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So, last night I rebooted my windows 7 laptop and performed system updates, and ever since I have been unable to connect to any networks (having to write this from an iPad :( )

I can see all of the wireless networks around, and the list is refreshing correctly. However, upon attempting to connect to a network it stalls for a bit (with the laptop's wireless light not blinking at all, and it usually does when transferring data). Finally, after a bit windows claims I have limited connection to the network and that the connection failed. This occurs with networks of all security levels, so it's not a wireless security issue.

I then connected the laptop up to the router with an Ethernet cord, to no avail. I know that connection works as I used my girlfriends laptop with it yesterday.

I then opened a command prompt and type 'ipconfig', and the only network adapter that appears is the "tunnel adapter toredo tunneling pseudo-interface", there are no LAN adapters listed.

All wireless drivers and Ethernet drivers appear to be working in the device manager, and the only error in the system log is "The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: vflt."

I'm out of ideas, and now my laptop is essentially useless. Does anyone have Ny suggestions?


Edit: So I had some more ideas last night. I attempted to restore my system to how it previously was on the 19th before the windows update, but the networking interfaces were still broken. I tried to go back to the system restore on the 17th and system restore finished with a failure message (no details, just said the system restore failed).

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    Can you tell us specifically which updates were applied?
    – Iszi
    Jan 21, 2011 at 6:20
  • I have no idea, I just had the window pop up that said updates were ready to be installed, and I clicked reboot.
    – KallDrexx
    Jan 21, 2011 at 14:11

1 Answer 1

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Use Microsoft System Restore, pick a date before the updates.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11238/using-system-restore-to-recover-your-windows-7-computer/

Then install the updates one at a time, reboot in between each, either this will get the updates installed properly, or you will find the offending update that caused it.

If you suspect Malware has caused this:

Follow the order given below to properly disinfect your PC

1.) Make a boot AV disc then boot from the disc and scan the hard drive, remove any infections it finds, I prefer the Kaspersky disc myself. The New 2010 Kaspersky disc can update the AV dat files if you are connected to the internet at the time of scan and is suggested to update before the scan.

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

2.) Then: Install free MBAM, run the program and go to the Update tab and update it, then go to the Scanner Tab and do a quick scan, select and remove anything it finds.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

3.) When MBAM is done install SAS free version, run a quick scan, remove what it automatically selects. http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

These last 2 are not AV softwares like Norton, they are on demand scanners that only scan for nasties when you run the program and will not interfere with your installed AV, these can be run once a day or week to ensure you are not infected. Be sure you update them before each daily-weekly scan.

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  • See my edit. I tried 2 system restores to no avail
    – KallDrexx
    Jan 21, 2011 at 14:27
  • Check my edit also.
    – Moab
    Jan 21, 2011 at 15:13
  • I forgot to mention, my Microsoft Security Essentials was at the latest, and after this happened I ran a full scan, but nothing was found.
    – KallDrexx
    Jan 21, 2011 at 17:47

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