4 ms·

I have a little AMD AliExpress PC where the Windows installer recognizes neither the wifi card nor the Ethernet port. I guess there's a way to download the driv

I have a little AMD AliExpress PC where the Windows installer recognizes neither the wifi card nor the Ethernet port. I guess there's a way to download the drivers on another computer and load them during installation, but instead of figuring out how to do that or what the latest option for circumventing the online requirement is, it now runs Pop OS.

Wowfunhappy 10mo ago
Nothing wrong with Pop OS, but I assume you could still install Windows without activating it, install the drivers, then activate online.
- buccal 10mo ago
  Without unofficial bypasses of MS online account requirements you would not come to a point where activation is a concern. No internet access is not enough of a reason for MS let you use your device.
- burnt_toast 10mo ago
  That won't work. Windows won't let you finish the installation process unless you connect to the internet so you can't get the PC to a point where you could install the drivers.
  - blagie 10mo ago
    Really? When did this come up? I know tons of people who run Windows unactivated. The key difference is there's a watermark. Otherwise, it seems to work fine.
    - jasomill 10mo ago
      Personalization options like wallpaper and color settings are disabled until activation, though I'm sure there are workarounds.
      - fylo 10mo ago
        Unless they have fixed it you used to be able to change stuff really quickly after install before it locked it down due to activation.
    - InsideOutSanta 10mo ago
      The problem is not activation, it's the login requirement.
  - jasomill 10mo ago
    The official solution[1] is to slipstream network drivers onto the Windows image before installation. The official solution for non-technical users is to buy a PC with Windows preinstalled. [1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/add-and-remove-drivers-to-an-offline-windows-image https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufactu...
    - user2722 10mo ago
      No need to slipstream. Just copy the drivers to install media (hopefully a writable media such as an USB pen) Latest Windows 11 has an option to select the folder with the drivers of it can't detect a WiFi device and there is no ethernet card. That being said, I installed Windows 10 on Framework 12 by mistake and SHIFT+F10, "explorer", right-click on INF and "Install" also worked. But on latest Windows 11 installer such witchery is not needed.
- II2II 10mo ago
  The trouble is you need network access to end up at the desktop to install the network drivers in the expected manner. Both of the ways I am aware of resolving the issue involve dropping to a command prompt. One method is to run the device driver installer from the command prompt. The other method is to run the bypassnro script from the OOBE directory, to get to the desktop to install the driver. There are probably other ways, but given that most search results talk about non-official ways (which I place less faith in, frequently don't work, and are more complex anyhow) I don't see how most people would get around the problem. In contrast, most desktop oriented Linux distributions have a simpler installer and provide at least enough hardware support to leave you at a functional desktop. (There may be issues with more esoteric hardware, but chances are that hardware wouldn't work under Windows until vendor supplied drivers are installed anyhow.)
- m463 10mo ago
  A few years back I bought win 11 pro retail on usb flash drive. I just install and type in the key. no network. I use it for VMs no network necessary.
burnt-resistor 10mo ago
Just go find the PCI IDs (lspci) and download the appropriate cabs from the Software Update Catalog. Extract them and throw them on a USB stick. Really effing simple.

Wowfunhappy 10mo ago

Nothing wrong with Pop OS, but I assume you could still install Windows without activating it, install the drivers, then activate online.

buccal 10mo ago
Without unofficial bypasses of MS online account requirements you would not come to a point where activation is a concern. No internet access is not enough of a reason for MS let you use your device.
burnt_toast 10mo ago
That won't work. Windows won't let you finish the installation process unless you connect to the internet so you can't get the PC to a point where you could install the drivers.
- blagie 10mo ago
  Really? When did this come up? I know tons of people who run Windows unactivated. The key difference is there's a watermark. Otherwise, it seems to work fine.
  - jasomill 10mo ago
    Personalization options like wallpaper and color settings are disabled until activation, though I'm sure there are workarounds.
    - fylo 10mo ago
      Unless they have fixed it you used to be able to change stuff really quickly after install before it locked it down due to activation.
  - InsideOutSanta 10mo ago
    The problem is not activation, it's the login requirement.
- jasomill 10mo ago
  The official solution[1] is to slipstream network drivers onto the Windows image before installation. The official solution for non-technical users is to buy a PC with Windows preinstalled. [1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/add-and-remove-drivers-to-an-offline-windows-image https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufactu...
  - user2722 10mo ago
    No need to slipstream. Just copy the drivers to install media (hopefully a writable media such as an USB pen) Latest Windows 11 has an option to select the folder with the drivers of it can't detect a WiFi device and there is no ethernet card. That being said, I installed Windows 10 on Framework 12 by mistake and SHIFT+F10, "explorer", right-click on INF and "Install" also worked. But on latest Windows 11 installer such witchery is not needed.
II2II 10mo ago
The trouble is you need network access to end up at the desktop to install the network drivers in the expected manner. Both of the ways I am aware of resolving the issue involve dropping to a command prompt. One method is to run the device driver installer from the command prompt. The other method is to run the bypassnro script from the OOBE directory, to get to the desktop to install the driver. There are probably other ways, but given that most search results talk about non-official ways (which I place less faith in, frequently don't work, and are more complex anyhow) I don't see how most people would get around the problem. In contrast, most desktop oriented Linux distributions have a simpler installer and provide at least enough hardware support to leave you at a functional desktop. (There may be issues with more esoteric hardware, but chances are that hardware wouldn't work under Windows until vendor supplied drivers are installed anyhow.)
m463 10mo ago
A few years back I bought win 11 pro retail on usb flash drive. I just install and type in the key. no network. I use it for VMs no network necessary.

burnt-resistor 10mo ago

Just go find the PCI IDs (lspci) and download the appropriate cabs from the Software Update Catalog. Extract them and throw them on a USB stick. Really effing simple.