Qualcomm Wireless Network Adapter Automatically Disabling/Crashing/Turning OFF only while gaming.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

Hello there,

So now i am totally fed up with this problem that i am facing since the start of the June 2020 and after updating my system to latest Windows 10 version 2004. My laptop is ACER ASPIRE VX 15 running latest build of Windows 10 Home Build 19041.331 Version 2004. My wireless network adapter is Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x41. Since the start of the June 2020 my network adapter is continuously getting disabled or stopped only when i am playing games. Things i tried:

1. Resetting my drivers to factory version or installing the version provided on my OEM website.

2. Updating the driver version to the latest one.

3. Turning off the power management feature of the Wireless Adapter from Device Manager .

4. I have also RESET my Windows 10 and clean install the windows. When i did this everything worked totally fine for about 10-12 days but now since yesterday the problem is back and i haven't made any changes to the system in this time.

5. Scanning Windows for any corrupt files.

6. Resetting the network settings.

I haven't tried going back to Windows 10 version 1909 though. Also when i searched this issue on the internet i found 2 more people who are facing same issue with the Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x41. One is using ACER laptop and other person is on Windows 10 v1909 and still facing the issue. He even tried going back to 2018 version of Windows 10 and still facing this issue.

The weird thing about this issue is it only happens when i am playing some game. Otherwise when i am simply browsing the internet or downloading some file Wi-Fi works totally fine without any interruption. Other thing is when i uninstall the driver and Windows install the required driver again then for that period everything works fine till the next reboot.

I am attaching the Windows Log/Event Viewer Screenshot when this error arises.

Also i wanna mention that in past 2 days i have faced 2 types of BSOD after my Wireless Adapter got crashed or stopped.

Error name:

1. IQRL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

2. WFP INVALID OPERATION (i have memory dump file for this BSOD)

Both BSOD happened when i was in between of the game. Both BSOD happened on two different consecutive days.

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

Does the same problem occur when installing this .inf file through the device manager? https://www.ath-drivers.eu/qualcomm-atheros-download-drivers-nr-368-with-code-3145.html
Does the same problem occur when disabling fast startup in power options?

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Does the same problem occur when installing this .inf file through the device manager? https://www.ath-drivers.eu/qualcomm-atheros-download-drivers-nr-368-with-code-3145.html
Does the same problem occur when disabling fast startup in power options?

Yes i have tried all types of driver version starting from 2016 to 2019. Latest version i got from Microsoft Update Catalog which is version 12.0.0.927 64 bit driver.
Link : https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=5957f4bb-30b3-4e1b-9372-58c6232da228
Maximum version available on Microsoft Update Catalog is 12.0.0.945 but it is 32 bit driver so its of no use.

The link you have provided has version 12.0.0.916 which i have already tried installing. Issue persist in that version also.
I haven't tried disabling fast startup option. I have turned it off now and will notify accordingly.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Does the same problem occur when installing this .inf file through the device manager? https://www.ath-drivers.eu/qualcomm-atheros-download-drivers-nr-368-with-code-3145.html
Does the same problem occur when disabling fast startup in power options?

Disabling fast startup made no change in the issue, network adapter is still crashing. So yes problem still occur when disabling fast startup.

aphanic · July 2020

You're not alone @keshav_c17! There's at least another report from an user that also has a Qualcomm card in their system: Wireless Network Adapter Keeps Disappearing + Blue Screen Error in Apspire F 15 F5-573G-541P

I don't know if the other one is also running Windows 10 2004, but the reports have similarities even though they're different machines and cards, there could be a compatibility issue with 2004. Microsoft had put an update block on some devices with Qualcomm cards when 1909 hit general availability pending a driver update.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

aphanic said:

You're not alone @keshav_c17! There's at least another report from an user that also has a Qualcomm card in their system: Wireless Network Adapter Keeps Disappearing + Blue Screen Error in Apspire F 15 F5-573G-541P

I don't know if the other one is also running Windows 10 2004, but the reports have similarities even though they're different machines and cards, there could be a compatibility issue with 2004. Microsoft had put an update block on some devices with Qualcomm cards when 1909 hit general availability pending a driver update.

I think you are correct. In November 2019 similar issue arose for Qualcomm wi-fi card and then Microsoft provided updated version of the Qualcomm Driver. I have checked the drivers provided at that time and found out that affected Wireless card was QCA461x4 and some other one also there but that card almost similar to my card which is QCA461x4A. So i think this time in WIndows 10 version 2004 my my card Qualcomm Atheros QCA461x4A is affected.

Also I wanna mention an error in my main post that my wireless card name is QCA461x4A and not QCA461x41. Do not know how to edit it.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Does the same problem occur when installing this .inf file through the device manager? https://www.ath-drivers.eu/qualcomm-atheros-download-drivers-nr-368-with-code-3145.html
Does the same problem occur when disabling fast startup in power options?

aphanic

Hello there,
So on Microsoft Update Catalog i am able to find latest driver version for my Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4A Wireless Network Adapter

Version: 12.0.0.948 Version Date: 4/22/2020 LINK: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=364e52c1-e85a-4f03-9118-0abf197d8644
I have installed this driver and will check now if i am getting the same issue or not. Before i was on Version : 12.0.0.927 Version Date: 10/31/2019
Will update here whatever the result will be.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

aphanic said:
there could be a compatibility issue with 2004. Microsoft had put an update block on some devices with Qualcomm cards when 1909 hit general availability pending a driver update.

egydiocoelho said:

Okay so it is quite unfortunate that latest possible driver version 12.0.0.948 dated 22-APR-2020 of Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4A Wireless Network Adapter is also behaving in same way as before. It is also crashing and getting disabled only when i am playing a Game. Just within 5 minute launch of the game the network adapter get disabled or crashed.

Definitely some compatibility issue will wait for the update from Microsoft either as a cumulative update or as a new driver version of the Network Adapter.

aphanic · July 2020

Nothing else comes to mind I'm afraid, going back to an older Windows release or switching the card for another one; but it's kind of a workaround instead of a fix :S

keshav_c17 · July 2020

aphanic said:

Nothing else comes to mind I'm afraid, going back to an older Windows release or switching the card for another one; but it's kind of a workaround instead of a fix :S

Its okay, right now i can use my mobile network via USB tethering for playing games. Already everything works fine, problem occurs only when i am playing games using Wi-Fi otherwise downloading files, watching YouTube videos is not causing any crashes of the network adapter. So i don't wanna switch back to older version of Windows. Only the Manufacturers (Qualcomm, Microsoft) can solve this issue by providing the latest update to this Wireless Network Adapter. I will wait till then.

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

Can you tell if this problem occurs in the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands?

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Can you tell if this problem occurs in the 2.4ghz and 5ghz bands?

It occurs in 2.4 ghz band. My router is single band only.

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

Does the same problem occur when disabling bluetooth?

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Does the same problem occur when disabling bluetooth?

what do you mean by disabling bluetooth ? you mean disabling bluetooth driver from Device Manager ?

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

Yes my friend.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

Does the same problem occur when disabling bluetooth?

yeah, so i disabled the bluetooth and played the game for 40 mins with no crashes till now. Usually network adapter crashes within 5-10 mins of the launch of the game.Its late night here. I'll be testing it with extended timing tomorrow. Lets see then. Positive results till now.

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

OK! Continue testing and posting the result.

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

OK! Continue testing and posting the result.

keshav_c17 said:
yeah, so i disabled the bluetooth and played the game for 40 mins with no crashes till now. Usually network adapter crashes within 5-10 mins of the launch of the game.Its late night here. I'll be testing it with extended timing tomorrow. Lets see then. Positive results till now.

Its not a good news, today its happening again even though Bluetooth is disabled. In Different games it takes different amount of time to crash. I wonder how i managed to play 40 mins without crash yesterday. Maybe the system wasn't rebooted after disabling the Bluetooth or something else. But problem is still there. Should we wait for some update from Microsoft ? It seems some incompatibility issue of the network adapter driver with latest Windows 10 Version 2004.

Commodore_1995# · July 2020

It probably won't solve the problem, but I think you should try it. What happens when you reset the battery?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfhgnxUJoZo&list=FLVBqwtBw09_Z9tXo1Injakw&index=7&t=0s

keshav_c17 · July 2020

egydiocoelho said:

It probably won't solve the problem, but I think you should try it. What happens when you reset the battery?

No luck, i have reset the battery. The problem still exist. I just hope it is some software issue and not hardware one. I have came across some forum dated back to 2018-19 where people were experiencing similar issue while playing games. But currently i have seen multiple users who are experiencing this problem and most of them have Acer laptops and Qualcomm Wi-Fi Card. This gives me some hope that i am not alone and it has to be some software issue.