Toshiba Windows 8 Developer Laptop Dual Boot: Can't access internet?

Question

Hi everyone,

I recently completed the process to dual boot the latest version of Windows 8 DP (as of 10/16/11) with Windows 7 on my Toshiba Laptop (Satellite L755 running 64-bit Windows 7). I found out that I can't access the internet, and when Windows attempts to diagnose it, it says that there is some hardware or driver or software error, even though I can access the internet just fine on Windows 7. What's wrong?

Answer 1

I found out that I can't access the internet, and when Windows attempts to diagnose it, it says that there is some hardware or driver or software error

You probably need to install network drivers.

 

Have you installed the newest drivers? If not download them from the manufacturers website. Some drivers might be available using Windows update. 

Since Windows 8 has not been released yet not all drivers are going to work with it. Some drivers are very specific about the operating system version, so you might have to wait until they release Windows 8 drivers (if they make them for your model).
 


If the drivers don't install, try installing them in compatibility mode.

Troubleshoot Compatibility

This can help with some (but not all) programs/drivers:
1) Uninstall the program if it's already installed. Then when you install/reinstall it instead of double clicking on the install file right click it and select "Troubleshoot Compatibility"
2) Then click "Try Recommended Settings" and in the next windows click "Start the Program" to install it.
3) After it installs see if it works correctly. Please note - some programs may not be able to run in Windows 8.

 

Answer 2

TrekDozer has some good advice there though one thing may not be obvious. Go out to Toshiba's support page having booted into Win7 and download the network drivers for your machine, saving them onto a flash drive. Then go back to Win8 and pull them off that flash drive.

 I've had problems with the "Try recommended settings" option. The other option is to troubleshoot, and one of the first steps asks if it ran in other versions of Windows. If you check that it will then ask which one. I've selevted Win7 at that point with good luck. Basically it tells the install program you are running Win 7, so it doesn't get confused by an OS it doesn't understand.