Windows 10 Gigabit Network Code-10 error. Frustrating issue with Windows 10

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jay.Tee
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Jay.Tee

Problem statement : Two weeks back, upon cold booting my intel desktop the Intel Gigabit Network connection is showing error ‘The device cannot start Code-10’ and hence unable to connect to network / internet using Ethernet cable. Upon uninstalling and scanning for Hardware changes, it gets installed leading to successful connection, but sporadically it gets disconnected again. Instead, I could restart the PC when the issue gets fixed albeit temporarily.

If I ignore this error and connect to net using a Wifi dongle (Belkin), I could connect to network, but several weird issues appear which I would cover at the bottom.


Apart from inability to connect to net, the PC unpredictable crashes with a white / colored blank screen but I could see the HDD access light on continuously. Reset or power off and restart using the buttons on the face does not work. Sometimes the power button itself is unresponsive. This leaves me the only choice of powering the mains off and restarting after 15 seconds.


Whenever the network failed in the Device Manger one of the following also is shown failed : A.PCi Simple Communication controller. B.Intel Management Engine.



Environment : Desktop PC assembled by me using Intel DH67BL motherboard, Intel i5 CPU, 2x4GB DDR3 RAM. No other add on cards or devices. Initially it was run with XP but migrated to Windows 8 and then a fresh license of 8.1. Upgraded to Windows 10 PRO in 2016 version 1511 and later completely reinstalled several times due to numerous problems in the initial versions of Windows 10. Was running a stable version of 1703 since then and had disabled Windows updates to avoid unexpected issues. The Gigabit Network model is 82579V

What was tried:


Have been having some issues in Network connection since over a month until the Gigabit Network issue appeared in early July’20. I failed to note down what updates have got installed (despite keeping Windows updates disabled) and went ahead and did the following.

1. As the problem was not going away, I did a clean reinstall of the Win 10 version 1903 w.o knowing that, it has caused widespread problem to many. It didn’t help.

2. Tried clean install of version 1703 and then 1511. Network as well as Windows crashing problem worsened.

3. Read several posts and solutions in this forum and several others. Tried Intel’s NVM updated dt 25Oct2012, but it didn’t install indicating that it is not required.




4. Tried the latest and consolidate (last) driver update from Intel dt 01Jun2020 but didn’t help either. Noticed that when the error occurs, the Power Management Tab in the Gigabit Network properties window was missing.




5. Removed the HDD, and booted with a HDD from another PC with a working version of Windows 10 Home. Unfortunately the same problems occurred. Noticed that on this disk too Windows 10 version 1903 got installed one year back. Didn’t notice the issue on the second PC since it wasn’t used for over one year. Clearly, some updates have changed the working of the Gigabit Network on both the PCs.

6. Remounted the original HDD and ran disk check and noticed that some errors got fixed. Reset the bios by removing the CMOS battery and rebooted. Alas, the same issues.
7. Often the PC failed to boot or too nearly 10 minutes to boot, after repeated tries. In the Bios Power Options, Disabled ‘Wake on LAN from S4/S5 and ‘Deep S4/S5’ but the problem persisted.


8. In the Gigabit Network Connection properties disabled (unchecked) both ‘Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power’ and ‘Allow this device to wake this computer’ in different combinations. The problem continued.
9. Disabled all the above in Bios and Device manager, and tried using the Wifi using Belkin Wifi adapter. The net connectivity worked. But randomly the Device manger windows kept refreshing the Wifi connection dropped. Had to reboot the router several times and even got it inspected by the technician. The RJ-45 connectors of the incoming line on both ends were replaced. A combination of same issues appeared.

10. In the BIOS device configuration, disabled LAN and tried to use WiFi. The above problem continued.

11. Removed the hardware, fitted into to a new box and ensured that all connections are good. But so far I haven't got a clue to suspect that the network problem is due to a hardware problem.

12. Having spent all options I suspected the Windows held some corrupted or wrong drivers/ information in the hidden partition created at the time of upgrade from 8.1. Hence did a 100% slow formatting of the entire 1TB HDD and reinstalled Win 10 version 1511 hoping that the prior known working version should give some remedy. To my UTTER SHOCK the same problem was seen when the Windows loaded for the first time. Shut it down, rebooted and all of a sudden it crashed with a white screen and churning hard drive. Version as of today is 10.0.10586 Build 10586. Windows update disabled.

13.Currently working on WiFi but not sure when the PC will crash. Using an add on network card is not going to solve the problem as the problem is likely to continue as I don’t find solutions to solve the issues with A.PCi Simple Communication controller. B.Intel Management Engine. I believe these are the ones that fail the Gigabit network.

Despite being a person with nearly 35 years of experience in IT, this issue with Windows 10 has become very frustrating and even makes me angry. I can’t really explain the harrowing experience I faced with Windows 8 and 8.1 as I had to reinstalled them about 30-40 times to solve various problems . Now the happiness about Win 10 is short-lived. I am seeing that 1000s of Windows users are struggling with this problem since as early as 2010 (Win 7) without much success.


Finally, I am forced to ask this question : Is Microsoft and Intel teaming to make the old hardware obsolete? Can someone give me a solution to protect my investment on two PCs and the several weeks of time I spent investigating this ?

NB : Enthused by Windows-10, I bought a MS Smart phone in Jan 2016, only to throw it last year as MS stopped support for it. Was definitely heart-broken to see that Microsoft is washing off those who trusted in the brand.

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