Solved MB Realtek Gaming 2.gGbE Family Controller Just Vanished

Had a really strange issue. Suddenly, out of the blue I lost my internet connection. So, I rebooted my router, still nothing yet phone TV etc was working.

I replaced the router to PC LAN cable. Although the light went off and back on, still no internet.

I rebooted and also shutdown and restarted the PC, still nothing.

I restored a previous image with Macrium twice with known working images, still nothing.

I checked in Device Manager, the controller was not listed under Network Adapters. I was really starting to think the built-in adapter had packed up.

Luckily, I had all the motherboard drivers stored on another disk. So I fished out the LAN drivers and reinstalled them. Nothing, still didn't see it.

Then I had a last resort idea, I shut the PC down, unplugged the power supply, tried to turn the PC on to remove any residual power from it. Plugged the power back in, pressed the button to start the PC and hay Presto, I got internet again and the Realtek Gaming 2.gGbE Family Controller was listed under Network Adapters.

I guess, when you shutdown the PC, it isn't really shutdown. I guess it is always powering things like the LAN adapter. I don't know how many years I've had my PC now, but apart from the odd power cut, it has always just been shutdown.

I'm really just posting this if anybody has the same issue.

bios issue?

Hopefully it was just a one off quirk. I've never had any issues before.

UPDATE: I don't want to speak too soon, but it happened again twice. Draining the power fixed it again as before.

Then I remembered that in September, Windows Update offered a Realtek LAN update. So I went into Device Manager and rolled back the Realtek drivers. Touch wood, it doesn't seem to have happened again (fingers crossed). As I said... I don't want to speak too soon.