Sony VAIO (all in one) desktop computer network problem

I really do need some answers... Any help is greatly appreciated.

I bought a new all in one about one year ago. I came with Windows 8.

I can't stand Windows 8 so I took the original hd out and put it in storage and replaced it with a new blank one.

I bought an OEM copy of Windows 7 and installed it.

I can't get on line. There are two possibilities here. First it is not necessary for one to have a local network though most of us do. One may connect directly to the web via the cable modem. If one has a router then a connection may be made to the local net without, necessarily, being online. None of this is addressed in the instructions given through the Control Panel, Networking routines.

First of all I have two questions. The network config section of control panel mentions two things which don't make sense.

1. I am told to enter the name given me by my ISP. Trouble is that my ISP (Comcast) hasn't given me any name. Of course they did give an "address". I do have a name and password provided me by my router however, which is nothing to do with "my ISP".

2. There are references to "dialing" in the window used to connect. "Dialing" is not used with broadband. It's an archaic term left over from the telephone modem days. One needs a telephone equipped with a dial and copper wire service with "dial tone" before one can "dial". Doesn't MS know this? "Dialing" is still used if one has an ISDN telephone line (copper wire) connection with a local phone company as well. Broadband connections do not "dial" because there is no phone number involved. So what is Microsoft talking about when they say "dial"? I expect that they have left old lingo in place so as not to confuse people but using outdated and inaccurate terms does confuse me. I expect up to date perfection from Microsoft.

OK so much for the rant. Here's the real problem.

I have two other computers in the house that use W-7. Both these are older models. Neither has any difficulty whatsoever in detecting my router and connecting to it. My Sony VAIO is a different story. It cannot detect any router at all (except when W-8 is installed) and my attempts to config manually fail with error 651 (whatever that is... no explanation is given). Please remember that I have two other computers in the house which have no difficulty in detecting my network. Only my new Sony will not (except when W-8 is being used.

Here's the question... Is my Sony VAIO designed to work with W-8 only? It certainly seems so because if I put the original hd with W-8 back in it works perfectly.

My VAIO also works perfectly with any flavor of Linux. No network detection problems whatsoever. Sigh!

OK Sony time to fess up... Are you making computers that will only work with W-8.

Anyone have any ideas about the "why" in all this??? Can I revert a W-8 computer to W-7? So far the answer is no.

I know my question is mixed with a mini-rant. Can't help it.

 

Hi there

First - the mini rant is completely unnecessary. You are looking at settings that are designed for a different type of connection and you complain that they don't match - no wonder.

Secondly while you explain what dialing is (for no obvious reason) you did not tell us explicitly - are you connecting via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable, what is the network card (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and its driver version, what router are you using?

First though - check the device manager. See if there are any devices that have not installed properly (marked by a yellow exclamation mark). If I was to speculate, I would say that whatever Wi-Fi card you are trying to use (I assume that's the type of connection you are using) is not supported by default by Windows 7 and therefore can't be installed.
There is most likely a driver for it but since Windows 7 has no access to internet it can't check Windows Update for it.

 

Yeah it just sounds like you need to find the right drivers for things to work. Calm down.


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