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Bug report: netwsw00.sys (6230, v15.3.x) BSOD on Windows 8 x64

idata
Employee
9,112 Views

I have a laptop with Windows 8 x64 (with all the latest Windows Updates installed) with a 6230 card, running the latest 15.3.50 drivers found on Intel's website. When I connect my laptop to my Nexus 4 Android phone (using the WiFi hotspot tethering feature of the phone), I get a BSOD.

* I do NOT get a BSOD when I used my previous Android phone (LG P509, not sure what the WiFi chipset is) as a WiFi hotspot (yes, using the same computer, card, OS, drivers, etc.).

* I do NOT get a BSOD when I connect to my router's WiFi hotspot (Atheros AR9220/9223 chipset).

* I have NOT experienced a BSOD with any other hotspot that I've connected to.

* Reverting to the default driver that shipped with Windows 8 (14.2.1.3), FIXES the problem.

* I have another laptop, also running Windows 8 x64, but with a 6250 card running the latest 15.5.6 drivers, and there are no problems there, either.

* The latest Windows 7 drivers (15.3.1) exhibits the same problem.

* Sometimes it BSODs as it is establishing the connecting, and sometimes it BSODs after a minute or two of light usage after connecting. If it survives long enough to see some usage, the speeds are extremely slow.

* The BSODs always fault in netwsw00.sys, though the faulting code is often different. Sometimes it's an unhandled exception, sometimes it's IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, etc.

* Sorry, I have not been able to test this with Windows 7, so I am not sure whether this is a problem that is specific to Windows 8.

So to summarize:

* 15.3.50 and 15.3.1 are both broken

* 14.2.1.3 (older driver) works

* 15.5.6 (newer driver, not available for the 6230) seems to work (or I guess it could be because of the different card/computer)

* I see this BSOD only when connecting to some hotspots (in my case, the Nexus 4's hotspot) while most other hotspots seem to be fine.

Also, why did the 6250 get the latest 15.5 update while the 6230 was relegated to 15.3? The 6250 was released in 2010, while the 6230 was released in 2011, so why is the 6230 seemingly relegated to a deprecated status, not getting a "real" Windows 8 driver (I inspected the driver's INF), while the *older* 6250 was one of the cards to get a "real" Windows 8 driver in the form of 15.5?

57 Replies
idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Same Bug-

Samsung Slate XE700T1A-A04 running Windows 8 Enterprise.

Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6230- Driver version 15.3.50.2 (latest)

When I connect via a WiFi hotpot (Internet Sharing over the Nokia Lumia 920) I get a BSOD on Windows 8 Enterprise, with a netwsw00.sys error within 2 minutes.

Please advise.

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

I can confirm this issue with Nexus 4 wifi-tethering and Windows 7 x64 with N 6205 on a Dell E6420 notebook.

Latest Driver from Intel (15.3.1) and the ones from Windows Update (15.4 from 02.01.2013) show the BSOD (IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL with netwsw00.sys) after a short time (<3 min).

I installed 14.2.0.10 and do not have this issue with the old driver.

Please provide an Update that fixes this issue.

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Same issue on my Lenovo Edge 320 with Intel Centrino Wirelles N-1000 (Driver 15.4) using Nexus 4 for WIFI-Tethering on Windows 7 Pro 64Bit.

Driver update was needed because of network connection beeing lost using Virtual PC on both host and virtual machine using NAT. Now the one problem is gone there is another one to solve.

Intel please provide a helpful info about this issue!!! Thanks!!!

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Although is the Intel Centrino Wireless N-2200 (Driver 15.3.1.2), I am experiencing the same symptoms where a BSOD appears soon after I connect to my WiFi Hotspot on my Nexus 4, and the crashing accelerates when I open a FireFox or IE browser. The speeds are extremely slow and sometimes do not load (i.e. timeout).

The laptop is a Lenovo T430s 2352CTO running on Windows 7 Pro 64Bit SP1.

Here is a BlueScreenView dump of my issue:

==================================================

Dump File : 011913-7207-01.dmp

Crash Time : 19/01/2013 4:54:34 PM

Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Bug Check Code : 0x000000d1

Parameter 1 : 00000000`000c369d

Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002

Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000000

Parameter 4 : fffff880`08744059

Caused By Driver : Netwsw00.sys

Caused By Address : Netwsw00.sys+a0059

File Description :

Product Name :

Company :

File Version :

Processor : x64

Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+7efc0

Stack Address 1 :

Stack Address 2 :

Stack Address 3 :

Computer Name :

Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\011913-7207-01.dmp

Processors Count : 4

Major Version : 15

Minor Version : 7601

Dump File Size : 287,248

==================================================

==================================================

Dump File : 011913-8673-01.dmp

Crash Time : 19/01/2013 3:55:33 PM

Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Bug Check Code : 0x000000d1

Parameter 1 : 00000003`be79f195

Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002

Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000001

Parameter 4 : fffff880`086fe06c

Caused By Driver : Netwsw00.sys

Caused By Address : Netwsw00.sys+a006c

File Description :

Product Name :

Company :

File Version :

Processor : x64

Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+7efc0

Stack Address 1 :

Stack Address 2 :

Stack Address 3 :

Computer Name :

Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\011913-8673-01.dmp

Processors Count : 4

Major Version : 15

Minor Version : 7601

Dump File Size : 287,192

==================================================

==================================================

Dump File : 011913-9578-01.dmp

Crash Time : 19/01/2013 3:53:22 PM

Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Bug Check Code : 0x000000d1

Parameter 1 : 00000000`0000020f

Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002

Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000001

Parameter 4 : fffff880`092c006c

Caused By Driver : Netwsw00.sys

Caused By Address : Netwsw00.sys+a006c

File Description :

Product Name :

Company :

File Version :

Processor : x64

Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+7efc0

Stack Address 1 :

Stack Address 2 :

Stack Address 3 :

Computer Name :

Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\011913-9578-01.dmp

Processors Count : 4

Major Version : 15

Minor Version : 7601

Dump File Size : 287,192

==================================================

==================================================

Dump File : 011913-6536-01.dmp

Crash Time : 19/01/2013 2:50:02 PM

Bug Check String : DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Bug Check Code : 0x000000d1

Parameter 1 : 00000000`00000074

Parameter 2 : 00000000`00000002

Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000001

Parameter 4 : fffff880`0850e06c

Caused By Driver : Netwsw00.sys

Caused By Address : Netwsw00.sys+a006c

File Description :

Product Name :

Company :

File Version :

Processor : x64

Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+7efc0

Stack Address 1 :

Stack Address 2 :

Stack Address 3 :

Computer Name :

Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\011913-6536-01.dmp

Processors Count : 4

Major Version : 15

Minor Version : 7601

Dump File Size : 287,192

==================================================

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Similar issue here as well. Running Windows 7 64-bit on a Sony VPCSA490X. Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 15.4.0.11.

First time I've seen a blue screen, only happens when I connect to my at&t lumia 920. My galaxy tab 7+ and old HP laptop (Windows 7 32-bit) connects to it without any problems

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Please refer to my other post on this thread here about a possible temporary FIPS fix.

/thread/33490 http://communities.intel.com/thread/33490

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

FYI, I have the Nexus 4 and experienced the same problem. I'm able to tether my nexus 4 to my nexus 7 with the Unlimited Plan no problem, but as soon as I try with the PC I get the BSOD. I called T-mobile and had them switch my internet plan from Unlimited to 10gig with tether option for 3 days just to test if I would have the same problem. Within the first 2 hours of having the correct plan, I was able to connect, surf the internet at speeds the same as my phone via my laptop. So my thoughts are that some way t-mobile is able to block it without the right plan option. (Current Driver 15.3.1.0)

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

I don't see any way to enable FIPS on the Google Nexus 4

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

So your trying to connect to connect to the nexus 4?

 

In that case you enable FIPS on the Windows computer
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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Thank you Lee.

I found how to enable FIPS on the Windows here:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4886368/how-to-enable-fips-on-windows-7 http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4886368/how-to-enable-fips-on-windows-7

I am concerned though that enabling FIPS open another can of worms, such as old SSL websites not working in IE anymore: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811834 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811834

Do we have any news as to when Intel will fix the bug? Certainly, a BSOD should not occur, no matter what.

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Well, it's probably best to avoid those sites when you use your wifi hotspot, otherwise I wouldn't know a workaround.

In my experience so far, enabling FIPS has had no compatability problems with the websites I visit.

And when will Intel fix the bug? They are generally good with driver releases, but whether they trawl the forums looking for bugs to fix, who knows.

Just make sure you tell your friends and spread the word to others until it's fixed by Intel

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al4
Beginner
2,139 Views

Hopefully Intel will update the drivers soon indeed... the problem spans more than just this chip. The Intel 1030 on my laptop on Win 8 with driver 15.3.50.2 (tried newest from MS win update as well, and 15.3.50) also gets the BSOD when tethered to the Nokia Lumia 920.

Enabling FIPS did eliminate the BSODs but then the connection only works for a few minutes before crapping out with an error. Intel please help us!

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al4
Beginner
2,139 Views
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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

For the N 6300 card, downgrading to Intel Wireless LAN Version 14.3 from:

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&DocID=DS030245 http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&DocID=DS030245

seems to work for my Lenovo Thinkpad W520 for now:

With Intel Wireless LAN version 15.3 I get BSODs

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

Same issue here when trying my Nexus 4 on a Dell Latitude E6420, Windows 7 Pro x64 and driver 15.3.1.2. I've downgraded to version 14.2.0.10 and it appears to be working better, it is a bit worrying that you have to downgrade a license to get it to work, esspecially to a driver that a year older than the phone! lol

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

I had the exact same problem.

I solved it by disabling 802.11n mode in the Advanced tab of the driver settings under device manager.

I have a Samsung Series 9 NP900X1A.

The wifi driver is Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 version 15.3.50.2.

The problem was when connecting to the Nexus 4 hotspot. At first, I tried rolling back the driver like suggested above, but with version 14.x it did not connect to the Nexus hotspot at all (it would connect to other hotspots though).

Funny side-note: Samsung support told me to format my drive and reinstall Windows. Because why not.

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

I have the same issue with the Lenovo Thinkpad W520 with a Intel N6300 wifi card and version 15.3.1 connecting to the Google Nexus 4.

I do not want to disable 802.11 n mode and I do not know if it is possible to enable FIPS on the Google NExus 4.

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idata
Employee
2,139 Views

+1 here. Win7 64bit, Centrino Wireless-N 1030, latest driver, android 4.2.2. Works with FIPS enabled.

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al4
Beginner
2,139 Views

 

Not sure if anyone has tested the latest driver released on 2/19/2013 or 2/20/2013 yet. But just did for my 1030 card and 15.6.0 is no go still. Got BSOD so they didn't fix yet. Annnnd back to the good only version 14.

FYI, it's this one that does NOT work.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22497&lang=eng Download Center

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Jose_H_Intel1
Employee
1,887 Views

Hi,

 

If the issue persists with the latest driver you may want to escalate the case with the computer manufacturer.

 

Joe H.

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