Thanks ady4um
Can you attach please a screenshot of the "Network Connections" Window (where the connections should be displayed)?
File attached. I've also brought up the notification window so that you can see the networks exist, but as you can see the folder is empty.
This is after system restore to when AIS was installed. After AIS uninstallation the notification window still shows the networks, but says not connected in the upper portion. The lower portion (with the networks and bars) looks like it is connected (ie offers to disconnect), but says limited connectivity. So it seems the hardware is still communicating with Windows on some level at least, even if Windows can not detect it when I try to set up a new network connection.
If it's relevant- when uninstalling AIS the connection remains open until the system is restarted. But I guess that this just reflects the resetting of whatever settings caused this issue.
I suppose the question is what could AIS uninstall affect that disrupts Windows recognition of networking hardware and 'my devices'? Folk have said nothing.... drivers are not touched, but this issue wasn't present before AIS at all.....
?
Would I be correct to hope that once the networking hardware is recognised, that the network connection icons might reappear?
Also it doesn't help that I don't have a non corrupted system restore point which shows my networking hardware and devices- the earlier one disappeared overnight and I can't remember if I had tried it previously.
For the empty device manager you could try the following:
http://redfireworkz.blogspot.com/2010/10/device-manager-empty-or-blank.html
Thanks bob3160, I will go through this next before I try this clean boot method, which sounds very slow.