My Home Screen shows Desktop items but I can't see the Desktop folder anywhere using Explorer

Thanks both. Will get the monthly community magazine for October off to the printers and will then tackle the PC.

Reinstallation underway - I hope/think.
Followed steps in Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial having first disconnected all drive bar the SSD I used for my operating system. The latest Windows 11 copy is on a USB. It progressed as far as step 16 where it is saying Let's connect you to a network. And there it appearss to have stuck. The PC indicates disk activity (LED flashing) and LED on USB also flashing and has been doing so for some time now - 20 minutes or more. No indication of network problem. Next greyed out. Do I abort?

Sigurd said:

Let's connect you to a network

Click to expand...

Is it waiting for you to select from a list of available networks?
I used the bypassnro method described in Step 16 to avoid connecting to any network because I wanted to go ahead with just setting up a local user account later in the procedure [and I thought that method was more straightforward than the alternative described later on].


Denis

Sigurd said:

Reinstallation underway - I hope/think.
Followed steps in Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial having first disconnected all drive bar the SSD I used for my operating system. The latest Windows 11 copy is on a USB. It progressed as far as step 16 where it is saying Let's connect you to a network. And there it appearss to have stuck. The PC indicates disk activity (LED flashing) and LED on USB also flashing and has been doing so for some time now - 20 minutes or more. No indication of network problem. Next greyed out. Do I abort?

Click to expand...

I've always had a clickable message in the bottom left about not having network/Internet service and choose that instead of connecting, can always connect later.

Sigurd said:

Let's connect you to a network

Click to expand...

Berton said:

I've always had a clickable message in the bottom left about not having network/Internet service and choose that instead of connecting

Click to expand...

Ian,

You'll see that option if you use the bypassnro procedure.
Berton is not the first to report that option appearing without any bypassnro procedure having been used. Perhaps it is Pro that has that?????


Denis

Try3 said:

Ian,

You'll see that option if you use the bypassnro procedure.
Berton is not the first to report that option appearing without any bypassnro procedure having been used. Perhaps it is Pro that has that?????


Denis

Click to expand...

I am running Pro on a Desktop and Notebook plus Home on a Desktop and Notebook, all with only Local Accounts. The Pros were new with Win10 and Upgraded to Win11 after setup. The Homes are from 2019, also came with Win10 and give me for rehabbing/parts but they still work after a reinstall of Win11.

Added note: Even though the computers are Local Accounts I can still access some things, like in the Store, using a Microsoft login/E-Mail.

My second attempt worked using bypass. Now working in its basic setup but I can't access my LAN. PC asking for ISP name and password. Considering that was setup when broadband was invented I am going to have to search old files/papers. Oddly LAN works (hence using laptop to send this and my wife's PC is OK.

Sigurd said:

PC asking for ISP name and password

Click to expand...

It thinks you are trying to connect to a WiFi network.

Your ISP [the people you pay for internet access - BT / Three / whoever] gave you a router / modem that manages a WiFi network that it set up under your control.
But if you are connected to it by LAN then that is faster than its WiFi anyway.
You created the WiFi network SSID [its name] & its security key [its password] and you can generally access the router / modem by LAN to enter its Admin functions in order to change them.
If this is all bobbleygook to you then I suggest you move on to all other aspects of setting up the computer & return to this topic att the end.


Denis.

Trouble shooting shows two possible causes - one is need ISP Id & Pw and the other, more likely the issue is a missing driver, So now looking for way to force reinstalltion of drivers when I can't access internet on that PC.

Thanks Dennis - your post crossed with mine. Will try that later. Mealtime!

Sigurd said:

more likely the issue is a missing driver, So now looking for way to force reinstalltion of drivers when I can't access internet on that PC.

Click to expand...

Ian,

I'm amazed that I did not give you a link to the backup drivers tutorial before you started the Clean install.

But you have your LAN so you can get drivers from the computer / motherboard / etc maker & let Windows update take care of the rest.

Does your Device manager show any yellow warning triangles or have a section called Other devices [which means no driver found]?



Denis

I'm kind of going round in circles. The source of drivers I found all assume I want the ones for the machine I am using so copying them to the PC is not going to help as it hasn't access to the internet. The first driver I need is the Intel Ethernet controller (3) I225-V. That's the driver shown on Device Manager.
I thought of using something like CCleaner and Speccy to identify hardware but that needs connection to innternet. hence the circles!

I have downloaded both programs, put them on a Thumb drive and ran from there. They do have a feature to check that needs the 'net but that shouldn't keep them from running. CCleaner does need to stop some programs before it can complete analysing.

You said you were able to use your LAN.

Windows will have installed many drivers itself. That's why I asked about Device manager.

Denis

Sorry, didn't make myself clear. My LAN works as it should but the PC can't see it despite being set up to do so.
It seems as if the PC failed to connect to the internet during the setup procedure hence the need to use the bypass referred to earlier.
The device manager shows the ba sic internet driver Intel Ethernet controller () I 225-V. MyNvidia graphics driver is not loaded either. It seems that all the drivers are basic ones and the ethernet one doesn't connect.

Success! I found an Intel driver package and used that to update all Intel drivers. That got me into my LAN and internet. Various other things kicked in as well. eg I have two screens working again.
I will now go forward with other things - reading evry instruction very carefully!

Ian,

And consider backing up your drivers. I back mine up very time one gets updated.
Backup and Restore Device Drivers - ElevenForumTutorials


Denis

I have a 3 backups for data. I will now add one for drivers! Thanks. I'll also create a restore disk at some point.
Next job is to deal with the dreaded OneDrive following the tutorial here - the app that caused me all the headaches and needed all you people's help to bale me out!
Now sorting out my apps.
My main problem? I have been messing about with hardware and software since the Tandy days. That means I know enough to usually sort myself out, but not enough to avoid getting myself into trouble.

I'll be back!

Sigurd said:

I have a 3 backups for data. I will now add one for drivers

Click to expand...

Ian,

There's nothing to stop you choosing a sub-folder of your data folders for the driver backup so that it is included in your routine backups.


Denis