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]

Regarding, "
Finally — your question about selecting and formatting text in forum posts
Short guide (XenForo / WindowsForum):

• Select text:
  • Mouse: click at start, drag to end."

This does not work for me, the click and drag. Is there a topic thread on this forum regarding this? I could find none.

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — that’s a clear symptom. Click‑and‑drag selection normally works, so something in your browser/extension/theme or the forum page is blocking selection. Below are practical checks and fixes (start at #1 and stop when it’s fixed).
Quick checklist (fast)
1) Try a different browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox) or open a Private/Incognito window.
2) Disable extensions temporarily (especially ad‑blockers, privacy blockers, mouse/touchpad enhancers, forum add‑ons).
3) Test on another device (phone/tablet) or in Ubuntu — if it works there, the problem is local to Windows/browser.
Why this happens

• Some browser extensions or user styles inject CSS like user-select:none and prevent drag selection.
• The forum theme or a forum overlay (quick‑edit popups, toolbars) can intercept mouse events.
• Touchpad gestures or a broken mouse driver can prevent click‑and‑drag.
• If you’re on mobile / touchscreen the selection gesture is different (long‑press).

Step‑by‑step troubleshooting (detailed)
A — Quick keyboard selection alternatives

• Double‑click a word to select it; triple‑click a paragraph to select the whole paragraph.
• Click at the start, then hold Shift and click at the end to select a block.
• Click at the start, then Shift + Arrow keys to expand selection.
• Ctrl+A selects the whole page (useful to test if selection is totally blocked).

B — Check for extensions or content blockers

• In your current browser: open Extensions / Add‑ons and disable them all, then reload the forum and test selection.
• If selection works after disabling extensions, re‑enable them one at a time to find the culprit.

C — Try another browser or private window

• If it works in Private mode or in another browser, that usually points to an extension or browser profile issue.

D — Force-enable text selection via the console (safe to try)

1. Press F12 to open Developer Tools.
2. Click Console.
3. Paste this one line and press Enter:
   document.querySelectorAll('*').forEach(el => el.style.userSelect = 'text');
4. Try selecting on the page now.

Note: this is temporary (only for this page load). If this fixes it, it confirms a CSS rule is blocking selection.
E — Check for forum editor / overlay interference

• Some forums show a floating quick editor or a click‑blocking overlay when you hover or when a plugin runs. Click “Full editor” or “Advanced reply” (or click the Reply button that opens the big editor) and try selecting in that editor area — selection there should work.
• If you can select in the full editor but not in the message preview, use the full editor to compose posts.

F — Mouse / touchpad checks

• Try a different mouse or enable tapping/clicking on your touchpad.
• Update the mouse/touchpad driver (Device Manager → Mice and other pointing devices).
• If you have a precision touchpad, check Settings → Devices → Touchpad and try toggling Tap/Drag settings.

G — Persistent fix (if a forum CSS rule is to blame)

• If the console trick worked, you can install a small user style (Stylus extension for Chrome/Firefox) and add:
  • { user-select: text !important; -webkit-user-select: text !important; }
    That forces selection on pages where a style blocks it (use carefully — it affects all pages you enable it for).

What I need to help further

• Which browser and version are you using? (e.g., Chrome 115, Firefox 117, Edge 118)
• Are you on Windows (which version), or using the forum mobile app?
• A screenshot showing the mouse pointer and the part you try to select can help.
• Does selection work elsewhere (e.g., on other websites, in this thread when you use the Full Editor)?

If you want, tell me your browser and I’ll give exact steps (how to disable extensions, how to run the console command, or a small Stylus rule you can paste).

 

[glennpm]

I ran this to find the network controller:

sudo lspci
[sudo] password for glennpm:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Host Bridge -OPI (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 5500 (rev 09)
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Audio Controller (rev 09)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP USB xHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP MEI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev e3)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev e3)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev e3)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP USB EHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP LPC Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI Mode] (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP SMBus Controller (rev 03)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 07)
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 3160 (rev 83)

.. and then this to "remove" it:

sudo echo "1" > /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/remove
bash: /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/remove: Permission denied

So now don't know how to avoid "permission denied", noting that I ran the commands as sudo

 

[ChatGPT]

Good work — you’re almost there. The “Permission denied” happened because the shell does the redirection (>) before sudo runs, so sudo only applied to echo, not to the write to /sys. Use sudo with a shell or tee so the write runs as root.
Run these exact commands in Ubuntu (they’re safe for the NIC and reversible). Use the ones in order — stop when something shows the device recovered.
1) Confirm the PCI ID and driver in use
sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0
(You already saw 02:00.0 is the Realtek RTL810xE — this confirms the PCI ID to use.)
2) Simple safe reset (preferred)
This will reset the PCI device. Copy/paste exactly:
echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
Watch the output of dmesg for changes:
sudo dmesg -w
(If you see kernel messages about the Realtek device resetting/initializing, good sign.)
3) If reset file is not present or you prefer unbind/rebind
Find the driver name (example below shows how — it will print something like r8169):
basename "$(readlink /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/driver)" | sudo tee /dev/stderr
Then unbind and bind (replace DRIVER with the name printed by the previous command; most likely r8169):
DRIVER=$(basename "$(readlink /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/driver)")
echo -n 0000:02:00.0 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/driver/unbind
echo -n 0000:02:00.0 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/drivers/$DRIVER/bind
Check dmesg again:
sudo dmesg | tail -n 40
4) Rescan the PCI bus (if needed)
echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/rescan
5) Verify in Ubuntu that the interface still works
ip link show
ip a
sudo ethtool <interface-name> (replace <interface-name> with the name shown, e.g., enp2s0)
6) If interface works in Ubuntu, fully power off and then boot into Windows
Important: do a full shutdown (not restart), unplug AC and do the power‑drain step if you haven’t already (hold power 30–60s). Then boot Windows and check Device Manager → Scan for hardware changes and try the Realtek INF install.
If the reset/unbind+bind produced kernel messages indicating errors, paste the last 50 lines from dmesg here (sudo dmesg | tail -n 50) and I’ll interpret them.
If nothing changes after the PCI reset, next steps:

• Try the hardware power drain (remove AC & battery, hold power, then boot).
• Temporarily use a USB Ethernet or Wi‑Fi adapter in Windows to download the official Dell driver for Inspiron 15 5548 (I can link it).
• If you want, paste the output of sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0 and sudo dmesg | tail -n 50 and I’ll give exact next commands.

One more note on sudo vs redirect:

• These produce the same result as tee:
  echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
• Or use a shell under sudo:
  sudo bash -c 'echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset'

Run the reset/unbind sequence now and paste any dmesg output you see. I’ll help interpret and plan the Windows side.

 

[glennpm]

glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
[sudo] password for glennpm:
Sorry, try again.
[sudo] password for glennpm:
1
glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ sudo dmesg -w
[ 0.000000] Linux version 6.14.0-27-generic (buildd@lcy02-amd64-100) (x86_64-linux-gnu-gcc-14 (Ubuntu 14.2.0-19ubuntu2) 14.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.44) #27-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Jul 22 17:01:58 UTC 2025 (Ubuntu 6.14.0-27.27-generic 6.14.6)
[ 0.000000] Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.14.0-27-generic root=UUID=6482c31c-6bc3-459a-8385-4850f647625b ro fsck. mode=skip quiet crashkernel=2G-4G:320M,4G-32G:512M,32G-64G:1024M,64G-128G:2048M,128G-:4096M
[ 0.000000] KERNEL supported cpus:
[ 0.000000] Intel GenuineIntel
[ 0.000000] AMD AuthenticAMD
[ 0.000000] Hygon HygonGenuine
[ 0.000000] Centaur CentaurHauls
........


glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/rescan
[sudo] password for glennpm:
1
glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ ip link show
ip a
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: enp2s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:17:eb:82:0e:ae brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname enx3417eb820eae
3: wlp3s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:e6:ad:6a:a6:8f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname wlx34e6ad6aa68f
4: docker0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default
link/ether d6:37:6b:0e:8f:50 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
5: surfshark_ipv6: <BROADCAST,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 32:0d:82:30:0b:a6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
6: surfshark_wg: <POINTOPOINT,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1280 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/none
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
inet6 ::1/128 scope host noprefixroute
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: enp2s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:17:eb:82:0e:ae brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname enx3417eb820eae
inet 192.168.1.71/24 brd 192.168.1.255 scope global noprefixroute enp2s0
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
3: wlp3s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:e6:ad:6a:a6:8f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname wlx34e6ad6aa68f
4: docker0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state DOWN group default
link/ether d6:37:6b:0e:8f:50 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet 172.17.0.1/16 brd 172.17.255.255 scope global docker0
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
5: surfshark_ipv6: <BROADCAST,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
link/ether 32:0d:82:30:0b:a6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet6 fdbe:2bde:b490:9e47::/64 scope global noprefixroute
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
inet6 fe80::4e13:7ae2:7171:574d/64 scope link noprefixroute
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
6: surfshark_wg: <POINTOPOINT,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1280 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default qlen 1000
link/none
inet 10.14.0.2/16 brd 10.14.255.255 scope global noprefixroute surfshark_wg
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ sudo ethtool enp2s0
Settings for enp2s0:
Supported ports: [ TP MII ]
Supported link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
Supported pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
Supported FEC modes: Not reported
Advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
Link partner advertised link modes: 10baseT/Half 10baseT/Full
100baseT/Half 100baseT/Full
Link partner advertised pause frame use: Symmetric Receive-only
Link partner advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
Link partner advertised FEC modes: Not reported
Speed: 100Mb/s
Duplex: Full
Auto-negotiation: on
Port: Twisted Pair
PHYAD: 0
Transceiver: external
MDI-X: Unknown
Supports Wake-on: pumbg
Wake-on: d
Link detected: yes

Looks good to me. Anything I should now do before a reboot?

 

[glennpm]

glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0 and sudo dmesg | tail -n 50
Usage: lspci [<switches>]

Basic display modes:
-mm Produce machine-readable output (single -m for an obsolete format)
-t Show bus tree

Display options:
-v Be verbose (-vv or -vvv for higher verbosity)
-k Show kernel drivers handling each device
-x Show hex-dump of the standard part of the config space
-xxx Show hex-dump of the whole config space (dangerous; root only)
-xxxx Show hex-dump of the 4096-byte extended config space (root only)
-b Bus-centric view (addresses and IRQ's as seen by the bus)
-D Always show domain numbers
-P Display bridge path in addition to bus and device number
-PP Display bus path in addition to bus and device number

Resolving of device ID's to names:
-n Show numeric ID's
-nn Show both textual and numeric ID's (names & numbers)
-q Query the PCI ID database for unknown ID's via DNS
-qq As above, but re-query locally cached entries
-Q Query the PCI ID database for all ID's via DNS

Selection of devices:
-s [[[[<domain>]:]<bus>]:][<slot>][.[<func>]] Show only devices in selected slots
-d [<vendor>]:[<device>][:<class>] Show only devices with specified ID's

Other options:
-i <file> Use specified ID database instead of /usr/share/misc/pci.ids.gz
-p <file> Look up kernel modules in a given file instead of default modules.pcimap
-M Enable `bus mapping' mode (dangerous; root only)

PCI access options:
-A <method> Use the specified PCI access method (see `-A help' for a list)
-O <par>=<val> Set PCI access parameter (see `-O help' for a list)
-G Enable PCI access debugging
-H <mode> Use direct hardware access (<mode> = 1 or 2)
-F <file> Read PCI configuration dump from a given file

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — that error message just means the lspci command and the dmesg command must be run separately. Also the earlier “permission denied” for writing into /sys was because the shell did the redirection before sudo ran. Below are the exact, copy/paste commands to run in Ubuntu (one block at a time). Run them in the order shown and paste the outputs you get — that will let me interpret the kernel messages and confirm whether the PCI reset/unbind succeeded.
1) Show the Realtek device and kernel driver (run this first)
sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0
2) Try a safe PCI reset (use tee so the write runs as root)
echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
3) Immediately show the last kernel messages (to watch for device reset output)
sudo dmesg | tail -n 80
4) If step 2 fails (file not present) or you want the alternative unbind/rebind method, run these three lines (they find the driver name automatically, then unbind and rebind):
DRIVER=$(basename "$(readlink -f /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/driver)")
echo "driver=$DRIVER"
echo -n 0000:02:00.0 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/driver/unbind
echo -n 0000:02:00.0 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/drivers/$DRIVER/bind
Then check kernel log again:
sudo dmesg | tail -n 80
5) Confirm the interface exists in Ubuntu now
ip link show
ip -br a
6) If you want to monitor kernel messages live while you do the reset, open a second terminal and run:
sudo dmesg -w
Notes and what I’m looking for in the outputs you paste

• From lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0 I want to confirm the PCI ID and which kernel driver (eg r8169) is bound.
• After reset/unbind+bind, dmesg should show the Realtek device being reinitialized — lines mentioning r8169 or r81xx, firmware, or link up/down. Paste the last ~80 lines.
• ip link / ip -br a should show the interface name (eg enp2s0 or eth0). If that shows the NIC, then do a full shutdown and boot Windows (not restart) and check Device Manager — often this wake lets Windows enumerate the device again.

If any command prints an error, paste that full error here. If you prefer, run the set of commands and paste the outputs for commands 1, 3 and 5 (lspci, dmesg tail, ip link).
If the PCI reset/unbind shows success in Ubuntu but Windows still doesn’t see the NIC after a full power‑off/power‑drain, we’ll try:

• full power drain (remove AC + battery if possible; hold power 30–60s) then cold boot Windows, or
• update BIOS/firmware from Ubuntu (download Dell BIOS update and run the Windows EXE via fwupd or create DOS USB), or
• a USB network adapter as a temporary workaround to install the Realtek driver in Windows.

Run the commands above and paste the outputs and I’ll interpret them and give the precise next Windows steps.

 

[glennpm]

1.0
sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0
[sudo] password for glennpm:
02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller [10ec:8136] (rev 07)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0641]
Kernel driver in use: r8169
Kernel modules: r8169

2.0
echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
1

3.0
sudo dmesg | tail -n 80
[ 10.703779] Bluetooth: BNEP (Ethernet Emulation) ver 1.3
[ 10.703786] Bluetooth: BNEP filters: protocol multicast
[ 10.703792] Bluetooth: BNEP socket layer initialized
[ 10.710518] Bluetooth: MGMT ver 1.23
[ 10.719435] NET: Registered PF_ALG protocol family
[ 10.810672] Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
[ 10.810685] Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
[ 10.810693] Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11
[ 11.244763] ahci 0000:00:1f.2: port does not support device sleep
[ 11.244991] ata1.00: supports DRM functions and may not be fully accessible
[ 11.249789] ata1.00: supports DRM functions and may not be fully accessible
[ 11.264392] ahci 0000:00:1f.2: port does not support device sleep
[ 11.264661] ata1.00: Enabling discard_zeroes_data
[ 11.308510] NET: Registered PF_QIPCRTR protocol family
[ 11.883077] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: SysV service '/etc/init.d/vmware' lacks a native systemd unit file, automatically generating a unit file for compatibility.
[ 11.883083] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: Please update package to include a native systemd unit file.
[ 11.883086] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: ! This compatibility logic is deprecated, expect removal soon. !
[ 11.883896] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: SysV service '/etc/init.d/surfshark2' lacks a native systemd unit file, automatically generating a unit file for compatibility.
[ 11.883901] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: Please update package to include a native systemd unit file.
[ 11.883903] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: ! This compatibility logic is deprecated, expect removal soon. !
[ 11.883933] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: SysV service '/etc/init.d/vmware-USBArbitrator' lacks a native systemd unit file, automatically generating a unit file for compatibility.
[ 11.883936] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: Please update package to include a native systemd unit file.
[ 11.883938] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: ! This compatibility logic is deprecated, expect removal soon. !
[ 11.889290] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: SysV service '/etc/init.d/surfshark' lacks a native systemd unit file, automatically generating a unit file for compatibility.
[ 11.889294] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: Please update package to include a native systemd unit file.
[ 11.889297] systemd-sysv-generator[1866]: ! This compatibility logic is deprecated, expect removal soon. !
[ 12.394789] RTL8208 Fast Ethernet r8169-0-200:00: attached PHY driver (mii_bushy_addr=r8169-0-200:00, irq=MAC)
[ 12.663317] r8169 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0: Link is Down
[ 12.946922] loop51: detected capacity change from 0 to 8
[ 14.313724] r8169 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0: Link is Up - 100Mbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
[ 14.856296] Guest personality initialized and is inactive
[ 14.860085] kauditd_printk_skb: 258 callbacks suppressed
[ 14.860089] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907331.765:270): apparmor="DENIED" operation="getattr" class="file" info="Failed name lookup - disconnected path" error=-13 profile="/usr/bin/wsdd" name="dev/null" pid=2313 comm="python3" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=64757 ouid=0
[ 14.860810] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907331.766:271): apparmor="DENIED" operation="getattr" class="file" info="Failed name lookup - disconnected path" error=-13 profile="/usr/bin/wsdd" name="dev/null" pid=2313 comm="python3" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=64757 ouid=0
[ 14.866549] VMCI host device registered (name=vmci, major=10, minor=122)
[ 14.866556] Initialized host personality
[ 14.867860] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907331.773:272): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="/usr/bin/wsdd" name="/var/lib/sss/mc/passwd" pid=2313 comm="python3" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=64757 ouid=0
[ 14.867888] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907331.773:273): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="/usr/bin/wsdd" name="/var/lib/sss/mc/passwd" pid=2313 comm="python3" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=64757 ouid=0
[ 14.931242] NET: Registered PF_VSOCK protocol family
[ 15.358400] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907332.242:274): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" profile="unconfined" name="docker-default" pid=2537 comm="apparmor_parser"
[ 15.538613] evm: overlay not supported
[ 15.668107] Initializing XFRM netlink socket
[ 20.324310] rfkill: input handler disabled
[ 21.095437] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907337.998:275): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel" name="/sys/class/video4linux/" pid=3592 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 21.118564] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907338.024:276): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/renderD128/uevent" pid=3592 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 21.125677] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907338.031:277): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/uevent" pid=3592 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 22.377976] exFAT-fs (sdc1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.
[ 27.801224] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907344.681:278): apparmor="DENIED" operation="connect" class="net" profile="rygel" pid=3592 comm="gst-plugin-scan" family="unix" sock_type="stream" protocol=0 requested="send receive connect" denied="send connect" addr=none peer_addr="@/tmp/.X11-unix/X0" peer="unconfined"
[ 28.300877] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.206:279): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/renderD128/uevent" pid=4332 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 28.306407] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.207:280): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/uevent" pid=4332 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 28.306419] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.207:281): apparmor="DENIED" operation="connect" class="net" profile="rygel//mx-extract" pid=4332 comm="gst-plugin-scan" family="unix" sock_type="stream" protocol=0 requested="send receive connect" denied="send connect" addr=none peer_addr="@/tmp/.X11-unix/X0" peer="unconfined"
[ 28.310971] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.216:282): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/renderD128/uevent" pid=4333 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 28.312657] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.218:283): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/uevent" pid=4333 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 28.314237] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.219:284): apparmor="DENIED" operation="connect" class="net" profile="rygel//mx-extract" pid=4333 comm="gst-plugin-scan" family="unix" sock_type="stream" protocol=0 requested="send receive connect" denied="send connect" addr=none peer_addr="@/tmp/.X11-unix/X0" peer="unconfined"
[ 28.319752] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.225:285): apparmor="DENIED" operation="mknod" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/home/glennpm/.cache/gstreamer-1.0/registry.x86_64.bin.tmpPQD5A3" pid=4328 comm="mx-extract" requested_mask="c" denied_mask="c" fsuid=1000 ouid=1000
[ 28.319799] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.225:286): apparmor="DENIED" operation="mknod" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/home/glennpm/.cache/gstreamer-1.0/registry.x86_64.bin.tmp59C5A3" pid=4328 comm="mx-extract" requested_mask="c" denied_mask="c" fsuid=1000 ouid=1000
[ 28.325916] audit: type=1400 audit(1754907345.231:287): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" class="file" profile="rygel//mx-extract" name="/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/renderD128/uevent" pid=4334 comm="gst-plugin-scan" requested_mask="r" denied_mask="r" fsuid=1000 ouid=0
[ 35.398740] warning: `stremio' uses wireless extensions which will stop working for Wi-Fi 7 hardware; use nl80211
[ 822.249113] logitech-hidpp-device 0003:046D:4091.0005: HID++ 4.5 device connected.
[ 940.599537] wireguard: WireGuard 1.0.0 loaded. See www.wireguard.com for information.
[ 940.599544] wireguard: Copyright (C) 2015-2019 Jason A. Donenfeld <Jason@zx2c4.com>. All Rights Reserved.
[ 1959.708263] capability: warning: `gvfsd-admin' uses 32-bit capabilities (legacy support in use)
[ 2685.524140] EXT4-fs (sdb2): mounted filesystem 69a60e32-0bbb-764a-ae20-198afe05dcf8 r/w with ordered data mode. Quota mode: none.
[ 2686.463839] EXT4-fs (sdb2): unmounting filesystem 69a60e32-0bbb-764a-ae20-198afe05dcf8.
[ 2942.406991] workqueue: delayed_fput hogged CPU for >10000us 4 times, consider switching to WQ_UNBOUND
[ 2995.171886] workqueue: delayed_fput hogged CPU for >10000us 5 times, consider switching to WQ_UNBOUND
[ 3277.479320] workqueue: delayed_fput hogged CPU for >10000us 7 times, consider switching to WQ_UNBOUND
[ 3575.282256] r8169 0000:02:00.0: resetting
[ 3575.389969] r8169 0000:02:00.0: reset done
[ 3586.044754] r8169 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0: NETDEV WATCHDOG: CPU: 1: transmit queue 0 timed out 5007 ms
[ 3586.044830] r8169 0000:02:00.0: can't disable ASPM; OS doesn't have ASPM control
[ 3595.298685] workqueue: delayed_fput hogged CPU for >10000us 11 times, consider switching to WQ_UNBOUND
[ 3861.674243] pcieport 0000:00:1c.0: Enabling MPC IRBNCE
[ 3861.674253] pcieport 0000:00:1c.0: Intel PCH root port ACS workaround enabled
[ 4257.979708] perf: interrupt took too long (2505 > 2500), lowering kernel.perf_event_max_sample_rate to 79000
[ 4754.794375] workqueue: delayed_fput hogged CPU for >10000us 19 times, consider switching to WQ_UNBOUND
[ 5093.918149] r8169 0000:02:00.0: resetting
[ 5094.025962] r8169 0000:02:00.0: reset done
[ 5107.306753] r8169 0000:02:00.0 enp2s0: NETDEV WATCHDOG: CPU: 2: transmit queue 0 timed out 5532 ms
[ 5107.306831] r8169 0000:02:00.0: can't disable ASPM; OS doesn't have ASPM control

5.0

ip link show
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: enp2s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:17:eb:82:0e:ae brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname enx3417eb820eae
3: wlp3s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 34:e6:ad:6a:a6:8f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
altname wlx34e6ad6aa68f
4: docker0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default
link/ether d6:37:6b:0e:8f:50 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
5: surfshark_ipv6: <BROADCAST,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/ether 32:0d:82:30:0b:a6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
6: surfshark_wg: <POINTOPOINT,NOARP,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1280 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
link/none
glennpm@glenn-ubuntu:~$ ip -br a
lo UNKNOWN 127.0.0.1/8 ::1/128
enp2s0 UP 192.168.1.71/24
wlp3s0 DOWN
docker0 DOWN 172.17.0.1/16
surfshark_ipv6 UNKNOWN fdbe:2bde:b490:9e47::/64 fe80::4e13:7ae2:7171:574d/64
surfshark_wg UNKNOWN 10.14.0.2/16

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice work — the Ubuntu outputs show the Realtek NIC is present and functional (enp2s0 with IP 192.168.1.71) and your PCI reset succeeded (the r8169 reset / reset done lines in dmesg). That confirms the hardware is fine and the device can be woken by Linux — which is good news.
Because Windows still doesn’t enumerate it, the problem is almost certainly a Windows-side enumeration/driver/power-state issue. Below I’ve laid out the most effective troubleshooting paths (ordered from easiest/most likely to help → more work). Pick one and try it, then report back the results or any error text.
Immediate next steps (in order)
1) Do a complete power‑drain and cold boot Windows (very often fixes the “Deep Sleep” state)

• Shutdown Windows completely (Start → Power → Shut down).
• Unplug AC. If you can remove the battery do so, otherwise still unplug AC.
• Hold the power button for 30–60 seconds. This forces any device in a low‑power latch to hard reset.
• Reconnect AC/battery and boot Windows.
• In Windows: open Device Manager → Action → Scan for hardware changes.
  Why: Linux can wake the NIC in a running session but Windows needs the device to present itself at cold-boot time. This is the single most common fix for the Realtek “deep sleep” symptom.

2) If #1 doesn’t fix it — force Windows to rescan/reenumerate devices

• In an elevated Command Prompt on Windows try:
  • pnputil /scan-devices
  • pnputil /enum-devices /class Net
    (pnputil /scan-devices forces PnP re‑enumeration on newer Windows builds.)
• If pnputil lacks /scan-devices on your build, get devcon.exe (Microsoft DevCon) on another PC and copy it to a USB. Then in an elevated CMD run:
  • devcon rescan
  • devcon hwids * | findstr /I "Realtek"
    Devcon forces device rescan and can reveal devices not shown by Device Manager.

3) If rescan shows nothing — inspect Windows PnP logs while booting

• Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System → filter by source "Kernel-PnP" or look for IDs 20001/20003 etc around boot time.
• This will show whether Windows detected the device at all and if driver install failed. Copy/paste any Kernel-PnP errors you find.

4) Use a temporary USB network adapter in Windows (practical workaround)

• If you have a USB‑Ethernet adapter or USB Wi‑Fi dongle, plug it into Windows. That gets Windows online so you can:
  • Download the official Dell driver for Inspiron 15 5548 (the correct Realtek package).
  • Install the driver, then retry Device Manager scan and reboot.
    Why: This is often the fastest route to a working Windows NIC when the internal NIC refuses to enumerate — it lets you get the actual driver and Windows updates installed.

5) If you prefer to keep trying without extra hardware — port the Linux wake to Windows:
You already did the PCI reset on Ubuntu successfully. The usual next step is:

• After doing the PCI reset in Ubuntu (you already did) do a full shutdown and power‑drain (step 1) and then boot into Windows. Because you reset the NIC from Linux, the device often presents correctly to the Windows PCI enumeration on the following cold boot.

6) If none of the above works — attempt driver install with INF (manual)

• On another machine, download the Dell Realtek LAN driver for Inspiron_i15-5548. Extract the package and copy the folder with the .inf to a USB.
• In Windows Device Manager (if the device appears as Unknown or not at all), right‑click → Update driver → Browse my computer → Let me pick → Have Disk → point to the INF.
  Notes: If the installer EXE complains about “deep sleep”, the manual INF install sometimes works after a power‑drain or rescan.

Useful Windows commands to run and paste here (will help me diagnose)

• In elevated PowerShell:
  • Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
  • Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List -Property *
• In elevated CMD:
  • pnputil /enum-devices /class Net
  • pnputil /enum-drivers
• Event log dump for PnP errors: (in elevated PowerShell)
  • Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List -Property TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message

If you want me to fetch the exact Dell Realtek driver for Inspiron 15 5548 and give the precise INF path to use, I can — tell me and I’ll fetch the driver link and point to the .inf (I’ll need to look it up).
Why this is happening (short)

• Realtek PCIe NICs can enter a low-power “deep sleep” (D3) state where Windows does not re-enumerate them on warm boots. Linux can often reset the device while running (which you did), but Windows needs the device to be present at cold-boot or to be forced to rescan. Driver mismatches or prior registry/service changes (your earlier user-hive surgery and AOMEI interactions) can also prevent proper enumeration.

One more diagnostic you can do now (optional)

• Boot into Windows and open an elevated cmd. Run:
  • set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
  • start devmgmt.msc
  • In Device Manager choose View → Show hidden devices → View → Devices by connection
  • Expand the PCI Express Root Complex and scan for any nodes that look like the NIC (even if greyed out). If you find a greyed device under PCI bus, right-click → Uninstall (remove driver) and then Action → Scan for hardware changes.

Wrap up / next message

• Try the full power‑drain cold boot first (step 1). That fixes this in a large majority of cases.
• If that fails, either run the pnputil/devcon rescan commands and paste outputs, or plug in a USB network adapter so Windows can download the official Dell Realtek driver (I can fetch the link for you).
• If you want me to fetch the Dell driver for Inspiron_i15-5548, say so and I’ll locate it and give the exact file to extract and the INF path to use.

You’re very close — Ubuntu proves the NIC is fine and you already did the PCI reset correctly. The power‑drain + cold boot → Windows rescan step is the most likely “last mile” fix. Let me know which step you try and paste any outputs/errors you see.

 

[glennpm]

When I did the power drain and attempted to re-start I got a continue series of 5 beeps over and over.

5 Beep - Dead CMOS Battery

I ordered one but it will be a couple of days before it comes so on standby until then.

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — good troubleshooting and nice catch on the 5-beep pattern. That repeating 5-beep sequence on many Dell Inspiron models is commonly the CMOS/RTC battery (coin cell) failure or a BIOS/CMOS checksum problem, so your ordering a replacement was the right move.
A few quick, safe notes and next steps while you wait for the battery:
1) What the 5 beeps usually means

• Repeating 5 short beeps on many Dell Inspiron laptops = CMOS/RTC (CMOS) battery failure or BIOS checksum error. The machine is halting POST because it can’t keep BIOS settings/time. (You already linked the right search result — good confirmation.)

2) What you can (and shouldn’t) do now

• Don’t keep power‑cycling the laptop repeatedly for long stretches — it won’t fix the CMOS cell and repeated attempts are just noisy and inconvenient.
• It’s safe to leave the laptop powered off until you have the replacement cell. If you need to work, continue using Ubuntu (which you already have working) or another machine.

3) When the replacement arrives — recommended sequence
a) Prepare: have a small Phillips screwdriver, an anti‑static wrist strap (or touch grounded metal occasionally), and a clean workspace.
b) Fully power down and unplug the laptop. If the main battery is removable, remove it. If it’s internal, proceed carefully.
c) Remove the bottom cover following the Dell service manual for Inspiron 15 5548 (remove screws, lift cover). Locate the CMOS coin cell. It may be in a clip or on a small cable — check the service manual or photos online if unsure.
d) Replace the coin cell with the same type (usually CR2032 but verify the part number on the old cell). If it’s on a cable, reconnect the new cell the same way.
e) Before reassembling fully: reconnect main battery/AC, power on and press F2 (or F12) to get into BIOS and confirm it posts. Set date/time and reapply any BIOS settings you previously used (UEFI, Secure Boot, boot order).
f) Reboot into Windows and Ubuntu to confirm everything is detected. If the NIC problem was due to the BIOS/CMOS issue, it may now be resolved.
4) Additional steps if beeping or boot issues persist after battery swap

• Run Dell built‑in diagnostics (power on and press F12 → Diagnostics) to run ePSA/hardware tests; note any error codes.
• If the NIC still does not enumerate after a fresh CMOS battery + full power drain, do a cold power drain (unplug AC, remove main battery if possible, hold power 30–60s), then boot Windows and try Device Manager → Scan for hardware changes.
• If the NIC still fails, we’ll follow up with devcon/pnputil scans, Event Viewer Kernel‑PnP logs, or try the USB adapter workaround so you can install drivers.

5) Practical tip: keep doing the Clonezilla image now

• You said you were running Clonezilla — finish that and keep the image safe. Good move to have that backup before any hardware/firmware changes.

6) If you want help replacing the battery

• When the part arrives I can walk you step‑by‑step through:
  • opening the laptop (screw order, how to disengage clips),
  • identifying the correct coin cell location in the 5548,
  • BIOS settings to check afterwards,
  • and verifying the NIC enumeration as soon as you boot.

7) If you want to confirm the beep diagnosis now

• If you want to double‑check before replacing the battery: try to enter BIOS (F2) when it beeps — if BIOS isn’t accessible and the beeping repeats continuously, that reinforces the CMOS battery/BIOS error diagnosis.

Bottom line — you did the right thing ordering the battery. Replace it when it arrives, do a power‑drain, then boot and check BIOS and Device Manager. Post back here with the results (or post the F12 diagnostics code if it shows one) and I’ll guide the next steps.
Safe replacement and I’ll be ready to walk you through the install when the battery arrives.

 

[glennpm]

Item #5

I replaced the CMOS battery and after reboot, there are still no network devices in Windows, Ubuntu is fine with fully operable network.

F12 and Dell diagnostics found NO problems.
sPSA 4236.29 - Success, no problems found.

I do have drivers, appropriate for the Inspiron 5548 which I downloaded on another computer. They will not install, still getting the deep sleep error which is not correct.

Next steps that you suggest please.

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — good troubleshooting so far, and thanks for replacing the CMOS battery. Since Ubuntu sees the NIC fine (enp2s0), we know the hardware and PCI path are OK; this is now a Windows-side enumeration/driver problem. Below are focused next steps (ordered by easiest → more advanced), exact commands to run in Windows and Ubuntu, what to expect, and what to paste back so I can keep helping. I’ll also note safe workarounds (USB adapter) and last‑resort options.
I’ll cite a few of the background items I’m using so you can see the rationale (power‑drain + Linux PCI reset are common fixes, and forcing PnP rescans / using devcon or pnputil are standard next steps).
A — Try these quick checks in Windows (minimal risk)
1) Open an elevated PowerShell (Run as Administrator) and run:

• Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize
• Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List -Property *
  What this shows: whether Windows can see any network devices (present or hidden). Paste both outputs if they show nothing — that confirms Windows truly isn’t enumerating the device.

2) Force a PnP rescan (modern Windows)
In an elevated CMD (Admin):

• pnputil /scan-devices
• pnputil /enum-devices /class Net
  If your Windows build doesn’t accept /scan-devices, skip to step C below to use devcon (see steps there). These commands force a re‑enumeration and list detected devices. Paste the outputs if any devices appear or if you get errors.

3) Show non‑present devices & “by connection” view
In an elevated cmd:

• set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
• start devmgmt.msc
  In Device Manager: View → Show hidden devices → View → Devices by connection → expand the PCI Express root and PCI bus nodes. Look for any greyed device that could be the Realtek NIC (Vendor ID 10EC, Device 8136). If you find a grayed device, right‑click → Uninstall (choose Delete driver software if shown), then Action → Scan for hardware changes. (This is a recommended troubleshooting step used in this scenario.)

B — If Windows still shows nothing: check Kernel‑PnP logs
Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System. Filter by Provider = Microsoft‑Windows‑Kernel‑PnP (or source Kernel‑PnP) and look for messages at boot time mentioning device install failures or the PCI device. In PowerShell (Admin) you can export the last 30 minutes Kernel‑PnP events with:
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message
Paste any Kernel‑PnP messages here — they often tell why Windows refused or failed to enumerate the device.
C — If pnputil/Device Manager show nothing, use devcon (forces rescan / reveals hidden PnP nodes)

• DevCon is Microsoft’s Device Console (part of Windows Driver Kit). If you don’t have it installed, you can download devcon.exe (there are small redistributable builds) on another machine and copy it to the laptop via USB.
  Commands (Admin CMD) once devcon.exe is on the Windows box:
• devcon rescan
• devcon hwids * | findstr /I "10EC" (search for Realtek vendor ID)
• devcon status * | findstr /I "Realtek"
  If devcon shows the device, you can use devcon to enable/uninstall/reinstall the device. Devcon is very useful when Device Manager won’t show devices. (If you want, I can point you to the exact devcon binary to download or walk you through extracting it.)

D — Manual INF install with pnputil (use the .inf from the driver package, not the EXE)
You said you’ve downloaded the Inspiron 5548 Realtek driver package. Often the EXE wrapper fails with “deep sleep,” but the INF can be installed directly.
1) On the Windows laptop, copy the extracted driver folder (the folder that contains *.inf) to e.g. D:\Drivers\Realtek
2) Run (Admin CMD):
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
Watch the output. If pnputil accepts and installs, reboot and check Device Manager. If it returns the same “deep sleep” or “device not found” message, copy/paste the exact pnputil output here. The manual INF install is often the difference vs the EXE wrapper.
E — Registry search for any leftover PCI/Realtek entries
If Windows previously had weird registry entries pointing to deleted/disabled hardware, they can block enumeration.
Run (Admin CMD):
reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI /s | findstr /I "VEN_10EC" > C:\temp\pci_realtek.txt
(then open C:\temp\pci_realtek.txt with Notepad and paste anything you find here.)
If you find a key for VEN_10EC&DEV_8136, post the full key path and subkeys (don’t post private serials — but the key names are fine). If a stale entry exists, we can remove it cleanly (with care) and re‑scan.
F — Use Ubuntu to do one more “wake” trick then cold‑boot Windows
You already ran the PCI reset in Ubuntu (good). Repeat just before shutting down Ubuntu to maximize chance Windows will see it:
In Ubuntu terminal:

• sudo dmesg -w (open in one window)
• echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:02:00.0/reset
  Confirm dmesg shows reset done (you already saw that earlier). Then do a full power‑off of the laptop, unplug AC and remove battery (if possible) for 60 seconds, then reattach and boot into Windows (don’t warm‑restart). This “reset in Linux + hard power‑drain + cold boot to Windows” is the most frequently successful combo for Realtek deep‑sleep problems. I described this method earlier; it’s a common community fix.

G — Temporary practical workaround: USB network adapter
If you want the fastest path to a working Windows system (so you can download drivers/updates and continue troubleshooting) plug a cheap USB‑Ethernet dongle or USB Wi‑Fi adaptor into Windows. That will get Windows online immediately and allow you to:

• download the official Dell driver for your Inspiron 15 5548,
• install it, and re‑attempt the internal NIC install steps,
• run DISM /RestoreHealth and Windows Update (which sometimes replaces problematic driver entries).

H — If the driver still refuses to install: try alternate Realtek driver (r8168 vs r8169)
Some Realtek variants work better with the vendor r8168 driver rather than the kernel r8169; likewise on Windows a different Realtek driver release can help. If you want I can fetch the exact Dell driver package for your Inspiron 15 5548 and tell you the precise .inf path inside it to use for pnputil (I’ll need the driver filename you downloaded or permission to fetch it).
I — If everything above fails (last resort options)
1) Fresh Windows repair / in‑place upgrade (keeps files/apps) — after you have a network or driver backup, doing an in‑place repair using Windows installer can reinstall drivers and system files without wiping user data.
2) Clean reinstall of Windows (you said you’re reluctant — understandable). Make a full image first (you already ran Clonezilla — good). If you want, I’ll list a careful sequence that avoids destroying Ubuntu (use separate drive or ensure EFI entries are preserved).
What I need from you next (pick whichever you run)

• Paste the outputs of these (from Windows, run as Admin):
  • Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize (PowerShell)
  • pnputil /enum-devices /class Net (CMD)
  • result of pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install (if you try manual INF install)
  • Any Kernel‑PnP Event Viewer messages (copy/paste entries)
    If devcon is available:
  • devcon rescan
  • devcon hwids * | findstr /I "10EC"
• From Ubuntu (if you do the PCI reset again), paste:
  • sudo lspci -nnk -s 02:00.0
  • sudo dmesg | tail -n 60
  • ip -br a

If you prefer, attach the Realtek driver package you downloaded (the extracted folder) and I will point to the correct .inf name and give the exact pnputil command to run. If you want me to find the Dell driver and give the precise path inside it I can do that too — just confirm you want me to fetch it.
Short recommendations to try now (in this order)

1. Try pnputil manual INF install (quick) and paste output.
2. If that fails, run pnputil /scan-devices and devcon rescan (or copy devcon and run it). Paste outputs.
3. If still nothing, do Linux PCI reset + full power‑drain + cold boot into Windows (you’ve done parts of this; repeat the full sequence).
4. If you need working Windows networking fast, plug a USB network adapter, get online and install the official Dell driver, then try Device Manager again.

You’re very close — Ubuntu proves the hardware is fine and your PCI reset worked earlier. If you paste the pnputil/devcon outputs or the Kernel‑PnP messages I’ll interpret them and give the exact next command (and, if needed, pick the correct Realtek INF and show the precise pnputil line).

 

[glennpm]

Okay, ran everything and am now in step #3.

The Realtek PCle FE Family Controller was found but couldn't be installed .
Error, "The configuration registry database is corrupt.

I do have Realtek drivers which I downloaded and I included them in the serrch path for Windows to find on my computer in C:\ and D:\

Install_Win11_Win_10_10073_10242024.exe
Network_Driver_H85M8_WIN_8.035.0716.2014_A00 (This was the Dell Inspiron il5-5548 driver set.

 

[ChatGPT]

Good detail — thanks. The “configuration registry database is corrupt” message when Windows tries to install the Realtek NIC driver tells us the problem is now at the registry/hive level (Windows can’t write or update the device/driver configuration keys). Because that’s a system-level issue, we need to proceed carefully (you already have a Clonezilla image — excellent).
I’ll give a short plan (what to try first), then exact commands for each step. Do them in order and report results. If you want, I can walk you through any step interactively.
Summary plan (ordered)

• Quick health checks (chkdsk, DISM, SFC) — non‑destructive, often fixes corrupt registry entries.
• Try driver install again (pnputil) after repairs.
• If still fails: inspect Windows PnP / System event log entries and check the registry hive backup (RegBack). If RegBack contains valid copies, restore the System hive from RegBack (advanced but often effective).
• If that still fails: in-place Repair/Upgrade install of Windows (keeps files/apps) or use a USB network adapter as a practical workaround.

Important: before any hive restore or registry surgery — make a full image (you already have Clonezilla image). Good.
A — Quick health & repair (run first)
Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator) and run exactly these:
1) Check disk for errors:
chkdsk C: /f

• If it asks to schedule on next boot, agree and reboot. Let it finish.

2) Repair Windows image and system files:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

• Post the output lines of both (especially if DISM reports it repaired stuff or SFC finds / cannot fix items).

3) Reboot and retry the driver INF install:
In an elevated CMD where your extracted driver folder is e.g. D:\Drivers\Realtek:
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install

• Paste the pnputil output (it will show success or the same “configuration registry database is corrupt” error). If still corrupt, continue.

B — Gather diagnostic logs (if the error persists)
Run these in an elevated PowerShell/CMD and paste the outputs (they’re small):
1) Device list:
Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List -Property *
(Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Format-Table -AutoSize)
2) Kernel‑PnP recent events (shows why PnP refused to create keys):
In elevated PowerShell:
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message
Copy any error messages (IDs and Message text) here.
C — Check registry backup (RegBack) and consider restoring System hive (advanced)
Windows keeps copies of registry hives under C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack on some systems. If those RegBack files are nonzero size, you can use them to replace a corrupt System hive. DO NOT do this unless you’re comfortable — I’ll walk you through.
1) Inspect RegBack sizes (Admin Command Prompt):
dir C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
If you see non‑zero sizes for files named SAM, SYSTEM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, DEFAULT then RegBack is usable. If they are 0 bytes, RegBack is not available on this machine (Windows newer versions often leave them empty).
2) If files are non‑zero, this is the restore sequence (do it from Windows Recovery Environment / WinRE — NOT while Windows is running). Steps (summary):

• Boot from Windows installation media (or into Recovery → Advanced Options → Command Prompt).
• In the Recovery Command Prompt run:

cd C:\Windows\System32\config
mkdir backup_hives
copy backup_hives\ (backup current hives)
cd RegBack
dir
copy ..\
This copies RegBack hives back into the config folder. Reboot and test.
I’ll give the precise copy commands formatted for WinRE if you want to try this. It often fixes “configuration registry database is corrupt” errors because it replaces a corrupted System hive with a known-good copy.
D — If RegBack not available or hive restore fails
1) Try an in-place Repair Install (keeps your programs & files)

• Make Windows 10/11 install USB on another PC.
• Boot from Windows (or run setup.exe from inside Windows if you can boot) and choose Upgrade / Repair — “Keep personal files and apps”.
  This will reinstall Windows system files and reconstruct registry entries without wiping apps/data. This is heavier but frequently resolves registry corruption.

2) Last resort: Clean reinstall (you have 2 images already — Clonezilla + you can back up important files from Ubuntu). I won’t recommend this first.
E — Practical immediate workaround
Use a USB Ethernet or USB Wi‑Fi adapter in Windows so you have networking to download things and apply updates — sometimes Windows Update/driver downloads fix registry/driver dependencies that prevent internal NIC install.
F — A few other checks (quick)

• Check free space on C: (if near 0, registry writes can fail) — run: dir C:\
• Make sure Windows Update is not stuck: Services: Windows Update set to Manual and start it temporarily; check Windows Update history.
• Check permissions on the registry path if you want to try a surgical fix (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum). That’s advanced; do only if you’re comfortable or I can guide.

What I need from you now
1) Run the chkdsk/DISM/SFC sequence and paste the outputs (or post the important lines).
2) Run pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install and paste the exact error text you get now.
3) Run the Kernel‑PnP event extraction command and paste any recent errors (especially IDs and messages).
4) Run dir C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack and paste the listing (sizes).
Based on those results I’ll give the exact WinRE hive‑restore commands if RegBack is usable, or the next safest step (in‑place repair) if not.
If you want, say “I want the hive-restore instructions” and I’ll provide the exact Recovery Environment copy commands (with warnings and a checklist).

 

[glennpm]

I ran chkdsk and DISM. No problems found

C:\Windows>DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.19041.3636

Image Version: 10.0.19045.5608

[===========================84.9%================= ]
[==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.

I think an "In-Place" upgrade after I create a partition image using Clonezilla, of Windows will be my next step.

 

[glennpm]

I really wish I could find a solution to the Deep Sleep error instead of an upgrade.

 

[ChatGPT]

Totally understandable — you should be able to fix the “Deep Sleep”/Realtek install without doing a full upgrade if we can get Windows to write the driver keys again. From what you’ve already done we know three important facts:

• Ubuntu enumerates and drives the NIC fine (hardware and PCI path are OK).
• You ran chkdsk and DISM and DISM reported success.
• Windows is now failing driver install with “The configuration registry database is corrupt” — that points to a problem creating/updating device/driver registry keys (a registry hive or permission problem), not the hardware itself.

Below are the safest, ordered next steps to try (least invasive → more advanced). Do them in sequence and report results for any step that fails; I’ll walk you through the more advanced ones.
1) Quick re-checks (one-minute checks)

• Confirm free space on C: (no near‑zero free space). In elevated CMD:
  dir C:\
• Confirm you ran sfc /scannow (if not, run now):
  sfc /scannow
  You already did DISM/CHKDSK — good — DISM returned success earlier.

2) Try the manual INF install again (simple, non‑destructive)

• Copy the fully extracted driver folder to D:\Drivers\Realtek (the folder must contain .inf files).
• In an elevated CMD run:
  pnputil /add-driver "D:\Drivers\Realtek*.inf" /install
• Paste the pnputil output here if it still fails. If it succeeds, reboot and verify Device Manager.

(Why: EXE wrappers sometimes fail while the INF will install directly.)
3) Force a PnP rescan using DevCon (helps if Windows forgot the device)

• If you don’t have devcon.exe, download the small devcon.exe (from Microsoft WDK/samples) on another PC, copy it to the laptop (e.g., C:\Tools\devcon.exe). Then in an elevated CMD:
  cd C:\Tools
  devcon rescan
  devcon hwids * | findstr /I "10EC"
  If devcon finds the Realtek hardware, you can use devcon to install/enable it. This often exposes devices that Device Manager hides. (See earlier guidance on devcon/pnputil.)

4) Inspect Kernel‑PnP events (this will show why Windows refuses to create registry entries)

• In elevated PowerShell run:
  Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message
• Copy/paste any errors (IDs and message text). These messages typically explain the registry/permission error.

5) Check for stale PCI/Realtek keys in the registry (non-destructive check)

• In an elevated CMD run:
  reg query HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI /s | findstr /I "VEN_10EC" > C:\temp\pci_realtek.txt
• Open C:\temp\pci_realtek.txt with Notepad and paste anything found here. If a stale node exists it can be removed (carefully) so PnP can recreate it.

6) Check RegBack (this is often the cure for “configuration registry database is corrupt”)

• Newer Windows builds sometimes leave RegBack empty; we must check before any restore. In an elevated CMD in Windows (or better: in WinRE), run:
  dir C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
• If files (SAM, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, SECURITY, DEFAULT) show non‑zero sizes, RegBack is usable — many people have successfully fixed corrupt registry hives by restoring RegBack copies.

If RegBack files are non‑zero and you want to try restoring them (IMPORTANT: do this from Windows Recovery Environment / WinRE — do NOT copy live while Windows is running), use these exact WinRE steps:
A. Boot to WinRE (Windows install USB or Recovery → Troubleshoot → Advanced → Command Prompt).
B. Identify the Windows drive letter (sometimes not C: in WinRE):
diskpart
list vol
exit
(Note the drive letter for the Windows partition — I’ll assume it’s C: below; if different substitute that drive letter.)
C. In WinRE Command Prompt run these exact commands:
cd /d C:\Windows\System32\config
md BackupHives
copy BackupHives\
cd RegBack
dir
copy ..\
(You should see the copy prompts; agree to overwrite.)
exit
reboot

• After reboot, check Windows Device Manager and re-run the INF install. Many users have reported success with this RegBack restore approach.

Important notes about RegBack:

• If RegBack files are 0 bytes, do NOT try to restore — there is nothing to copy. In that case skip to step 7 below (in‑place repair) or use the USB adapter workaround.

7) If RegBack is not usable or the hive restore doesn’t help — repair install (keeps files/apps)

• An in‑place Repair/Upgrade is what you wanted to avoid but it’s safer and less destructive than a clean install. It reinstalls Windows system files and rebuilds the registry without deleting personal files/apps. Make sure you have your Clonezilla image first (you do). Steps:
  • Create Windows 11 (or Windows 10, matching your build) install USB on another PC.
  • Boot into Windows (or run setup.exe from the USB while in Windows if you can boot) and choose Upgrade / Repair and select “Keep personal files and apps”.
• This usually fixes corrupt registry/driver install failures without wiping user data.

8) Temporary practical workaround (while we fix internal NIC)

• Plug a USB‑Ethernet adapter or USB Wi‑Fi dongle into Windows so you have network access. Install the official Dell driver (downloaded from Ubuntu). Once Windows is online, Windows Update can sometimes clean up driver store/registry items that are blocking the internal NIC install.

9) If you want me to help directly with RegBack or permissions

• If you want to try the RegBack restore now, tell me and I’ll give a short checklist and the exact WinRE commands again and safety warnings.
• If RegBack is empty, we can check and fix registry permissions on HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum (advanced). I’ll only provide that sequence if you confirm you want to proceed — it requires careful steps and a backup.

What I need from you now (so I can target the fix)

• Run (or paste results you already have) the RegBack listing:
  dir C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
• Paste the exact pnputil error text you saw when the install failed (copy/paste entire pnputil output). That will tell me if the failure is still “configuration registry database is corrupt” or something changed.
• Paste the Kernel‑PnP messages from step 4 if you ran that command (it helps me identify which registry key/permission failed).
• If you prefer to proceed right away with RegBack restore, say “Yes — I want the RegBack restore” and confirm you have the Clonezilla image — I’ll give the precise WinRE checklist and commands (and the small diskpart step to find your Windows drive letter).

References / reading

• Restoring registry hives from RegBack is a widely used, effective fix for corrupted registry hives (several forum threads show it working).
• The earlier step sequence I gave (pnputil /devcon /RegBack checks) is the same troubleshooting path recommended before doing an in‑place upgrade.

Bottom line

• If RegBack contains valid (non‑zero) hive files, restoring them from WinRE is the best next try and often fixes the “configuration registry database is corrupt” error so the Realtek driver can install. If RegBack is empty, the next safest fix is an in‑place repair/upgrade (after you confirm you have your Clonezilla image). If you want, start by running the RegBack dir command now and paste the output — I’ll tell you exactly which WinRE commands to run and any precautions to take.

 

[glennpm]

D:\Reference\Computer\Inspiron_laptop_i15-5548\Drivers\Install_Win10_10016_05182017>pnputil /add-driver "D:\Reference\Computer\Inspiron_laptop_i15-5548\Drivers\Install_Win10_10016_05182017\WIN10\64\rt640x64.inf" /install
Microsoft PnP Utility

Adding driver package: rt640x64.inf
Failed to add driver package: The configuration registry database is corrupt.

Total driver packages: 1
Added driver packages: 0

******

PS C:\Users\gpm> Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message
Get-WinEvent : No events were found that match the specified selection criteria.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Micro ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: ) [Get-WinEvent], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NoMatchingEventsFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetWinEventCommand

******

F:\>devcon hwids * | findstr /I "10EC"
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&SUBSYS_10280641&REV_1000\4&3842CA17&0&0001
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&SUBSYS_10280641&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&SUBSYS_10280641
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&CTLR_DEV_9CA0&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&CTLR_DEV_9CA0&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&CTLR_DEV_9CA0&VEN_10EC
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&CTLR_VEN_8086&VEN_10EC
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&GF&VEN_10EC&DEV_0255&SUBSYS_10280641&REV_1000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_0200
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&REV_07
PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136
PCI\VEN_10EC&CC_020000
PCI\VEN_10EC&CC_0200
PCI\VEN_10EC

*******

PS C:\Users\gpm> Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='System'; ProviderName='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-PnP'; StartTime=(Get-Date).AddMinutes(-30)} | Format-List TimeCreated,Id,LevelDisplayName,Message


TimeCreated : 8/13/2025 11:28:49 PM
Id : 225
LevelDisplayName : Warning
Message : The application \Device\HarddiskVolume3\Windows\System32\notepad.exe with process id 1528 stopped
the removal or ejection for the device USB\VID_0930&PID_6545\C86000BDB9EAEE61CA2F0067.

*******

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000
HardwareID REG_MULTI_SZ PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\0PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028\0PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_020000\0PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&CC_0200
CompatibleIDs REG_MULTI_SZ PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&REV_07\0PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136\0PCI\VEN_10EC&CC_020000\0PCI\VEN_10EC&CC_0200\0PCI\VEN_10EC\0PCI\CC_020000&DT_0\0PCI\CC_020000\0PCI\CC_0200&DT_0\0PCI\CC_0200
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000\Device Parameters
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000\LogConf
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000\Properties

******

Regback is zero

C:\Windows>dir C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
Volume in drive C is Windows
Volume Serial Number is 4607-7478

Directory of C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack

12/07/2019 05:14 AM <DIR> .
12/07/2019 05:14 AM <DIR> ..
0 File(s) 0 bytes

******

I backed up the registry hives then tried re-installing the inf but still got the "database is corrupt" error as shown below :-(

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.5608]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

D:\Reference\Computer\Inspiron_laptop_i15-5548\Drivers\Install_Win10_10016_05182017\WIN10\64>pnputil /add-driver rt640x64.inf
Microsoft PnP Utility

Adding driver package: rt640x64.inf
Failed to add driver package: The configuration registry database is corrupt.

Total driver packages: 1
Added driver packages: 0

D:\Reference\Computer\Inspiron_laptop_i15-5548\Drivers\Install_Win10_10016_05182017\WIN10\64>

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — that’s very useful output. You’ve confirmed:

• The Realtek PCI instance appears in the registry (Enum\PCI...) so Windows knows about the device instance, but driver install fails with “The configuration registry database is corrupt.”
• RegBack is empty (0 bytes), so we can’t restore the hives from RegBack.
• DISM/SFC completed successfully earlier, so core image & system files are OK.

Because the ENUM key for the Realtek device exists and the driver install fails writing driver keys, the next practical tries are to remove the stale device/registry entry and let PnP recreate it, or to run the driver install under the SYSTEM account (bypassing some permission issues). Both approaches are commonly effective for this Realtek “deep sleep / corrupt registry” scenario.
You already have devcon (good). Below are two safe sequences (A then B). Try A first (least invasive). If it fails, do B. I give exact commands to copy/paste and explain what to expect. You’ve got a Clonezilla image — excellent — that’s the safety net.
Important warnings

• Deleting Enum keys and unregistering devices is safe if you have your image (you do). But follow the steps exactly.
• If anything looks different or a command shows an error, paste the full output before proceeding.

A — Try removing the specific Realtek device with devcon and re-scan
(Goal: let Windows re-enumerate and recreate clean driver keys)
1) Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator). Change to the folder where devcon.exe is (or call it with full path).
2) Remove the exact instance (use the instance string you posted). Run:
devcon remove "PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000"
3) If step 2 returns success, force a rescan and list Realtek entries:
devcon rescan
devcon hwids * | findstr /I "10EC"
4) Now try installing the INF again:
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Reference\Computer\Inspiron_laptop_i15-5548\Drivers\Install_Win10_10016_05182017\WIN10\64\rt640x64.inf" /install
5) Reboot and check Device Manager / Get-NetAdapter.
What to paste if it fails: the exact devcon output and the pnputil output.
If devcon remove returns an error (e.g., “device has dependencies” or “failed”), proceed to step B.
B — If devcon remove fails: delete the Enum registry key while running Regedit as SYSTEM (use PsExec)
(Goal: remove the stale registry node that’s blocking proper driver key creation.)
You’ll need PsExec (Sysinternals). If you don’t have it, download PsExec on another PC and copy psexec.exe to the laptop (put in C:\Tools). Then:
1) Open an elevated Command Prompt and run PsExec to launch regedit as SYSTEM:
C:\Tools\psexec.exe -s -i regedit.exe

• You will get a UAC prompt; accept. This launches Registry Editor running as the SYSTEM account, which bypasses permission lockouts.

2) In that SYSTEM regedit window, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07\01000000364CE00000
3) Right‑click that key → Export (save a backup .reg file somewhere). This is your registry backup of that single node.
4) Still in the SYSTEM regedit, right‑click the key and Delete it.
5) Close regedit. Now back in an elevated CMD run:
devcon rescan
6) Try the INF install again:
pnputil /add-driver "D:\Reference...\rt640x64.inf" /install
7) Reboot, check Device Manager and Get-NetAdapter.
Notes:

• Running regedit as SYSTEM avoids manual ownership changes and permission fiddling; it’s the cleanest way to delete stubborn Enum keys.
• If you don’t want to use PsExec / SYSTEM, the alternative is to take ownership and grant Administrators full control of that registry key (advanced and more steps); PsExec is simpler.

C — If install still fails or devcon/delete succeeded but install still errors
1) After removing the Enum key, you can also run pnputil under the SYSTEM account (sometimes helpful). Use PsExec to run a SYSTEM prompt:
C:\Tools\psexec.exe -s -i cmd.exe
Then in that SYSTEM prompt run the pnputil add-driver command (same path). This runs the installer with SYSTEM privileges.
2) If you still get “configuration registry database is corrupt” when running as SYSTEM — it means the hive area used for device registration is damaged in a way that prevents writes (rare). In that case the options are:

• Attempt a targeted hive fix in WinRE (advanced), or
• Repair‑install Windows (in‑place upgrade) — this usually repairs any hive corruption without data loss (your preferred avoidable option), or
• Use a USB network adapter to keep working and allow easier driver updates / Windows Update (practical workaround).

Extra diagnostics to capture (if you want me to keep troubleshooting instead of trying reg key deletion)

• Run in elevated PowerShell:
  Get-PnpDevice -Class Net | Format-List -Property *
• After a devcon remove attempt, re-run:
  reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8136&SUBSYS_06411028&REV_07" /s
  and paste outputs.

Which do you want to try now?

• If you’re comfortable, try A first: run the exact devcon remove command I gave, then devcon rescan and pnputil. Paste outputs.
• If that fails, I’ll give the PsExec download URL and exact commands for running regedit as SYSTEM (or, if you already have PsExec on the laptop, run the psexec regedit command I listed).

If you want me to walk you through the PsExec / SYSTEM regedit steps interactively, say “I want to run PsExec → regedit as SYSTEM” and I’ll give final download guidance and the exact one-line commands again.
You’re close — the remaining blocker is Windows’ inability to create/update the device driver keys. Removing the stale Enum node (so PnP can recreate it) or running the install as SYSTEM usually resolves it.