilt earlier, so the likely current issue is the adapter being administratively disabled or the radio/airplane state. See earlier troubleshooting steps in this thread as background.)
Ready when you are — paste the outputs requested under “What to paste next” and I’ll give the precise follow‑ups.

 

[glennpm]

Before I take the above steps:

- Keyboard wifi switch is on and validated under network connections
- I just plugged in a USB Edimax wifi dongle and will also connect to my router's wifi but also has no internet connection