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    I recently had a problem restoring a new DELL Inspiron desktop that had an on-board Realtek NIC (8102E/8103E). (I had to restore the system due to the Avast false-positive bug.)  The restore CD was the latest available, October 2009, build 2423. The system operated correctly under WHS and was doing daily backups.  The problem was that, during restore, the CD contained a Realtek 8101 driver and would not allow me to replace it with the correct driver.  The 8101 driver did not work correctly with the on-board NIC, so no matter what I tried, I had no connectivity when it tried to find the server. 

    In the end, I disabled the on-board NIC and replaced it with a new Linksys EG1032 PCI card.  During restore, the program allowed me to add the drivers for this card and everything worked as expected. 

    If you have a system with on on-board Realtek NIC, be aware that it may not operate with WHS Restore, you may want to test this function before you need it!

    By the way, I am aware of the forum topic "How to update Realtek NIC drivers during Bare Metal Restore for Windows XP 32bit" and several others related to Realtek, none of these worked for me because of the failure of the restore program to allow me to specify the correct drivers for the on-board NIC.
    Richard
    • Changed type kariya21Moderator Friday, December 25, 2009 2:06 AM technical question
    Sunday, December 6, 2009 4:30 PM

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    No, it didn't, since my system was Windows XP Professional.  

    Richard,
    I suspect that somehow the XP-drivers you supplied to the restore CD are incompatible with the restore CD.
    Even though the system you backed-up was XP, you can try the Vista drivers:
    This is because the restore CD is based on the 32-bit Vista OS.

    - Theo.
    No home server like Home Server
    Tuesday, December 8, 2009 10:12 PM
    Moderator

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    By the way, I am aware of the forum topic "How to update Realtek NIC drivers during Bare Metal Restore for Windows XP 32bit" and several others related to Realtek, none of these worked for me because of the failure of the restore program to allow me to specify the correct drivers for the on-board NIC.

    Hello Richard.

    Have not seen this problem. What drivers/version did you try?
    - Theo,
    No home server like Home Server
    Sunday, December 6, 2009 5:19 PM
    Moderator
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    I tried the drivers stored as part of the backup on WHS, of course, and I also downloaded another version from the Realtek website for the 8102E/8103E NIC.  Since the PC was still operational (the Avast problem had corrupted a few programs but not the entite system), I tried updating the NIC drivers in the hardware manager, but it told me the ones I had downloaded were no better than the ones already installed, so I think the system was already using the most up-to-date drivers available. 

    I think if the Restore program had allowed me to replace the drivers with those stored as part of the backup, it would have worked fine, the problem was the Restore program would scan the USB drive with the drivers, and it would even tell me that it had found drivers for my hardware, but then it wouldn't let me replace them!  At that point I figured changing the hardware was the best way to change the behavior, and it did.
    Richard
    Sunday, December 6, 2009 9:05 PM
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    Hmmm... should not be a probem, some 32-bit XP-drivers are a problem however.

    Did you try the latest Realtec 8102E/8103E drivers for Vista 32-bit?
    Unpack the drivers fro the downlaod package to the WHS drivers directory on the USB stick. 
    - Theo.
    No home server like Home Server
    Sunday, December 6, 2009 9:15 PM
    Moderator
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    No, it didn't, since my system was Windows XP Professional.  I think the main issue was that the Restore program would not recognize new drivers and insisted on using the ones on the CD, no matter what I provided.
    Richard
    Tuesday, December 8, 2009 7:44 PM
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    No, it didn't, since my system was Windows XP Professional.  

    Richard,
    I suspect that somehow the XP-drivers you supplied to the restore CD are incompatible with the restore CD.
    Even though the system you backed-up was XP, you can try the Vista drivers:
    This is because the restore CD is based on the 32-bit Vista OS.

    - Theo.
    No home server like Home Server
    Tuesday, December 8, 2009 10:12 PM
    Moderator
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    Lara Jones [MSFT] | Program Manager
    Community Support and Beta | Windows Home Server Team
    Windows Home Server Team Blog
    Connect Windows Home Server
    Windows Home Server

    Thank you for the information. Your procedure does not work but it allowed me to develop a way to allow the restore disk to work.

    The procedure you outlined does not work for the following Realtek NIC
     
    RTL8111B/RTL8168B/RTL8111/RTL8168
    RTL8111C/RTL8111CP/RTL8111D(L)
    RTL8168C/RTL8111DP

    Here is what you must do.

    Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver
    instead of the WinXP (WinServer 2003) Driver


    Here is how I modified your procedure so that it WORKS for any of the above Realtek NIC

    Using the Windows Home Server Dual Boot Computer Restore Disk (Release Date 7/16/2008), the NIC drivers for the Realtek  family of network cards will need to be manually updated using the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.
         
         The Windows Home Server restore CD will indicate the "NIC driver for the restore CD is present"; 
         however, this driver WILL not work and there will be no network connectivity.
         The solution is to download the drivers from the  Realtek site and install them during the restore using
          a USB key as outlined in the  process below.

     

    Note: Just passively placing the drivers in a folder on the USB key including the drivers from a previous backup as instructed in the Restore Disk User guide will not work as the existing drivers are already loaded.

      You must follow the steps below.

     

    1.       Download the network drivers from the Realtek Website:

     

    http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false


    a.               Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.

         Note: I actually downloaded all the Windows XP and Vista drivers (4 different sets) and deleted all the
         drivers marked 64 bit     (64 bit drivers WILL not work)


    2.               Extract all the zip files onto the ROOT of a USB flash without a folder and plug the USB flash into the client PC.

     

    3.      Then apply the downloaded NIC driver(s) with the Windows Home Server Restore CD

     

    a.       On the detect hardware screen, select the appropriate time/currency format and keyboard/input method

     

    b.      Detect hardware dialog will detect the Realtek network device RTL8168C/8111C Family PCI-E Gigibit ethernet NIC
    (NDIS 6.0 but it will not be usable because of hardware and driver incompatibility.

                   

    c.       Manually update the driver from the USB flash

                                                                                     i.           Select the “Show Details…” button

                                                                                   ii.           Press the “Install Drivers…”

                                                                                  iii.          Push “Scan” button to scan for new/updated d rives

                                                                                   iv.        A dialogue box will pop up:

    "Drivers were found for your hardware.

    Click OK to see all detected hardware."

                                                                                 vi.            Select OK

     

    d.      Verify that you have updated the Network driver.

    You should now see your specific NIC hardware listed in the “Detect Hardware” dialog screen as
    Realtek PCIe GBE family Controller.

    Continue following the restore disk prompts

    Stew Gordon
    Thestewman@msn.com

    • Proposed as answer by richbutler1 Friday, May 14, 2010 5:44 PM
    Tuesday, December 8, 2009 10:49 PM
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    Lara/Stewman,

    You're answer on the Realtek drivers to use for Windows 7 restore from Windows Home Server worked perfectly.  There was howeever a strange dialog that popped up, After scanning and a long pause while the 32 bit drivers you noted above (KEY IS 32 bit only in the root of the USB drive and NOTHING else)  It said something like 'No drivers found...clicked OK, the saw the Realtek PCIe GBE family in the identified drivers, then clicked continue.  LAN card lit up, Home Server identified, backup started.

    Thanks for helping me solve this.  Will the WHS team be updating this driver series and the restore disk accordingly?  Many new motherboards have this chipset.

    Regards,

    Rich

    Friday, May 14, 2010 5:53 PM
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    Lara Jones [MSFT] | Program Manager
    Community Support and Beta | Windows Home Server Team
    Windows Home Server Team Blog
    Connect Windows Home Server
    Windows Home Server

    Thank you for the information. Your procedure does not work but it allowed me to develop a way to allow the restore disk to work.

    The procedure you outlined does not work for the following Realtek NIC
     
    RTL8111B/RTL8168B/RTL8111/RTL8168
    RTL8111C/RTL8111CP/RTL8111D(L)
    RTL8168C/RTL8111DP

    Here is what you must do.

    Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver
    instead of the WinXP (WinServer 2003) Driver


    Here is how I modified your procedure so that it WORKS for any of the above Realtek NIC

    Using the Windows Home Server Dual Boot Computer Restore Disk (Release Date 7/16/2008), the NIC drivers for the Realtek  family of network cards will need to be manually updated using the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.
         
         The Windows Home Server restore CD will indicate the "NIC driver for the restore CD is present"; 
         however, this driver WILL not work and there will be no network connectivity.
         The solution is to download the drivers from the  Realtek site and install them during the restore using
          a USB key as outlined in the  process below.

     

    Note: Just passively placing the drivers in a folder on the USB key including the drivers from a previous backup as instructed in the Restore Disk User guide will not work as the existing drivers are already loaded.

      You must follow the steps below.

     

    1.       Download the network drivers from the Realtek Website:

     

    http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false


    a.               Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.

         Note: I actually downloaded all the Windows XP and Vista drivers (4 different sets) and deleted all the
         drivers marked 64 bit     (64 bit drivers WILL not work)


    2.               Extract all the zip files onto the ROOT of a USB flash without a folder and plug the USB flash into the client PC.

     

    3.      Then apply the downloaded NIC driver(s) with the Windows Home Server Restore CD

     

    a.       On the detect hardware screen, select the appropriate time/currency format and keyboard/input method

     

    b.      Detect hardware dialog will detect the Realtek network device RTL8168C/8111C Family PCI-E Gigibit ethernet NIC
    (NDIS 6.0 but it will not be usable because of hardware and driver incompatibility.

                   

    c.       Manually update the driver from the USB flash

                                                                                     i.           Select the “Show Details…” button

                                                                                   ii.           Press the “Install Drivers…”

                                                                                  iii.          Push “Scan” button to scan for new/updated d rives

                                                                                   iv.        A dialogue box will pop up:

    "Drivers were found for your hardware.

    Click OK to see all detected hardware."

                                                                                 vi.            Select OK

     

    d.      Verify that you have updated the Network driver.

    You should now see your specific NIC hardware listed in the “Detect Hardware” dialog screen as
    Realtek PCIe GBE family Controller.

    Continue following the restore disk prompts

    Stew Gordon
    Thestewman@msn.com


    After I have spend hours on this KB trying to find a solution, the above WORKS!!!!! Once I did this it found the network card and my computer is being restored as I type!!!!! Yeaaaaaaaaaaa Thank You so much..Now we just need to get microsoft to fix this so that windows restore cd will find 64 bit drivers...yeah I know good luck right
    Saturday, July 10, 2010 7:10 PM
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    After I have spend hours on this KB trying to find a solution, the above WORKS!!!!! Once I did this it found the network card and my computer is being restored as I type!!!!! Yeaaaaaaaaaaa Thank You so much..Now we just need to get microsoft to fix this so that windows restore cd will find 64 bit drivers...yeah I know good luck right
    I highly doubt that will happen for v1.  However, Vail (the next version, now in beta) does have drivers for 64-bit OSes.
    Saturday, July 10, 2010 8:02 PM
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    Lara Jones [MSFT] | Program Manager
    Community Support and Beta | Windows Home Server Team
    Windows Home Server Team Blog
    Connect Windows Home Server
    Windows Home Server

    Thank you for the information. Your procedure does not work but it allowed me to develop a way to allow the restore disk to work.

    The procedure you outlined does not work for the following Realtek NIC
     
    RTL8111B/RTL8168B/RTL8111/RTL8168
    RTL8111C/RTL8111CP/RTL8111D(L)
    RTL8168C/RTL8111DP

    Here is what you must do.

    Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver
    instead of the WinXP (WinServer 2003) Driver


    Here is how I modified your procedure so that it WORKS for any of the above Realtek NIC

    Using the Windows Home Server Dual Boot Computer Restore Disk (Release Date 7/16/2008), the NIC drivers for the Realtek  family of network cards will need to be manually updated using the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.
         
         The Windows Home Server restore CD will indicate the "NIC driver for the restore CD is present"; 
         however, this driver WILL not work and there will be no network connectivity.
         The solution is to download the drivers from the  Realtek site and install them during the restore using
          a USB key as outlined in the  process below.

     

    Note: Just passively placing the drivers in a folder on the USB key including the drivers from a previous backup as instructed in the Restore Disk User guide will not work as the existing drivers are already loaded.

      You must follow the steps below.

     

    1.       Download the network drivers from the Realtek Website:

     

    http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false


    a.               Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.

         Note: I actually downloaded all the Windows XP and Vista drivers (4 different sets) and deleted all the
         drivers marked 64 bit     (64 bit drivers WILL not work)


    2.               Extract all the zip files onto the ROOT of a USB flash without a folder and plug the USB flash into the client PC.

     

    3.      Then apply the downloaded NIC driver(s) with the Windows Home Server Restore CD

     

    a.       On the detect hardware screen, select the appropriate time/currency format and keyboard/input method

     

    b.      Detect hardware dialog will detect the Realtek network device RTL8168C/8111C Family PCI-E Gigibit ethernet NIC
    (NDIS 6.0 but it will not be usable because of hardware and driver incompatibility.

                   

    c.       Manually update the driver from the USB flash

                                                                                     i.           Select the “Show Details…” button

                                                                                   ii.           Press the “Install Drivers…”

                                                                                  iii.          Push “Scan” button to scan for new/updated d rives

                                                                                   iv.        A dialogue box will pop up:

    "Drivers were found for your hardware.

    Click OK to see all detected hardware."

                                                                                 vi.            Select OK

     

    d.      Verify that you have updated the Network driver.

    You should now see your specific NIC hardware listed in the “Detect Hardware” dialog screen as
    Realtek PCIe GBE family Controller.

    Continue following the restore disk prompts

    Stew Gordon
    Thestewman@msn.com


    Thanks for this advice. It worked perfectly after everything else seemed to fail. The key was using the 32 bit Vista / 2008 driver.
    Sunday, July 18, 2010 4:07 AM
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    Hi Stew,

    I have tried your fix on a Win 7x64 Client, scanned for drivers on the USB key but although it says new drivers have been installed I can't get to stage D, see below:

    d.      Verify that you have updated the Network driver.

    You should now see your specific NIC hardware listed in the “Detect Hardware” dialog screen as
    Realtek PCIe GBE family Controller

    It still just shows the Realtek 8168/8111 as the only Nic. The drivers are just copied onto the USB key and do not reside in a folder and are the only items on the key. The drivers on the key are as follows:

    netrtoem security catalogue, NetrtOEM, RtNicprop32.dll, Rtnicxp.sys. all Windows Vista/server 2008 32 bit versions.

    Any thoughts you may have would be most welcomed.

    Colin

    Wednesday, September 22, 2010 5:40 AM
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    Stew,

    I am replying to my own post as I have found out where I was going wrong. I was using driver version 6.1 and saw on a related thread that I needed 6.2 or higher. Thanks for the info you posted.

    Colin

    Wednesday, September 22, 2010 5:55 AM
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    Lara Jones [MSFT] | Program Manager
    Community Support and Beta | Windows Home Server Team
    Windows Home Server Team Blog
    Connect Windows Home Server
    Windows Home Server

    Thank you for the information. Your procedure does not work but it allowed me to develop a way to allow the restore disk to work.

    The procedure you outlined does not work for the following Realtek NIC
     
    RTL8111B/RTL8168B/RTL8111/RTL8168
    RTL8111C/RTL8111CP/RTL8111D(L)
    RTL8168C/RTL8111DP

    Here is what you must do.

    Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver
    instead of the WinXP (WinServer 2003) Driver


    Here is how I modified your procedure so that it WORKS for any of the above Realtek NIC

    Using the Windows Home Server Dual Boot Computer Restore Disk (Release Date 7/16/2008), the NIC drivers for the Realtek  family of network cards will need to be manually updated using the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.
         
         The Windows Home Server restore CD will indicate the "NIC driver for the restore CD is present"; 
         however, this driver WILL not work and there will be no network connectivity.
         The solution is to download the drivers from the  Realtek site and install them during the restore using
          a USB key as outlined in the  process below.

     

    Note: Just passively placing the drivers in a folder on the USB key including the drivers from a previous backup as instructed in the Restore Disk User guide will not work as the existing drivers are already loaded.

      You must follow the steps below.

     

    1.       Download the network drivers from the Realtek Website:

     

    http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false


    a.               Download the Vista (WinServer 2008) Driver.

         Note: I actually downloaded all the Windows XP and Vista drivers (4 different sets) and deleted all the
         drivers marked 64 bit     (64 bit drivers WILL not work)


    2.               Extract all the zip files onto the ROOT of a USB flash without a folder and plug the USB flash into the client PC.

     

    3.      Then apply the downloaded NIC driver(s) with the Windows Home Server Restore CD

     

    a.       On the detect hardware screen, select the appropriate time/currency format and keyboard/input method

     

    b.      Detect hardware dialog will detect the Realtek network device RTL8168C/8111C Family PCI-E Gigibit ethernet NIC
    (NDIS 6.0 but it will not be usable because of hardware and driver incompatibility.

                   

    c.       Manually update the driver from the USB flash

                                                                                     i.           Select the “Show Details…” button

                                                                                   ii.           Press the “Install Drivers…”

                                                                                  iii.          Push “Scan” button to scan for new/updated d rives

                                                                                   iv.        A dialogue box will pop up:

    "Drivers were found for your hardware.

    Click OK to see all detected hardware."

                                                                                 vi.            Select OK

     

    d.      Verify that you have updated the Network driver.

    You should now see your specific NIC hardware listed in the “Detect Hardware” dialog screen as
    Realtek PCIe GBE family Controller.

    Continue following the restore disk prompts

    Stew Gordon
    Thestewman@msn.com


    Many Many Many Thanks to you!!!! It is now working and restoring as expected!!!

    I not only packed the Realtek driver on the USB Flash Drive but also the driver for the AMD SATA Raid Channel (ahcix86s) downloaded from my board manufacturer, all without folders.

    The "Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore" was useless because it contained only 64 bit drivers for the AMD SATA. I am restoring a Windows 7 64 bit machine after a reconfiguration of the RAID Array. Now it will take another 3 hours for restore (estimated). Hope Windows will go live again :).

    Regards,

    Marco

    Sunday, October 16, 2011 6:14 PM