[SOLVED] Windows 10 upgrade - internet/connectivity - maybe motherboard?

[pedrov]

I'm not sure how to best ask this because the problem seems to involve multiple issues (internet, gsuite, windows 10, motherboard). And please let me know if I'm breaking some sort of forum protocol (I haven't spent much time here since building my computer many, many years ago).

I recently gave in to the upgrade from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 10 (Education). After two days of trying to get it to keep my settings in the upgrade process and repeated fails, I finally broke down and let it install W10 on my C: without keeping any files (my attempt at a clean install). I have multiple other drives on the PC, so nuking my OS drive wasn't the worst compromise to make.

Since then, everything runs well except everything to do with internet connectivity, especially Gmail and the google apps I rely on to work from home. For example, I can often get into gmail on my work account, but switching folders gets slow, then I try to switch folders (e.g., inbox to another folder) and I get "loading" for long times. Sometimes it won't switch at all. If I use the waffle to switch to calendar, drive, etc., it will work sometimes, but often I get the "Can't seem to load the app launcher..." spiel. Sometimes the G-constellation thinks I'm offline when I'm clearly not. The settings gear icon and help question mark icon also gray out after a few minutes in gmail. Recently Microsoft Onedrive failed (not that I use it), but now it's working again. The general feeling is that I have spotty internet or not enough space on my computer, but I have tons of space on the PC, and my laptop, ipad, iphone, wife's mac, etc., all work pretty seamlessly in the same tasks, even through wifi rather than the direct ethernet connection on my PC.

I contacted Microsoft support, waited the appropriate hour for a technician, and he tried lots of things but basically I still have the same problems... poor connectivity, especially problems with the google suite of apps I need for work. I've tried different browsers (Chrome is my normal, but Edge, Firefox) with mixed success, usually better in the non-Chrome, but not great. One option my MS tech dude suggested was a problem with the motherboard. The Marvell drivers weren't updated because it's an ASUS Rampage III Gene motherboard. Prior to upgrading from W7, I looked for BIOS updates and nothing was new since 2010, which I had.

So I guess my question is whether or not the MB is the problem here, or if it's one of the other suspects in this sucky game of Clue?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Actually, there are THREE BIOS updates available for that motherboard from 2011. BIOS versions 0805, 0901 and the latest, 1003 from 10-10-2011. If you do not have version 1003 installed, it would be very wise to update to that version.

That MIGHT help, but the bigger problem is that ASUS does not list ANY Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 drivers for that motherboard. That means you are stuck with the Microshaft supplied drivers and for some very old systems that is just not a very good option.

While I realize that for a lot of people the performance of a system that is 9 years old might be satisfactory but overall, most people will have discarded any system that old in favor or something newer. In light of that, manufacturers are not willing to develop drivers and provide support for hardware that old on a modern operating system because it's like trying to sell 24" CRT televisions at Walmart. Sure, you MIGHT have a few people that would buy one if they are cheap enough, but not enough to make manufacturing them worthwhile.

The bottom line here is that for a system that old, and any software you are familiar with and have been using on Windows 7 for the entire time you have had that system, you are just unlikely to get much support from the manufacturer OR from Microshaft.

IF you can find Windows 8.1 drivers for your hardware somewhere, it might improve things a bit but honestly it might just be time to start thinking about an upgrade to a newer platform.

 

[pedrov]

I appreciate the response. I'm looking into the BIOS update (thanks for that) but I think you're probably right in that it's likely upgrade time. Hard to complain when the system ran beautifully for 10 years... I already miss Windows 7.

 

[Darkbreeze]

A lot of people feel the same as you, and in the beginning, many years ago, I felt about the same when changing from 7 to 8.1.

Windows 10 is a much different beast though. It has many reasons to like it, despite the fact that there are some glaring reasons (Which are slowly being eroded away) to not like it. Chiefly, all future hardware is going to require it if you want to find driver and firmware support. That's the biggest reason.

There is also the fact that the driver support it has is MUCH better than what was present on any prior version of Windows. There is far broader compatibility and far fewer problems with incompatibilities across all connected devices or conflicts. Support for newer and better APIs and codecs as well as the fact that practically ZERO software developers will be designing anything to be compatible with these older operating systems anymore.

As far as features are concerned, it's not even a comparison.

And if it is only the appearance and shell behavior of Windows 10 that bothers you, you can easily make Windows 10 look and act exactly like Windows 7 using Classic Shell which STILL works on the latest version of Windows 10, despite the fact that development on it ended a few years ago. It is what I use, because I do not not the Windows 10 native start menu or shell behavior. Classic Shell is also free, so there's that as well.

 

[stonecarver]

As a temporary fix just disable the The Marvell nic card and get this while your on the search for a new system.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-1000...ocphy=9031497&hvtargid=pla-343899261300&psc=1

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, the addition of an add in NIC might be a good short term solution to the compatibility and driver issue. Make SURE that there is a good, working, Windows 10 driver for any NIC you consider BEFORE purchasing it though. There are still a few out there that don't work worth beans when installed on older motherboards WHEN running Windows 10.

 

[pedrov]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm biting the bullet and upgrading lots of old hardware (discussed in the Systems forum), basically everything except the power supply and graphics card, while pushing all of my current drives down a notch to make room for a newer NVME SSD to be dedicated to the OS. I'll lose the CPU, CPU Cooler, RAM, and MB.

The combined advice here is helpful though, and I may be coming back around to the card suggestion if my more expensive plan doesn't work out.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Cool man. Good luck and let us know if we can help further.

 

[pedrov]

Well, several more days with a new motherboard and OS drive, everything updated, and I'm still having major issues with anything google related. The new OS drive required a clean install of W10 which I did, so this is now at least 3 installs of W10 on at least two motherboards and OS drives.

As a reminder, I can use all things google seamlessly on my laptop, phone, ipad, etc., at home, but my W10 PC that is plugged directly in via ethernet at home runs all kinds of internet stuff fine (55+MBps), but Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, etc., are all super flaky especially on chrome, but on edge and firefox sometimes as well. Everything worked with the same router and ethernet cable when I was using Windows 7 though... the timing is more than a little suspicious.

I can even run everything google quite well on my work computer that was recently upgraded to W10.

It seems to be one of those Switzerland issues though where Windows support wants to blame my hardware or Google, my work IT support wants to blame Windows, Google, or my hardware, and Google doesn't respond to help at all. If I didn't have to use it all the time for work, I would probably just abandon it completely.

I'm starting to lose my mind. I'm not even sure where to look next... DNS?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Going to try and bring in some fresh eyes.

 

[pedrov]

Going to try and bring in some fresh eyes.

Thanks. My wife is becoming concerned about the haunted look in my eyes.

I started pursuing the DNS route, but given that my wireless router shares the same connection as my hard connected desktop, it's difficult to understand why all of the wireless devices (including my laptop) are running smoothly but the PC isn't. I even reactivated Norton 360 (I know... terrible, but there's a reason) in place of all the Windows Defender stuff, and still the same thing.

I appreciate any help. Looking at the number of cul-de-sac threads on google's help forums and elsewhere, that each die a lonely death after a number of months, it sounds like a lot of people could use a solution.