Realtek ethernet controller driver keeps disappearing

It seems like this problem has come back again. It just disappeared from progams and features, again. This happened, i think, while i was cleaning up windows. I used ccleaner, wisecleaner, advanced system care and glary utilities to clean it with. I also used microsoft autoruns, but i doubt that could be causing it? Anyway, i just installed it again, and this time it gave me an error that said it couldn't be installed because a sysfile was missing and that i had to insert a cd to install the drivers, but on my second attempt i was able to install the drivers.

I see there's a folder called installshield installation information that contains the setup file for the realtek drivers. I don't see the purpose of this folder as the drivers are already installed, so i have delete it a couple of times. Could this be the cause of the drivers disappearing from programs and features?

Does anyone know where the realtek ethernet controller drivers are located in windows registry? Sometimes you can create a new dword value and name it systemcomponent, to change the visibility of the icon in programs and features. Maybe it would be worth a try?

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Also, it seems a bit weird that the realtek ethernet driver icon keeps disappearing, but some of the other realtek drivers, such as the realtek sound drivers, don't?

Just to make sure that I understand, are you saying that the Ethernet icon is disappearing from Device Manager?

If so, please try this:

Open Device Manager
Select View > Show hidden devices as in the screenshot below



When your Ethernet icon goes missing, see if it shows up here dimmed out when you have selected to show hidden devices. In the below screenshot, the arrow is pointing to a USB Ethernet adapter that has been unplugged from the system. Windows remembers the details for that device but hides it (indicated by the dimmed out appearance). By remembering the details, Windows can apply all the same settings that were previously configured for the device the next time it is plugged in. If this is what is happening to you, then it indicates that the system is somehow failing to communicate with or "see" that device. Windows remembers the details, but there must be some sort of problem with the device. If it is a card, maybe try reseating it. Make sure the settings don't have that device going to sleep. Otherwise, it may be necessary to replace that device. The point is that if it shows up as dimmed, Windows still knows about the device and I don't think that going into the registry is needed.

If the device doesn't show up even as dimmed when Show hidden devices is selected, then there is clearly some other issue that I'm not putting my finger on at the moment.

What is sometimes helpful in this type of situation is to select that hidden device, right-click on it, and remove it. If asked if you want to remove the driver, go ahead and uninstall the driver as well. Then, reinstall the latest driver for that device. Of course, make sure you already have the driver available and ready to be installed on that machine before you delete the device.

No, it disappears from programs and features.

Cerawy said:

No, it disappears from programs and features.

Is it in Device Manager and is the Ethernet adapter working? None of my Realtek Ethernet devices show up in Programs and Features but they work flawlessly.

Other than it not showing up in Programs and Features, are you having any real difficulty with the device?

Yes it's in device manager and working correctly, last time i checked.

Cerawy said:

Yes it's in device manager and working correctly, last time i checked.

Then you are done. There IS NO REASON for it to show up in Programs and Features. It's a driver - not an application, unless you are adding some sort of other control application.

Okay, but i want it in programs and features, unless i uninstall it myself, so the problem still isn't solved.