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Intel WiFi driver causing Windows 10 to crash (netwtw04.sys 19.1.0.4)

idata
Employee
9,980 Views

This is more of a bug report than a question, in the hope that someone at Intel reads this and takes action on it.

I recently installed a Gigabyte PCIe WiFi and Bluetooth card into my PC. It's based on the Intel AC 8260. Shortly after I installed and configured the new card the Intel Driver Update Utility told me there was updated software, and I downloaded and installed it. The new version was PROSet Wireless Software to 19.1.0.

I almost immediately started seeing my Windows 10 system (anniversary edition) crash (Blue Screen) on a regular basis - like every few minutes, and on every occasion the module causing the crash was the Intel WiFi driver (netwtw04.sys V19.1.0.4 from 7/24/16). The stop code reported in the blue screen data is ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY. I have attached a photo of the blue screen.

I have since manually removed the newer driver and reverted back to an older version (18.50.4.2 built 6/5/2016) which so far (it's been a few hours now) seems to be stable. I am posting this in the hope that Intel can do something about it, and incase others run into the same issue.

24 Replies
idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello Steve,

 

 

As we understand, your PC is using a Gigabyte WiFi adapter based on the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260, and had BSOD's after installing the driver from Intel® Download Center.

 

 

We advise you to contact http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/support-downloads.aspx Gigabyte Support to check on this issue. This type of add-on cards incorporate OEM hardware and may require customized drivers to work properly.

 

 

The drivers recommended by Intel® Driver Utility, or found at Intel® Download Center, are generic and may not work with some OEM configurations. Intel recommends that you obtain and use the software provided by the manufacturer.

 

 

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking/000005600.html Install Intel® Wireless Drivers and Software

 

 

If the new driver is not working, you may check with Gigabyte if they have an updated version, or you may use a previous driver if it works well with your computer.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan
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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hi Jonathan,

I don't believe that Gigabyte support are going to be able to help with this because I am pretty sure that they just ship the original Intel installer for the PROSet Wireless software and driver. I'm a software developer, and one of the first things I did when I encountered the problem was to look at the properties of the netwtw04.sys driver. I found that it was version V19.1.0.4, was built on 7/24/16, and was digitally signed by Intel. So unless Intel builds and digitally signs custom OEM drivers (which I seriously doubt), that would seem to be a strong indication that they are not shipping a custom OEM driver.

I have contacted Gigabyte support anyway, but I'm pretty sure they are going to come back and say that they just ship your installer.

Regards,

Steve

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

In this case, Gigabyte support would be the best source for support, since they are the manufacturer of the add-on card. Please check with them for assistance as well.

 

 

Here are some of the actions that may help to prevent BSOD's:

 

 

- Contact the Motherboard Manufacturer and make sure you update the computer BIOS.

 

 

- Try using the card in a different PCIe Slot.

 

 

- Go the Device Manager, under network adapters, look for the AC 8260 Wireless Adapter and open the properties. Go to the "Power Management" tab and toggle Off/On the option "Allow the computer to turn off this devices to save power". Then check if the behavior changes.

 

 

- Disable Fast Startup (Hybrid Boot) in Windows® 10
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JJace
Novice
4,606 Views

Try my solution: /thread/105488 Latest versions (19.1.0 and 19.0.1) of Intel® Wireless-AC 7260 Plus Bluetooth* (7260HMW) WIFI driver (netwbw02.sys) on Win 10 64-bit is causing frequent system crashes e.g. Intel wireless driver package version 18.40.0. In my case, it stopped the crashes and it maintains stable connection so far....wonder how bad these 19.x.x drivers are....

JJace
Novice
4,606 Views

New update: No, with 18.40.0 version I had one crash, and it did start to lose the connection more often than before....Possibly because in my setup, I have a primary router three floors up, an extender advertising the same SID for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands in my den...something about the roaming may not work quite well I think...However v. 18.40 drivers seem in general more stable than v. 19 drivers.

I will also try Johnathan suggestion of disabling hybrid fast boot...and report the results with various drivers.

My issue is that I have an AC router, N-extender, 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, and twp mini-PCI-slots in my laptop...plus the different driver versions...many possibilities to test the setup so please give me some time, and I will gladly share the result if I find the solution

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Thanks for the info. Very interesting. I too am finding that the 18 version is working great and is stable.

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello,

We are glad to know that the previous driver version works better for you. We will forward your feedback about this matter to the proper resources.

Feel free to let us know if you have any additional comments or questions about this topic.

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JAgui4
Novice
4,606 Views

I'd like to add that I have installed the 8260 m.2 card in my pc, and was having many blue screens in Windows 10 as well. I downgraded the driver to 18.40. as JackMark suggested, and haven't had a crash yet.

This is clearly a problem with the drivers, not the motherboard.

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello,

 

 

We are taking you feedback about the driver into consideration. If you are still having issues and require further assistance, let us know the following information:

 

 

- Was the adapter built from factory to your PC?

 

- Was it working fine before?

 

- At which time does it fail? Is there are specific task being done when this happens?

 

- Provide additional system details (PC model, driver version, BIOS version, etc.)
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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

My situation is that this is a PC that I have recently built from components. Everything was running absolutely perfectly after the build, it's running a brand new install of the latest public build of Windows 10 x64, and was originally connected via one of the four gigabit Ethernet ports on the motherboard (an ASRock Rack EP2C602-4L/D16, brand new, latest BIOS, etc.). The motherboard doesn't have on-board Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so I purchased and installed a Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I REV 4.2, which is basically an Intel AC 8260 mounted on a PCI express board. I installed the drivers provided with the card - frequent crashes. I followed the Intel Driver Update Utility when it suggested a later version - frequent crashes. then I experimented and reverted the older 18.50.4.2 version. Since doing so I have used the system for quite a few hours over last weekend, and have had no issues - not a single crash.

I am not aware of any specific action that causes the crash. I have seen it crash on several occasions before I was even able to complete a Windows login. On other occasions I have been able to use the system (including WiFi and Bluetooth via the card) for a few minutes, but not much longer that that before encountering a crash. Sometimes I have been working in an app, other times I have just been looking at the desktop at the time of a crash. The only constant is that with the later drivers installs, it crashes VERY frequently, so I would expect to be able to reproduce the issue pretty easily if needed.

I can't help wondering if the problem is some edge-case related to multi-threaded code. The reason I say this is that my system isn't exactly what you would call a typical configuration. It has two XEON E5-2670 processors, meaning that it has 16 physical cores and supports 32 concurrent threads. It also has 128GB of RAM. Not sure why that would make a difference, but it's something that is definitely not a "normal" configuration.

Unfortunately I am working out of town for the next two weeks, so I don't currently have access to the system, but I would be more than happy to work with you on this issue when I return. Perhaps you want to try to get some Windows crash dumps or something; a minidump is probably "doable", but trying for a full memory dump probably isn't a good idea due to the amount of RAM present. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help diagnose the issue.

Regards

Steve

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello Steve,

 

 

Since you are using a non-standard configuration, we advise you to use the Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software version 18.50 that is working well in your system.

 

We are continuously working to improve our products and drivers, and we will consider your input about this matter.
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JAgui4
Novice
4,606 Views

My PC was also build from personally-selected components.

Motherboard: Asus Z170I Pro Gaming (I removed the WiFi card that came in the board and replaced it with an Intel 8260)

CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 2133

Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1080 FE

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello gravis86,

 

 

In your case, keep in mind that we do not support custom integrations. The end user is not authorized to install Intel® wireless adapters. They can only be installed by the manufacturer or its authorized representative:

 

 

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking/000005687.html Regulatory Information Regarding Hardware Installation or Upgrade

 

 

If the system does not work well with the latest driver after applying the recommendations provided in this thread, then we advise you use the driver that works well, or check with the Computer Manufacturer for assistance.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan
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JAgui4
Novice
4,606 Views

Of course I don't expect you to support custom setups. There are almost infinite permutations of hardware available, and it's not your responsibility to make sure your drivers work on all of them. I've worked in the software industry, and even wrote a few drivers myself! I completely understand.

I'm just reiterating that it is indeed the driver causing the issue.

JJace
Novice
4,606 Views

IMHO, the issue is the combination of card and driver version 19.x. I have same crashes with 7260 HMW card; switching to version 18.40.x helped, although PC would sometimes lose connection. Interestingly, old Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 WIFI card would work Ok with latest drivers (e.g. 19.1.0). But I am not sure at this time what specific driver version for that card is included with v. 19.1.0, as I already took it out of the system and replaced it with Broadcom/AzureWave BCM94352HWB.

SDryp
Beginner
4,606 Views

I just wanted to weigh in on this issue. I've been having the exact same problem with my Gigabyte Designare x99 motherboard. I spent hours on the phone with their support only for them to eventually tell me that it's a driver issue on Intel's end. I even went so far as to replace the entire motherboard, only to have the problem come right back after Windows 10 automatically updated the driver. I'm about to roll back the driver to an earlier version as recommended by others in this thread. I'll update this post if it works.

My suggestions to Intel is to look at potential driver incompatibility with Gigabyte motherboards. There is definitely something going on.

idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello SteveDry,

 

 

Thank you for the feedback. If you agree, we would like to get provide some recommendations and obtain more information in order to address this issue.

 

 

- Please make sure you are using the current https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26240/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-Windows-10?product=86068 Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows® 10 [19.10.0].

 

- We have noticed that this type of crashes can be originated by misbehaving 3rd party software. For troubleshooting, try disabling, or uninstalling any network monitoring software, antivirus, or VPN software. This may help identify the possible culprit.

 

 

If the issue persist, we would like to know the following:

 

 

- Which type of Wireless adapter device do you use? We found that your motherboard does not have built-in WiFi.

 

- Download https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility Intel® System Support Utility, run the tool and use it to create and save a report with all sections, then add your reply to this thread and use the Advanced editor options to attach the resulting file to your post.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan
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JMcCa10
Beginner
4,606 Views

I have the same issue with my new build PC with Gigabyte motherboard (X99 Designare Ex LGA 2011-3) with integrated 8260 Intel wifi. I have reinstalled and rolled back various drivers including the most recent but after an hour or less from boot I get the BSOD. Usually it starts with the internet signal dropping out, then all the network tools freeze and then the computer either blue screens or it blue screens or freezes when I reboot.

The BSOD screen always reads DRIVER IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL What failed: netwtw04.sys

I have downloaded the Intel System Support utility.

Operating System:Microsoft Windows 10 Home(10.0.14393 Build 14393)Physical Memory (Installed):32 GBProcessor :Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6800K CPU @ 3.40GHzSystem Type:x64-based PCDisplay Adapter(s):NVIDIA GeForce GTX 108021.21.13.7306System Manufacturer:Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.System Model:X99-Designare EX-CFNetwork Adapter(s):Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 826019.10.0.9Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V12.15.22.6Intel(R) I211 Gigabit Network Connection12.15.22.6Disk(s):SAMSUNG HD103SJ427.87 GB (available)10.0.14393.0SAMSUNG HD502HI57.26 GB (available)10.0.14393.0Samsung SSD 750 EVO 500GB342.54 GB (available)10.0.14393.0

Would really appreciate some help as this is really impacting on my work. I've tried totally uninstalling the network adaptor software and reinstalling but always get the same result.

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idata
Employee
4,606 Views

Hello John,

 

 

Please apply the following actions, as they may help in this type of case:

 

 

- Check with http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads/support-downloads.aspx Gigabyte Support and make sure you are using the recommended BIOS for your motherboard.

 

- Go to Device Manager, Network adapters, select the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260, then go to the "Power Management" Tab, toggle Off/On the option to "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". Check if this helps.

 

- We've had cases where this is caused by 3rd party Filter drivers. For this reason, we advise to uninstall or try disabling Network monitoring apps, antivirus, or virtualization software.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan
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idata
Employee
3,660 Views

Hello,

 

 

We have not seen any replies to our last post. Feel free to let us know if you require further assistance.

 

 

Regards,

 

Jonathan.
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