I was freeing up space on my C: drive by deleting temporary files and running CCleaner. After restarting, Wi-Fi stopped working. The Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 still appears in Device Manager, but it shows Code 37 indicating that Windows cannot initialize the hardware or driver. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the device and drivers, as well as several command-line fixes, but nothing has helped. I also can't get the recovery environment to perform a reset, either while keeping my files or removing everything. Is installing Windows from a USB my only option, and how can I avoid losing my personal data?
2 Answers
The adapter is still visible in Device Manager, so this is more specific than simply being unable to connect to a network. Code 37 means Windows failed to start the device, even if reinstalling the driver didn’t resolve it. Before doing a clean installation, back up your files from another computer or a bootable environment. A Windows USB can potentially offer a repair or in-place installation first; a clean install should be the last resort because it erases the system drive.
Try connecting your phone with a USB cable and enabling USB tethering so the computer has internet access. Then download the latest Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers from the computer manufacturer’s support page, not just a generic driver package, and install them. If Windows was damaged by the cleanup, a Reset this PC option using “Keep my files” may repair it without deleting personal files, although applications and some settings will be removed.
I tried USB tethering and reinstalled the drivers, but the adapter still shows Code 37. The recovery options also won’t complete either type of reset, so I’m preparing a Windows USB installer now.
The AX201 is listed in Device Manager with Code 37, and I’ve already tried removing and reinstalling it. Since the built-in recovery tools aren’t working, I’m looking into repairing Windows from the USB before considering a full wipe.