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I installed Windows 8 Pro on a Zotac Zbox AD03 3 days ago. The installation went fine and everything, including the network and internet, worked just fine. The network contains 4 Windows 7 machines, a network printer, a Buffalo NAS, a Windows Home Server, a 16 port switch and a Motorola combo cable modem (DOCSIS 3.0) and router. The new computer with Windows 8 could see everything and appeared to function perfectly with normal internet access. After powering it off for the night I restarted it the next morning and found it could only see the Windows Home Server and one of the Windows 7 machines. It reported that it was not attached to a network and when I tried to connect I got error 651. I did a complete new install and it still could only see the Windows Home Server and the same other Windows 7 machine and still get the error 651 message. What could have happened during that power down/restart to cause it to lose network connectivity? How do I fix it?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hi Mike,
I also had same issue on my new windows 8 installation. I have followed below blog which helped me to fix issue and able to connect to internet now. Hope this will help you to solve your issue as well. Good Luck !!!
http://www.australia-bestmate.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/windows-8-error-651.html
Cheers
Microsoft can add me to the list of unhappy users experiencing an error 651 disaster on a new Windows 8 laptop (Dell XPS L521X). Fortunately I have a spare laptop I can use to leave this message, but after going through wasted hours doing every item on the checklist provided in this thread to get the new laptop connected wirelessly, I only have a very expensive piece of metal and glass that's attractive to look at but not worth much else. The suggestions given by Microsoft's rep seem to me nothing more than robotic responses rather than a sincere personal effort to fix things the way they should be.
So it now comes down to this Catch-22: How do I download a driver that may repair the problem if I can't connect to the Internet?
I also have this problem. I have spent dozens of hours over 6 days researching Google and Bing and have found hundreds of posts ALL saying they have not found a fix. Some with very detailed processes recorded and many with a number of persons helping back and forth. A significant number with obvious technical knowledge.
There is no connection to virus or security programs or firewalls on or off or brand name or location or router type/brand/description etc. The ONLY common denominator is Windows and the desire to connect to internet; the vast majority are trying to use wireless. The most odd thing that keeps coming up is that even after a clean install; some even used a new hdd, this problem will still come back?????
It seems that once you get this problem, it won't go away.
In LITERALLY 100% of the posts that I have read NO ONE has had this problem resolved for more than a few days. It either comes back and totally kills the connection or it brings in a different error and kills it or the connection is so erratic and unreliable it frustrates the user to no end.
I can't believe Microsoft hasn't fixed this yet. I'm so not totally surprised!
Hello Alan,
Windows creates a restore point whenever you install driver, program or a Windows Update.
System Restore doesn’t change your personal files, but it might remove recently installed apps, drivers or Updates.
If you perform a System Restore, it just restores to the previous point before installing the Update.
hello there I did a system restore after only having the laptop for a few days .and then again after a few months. it was a pain in the **** to reload all my stuff that got wiped out. programmes etc due to my download speed.
so to do it again seems pointless.
I have resigned myself to doing one restart and then fitting the wifi adapter if it doesn't work.
if it does remain working permanent I will repost the details
