Share via

Marvell AVASTAR Wireless -AC Network Controller

Ann On 60 Reputation points
2025-11-04T11:14:03.34+00:00

What has happened? I've always been highly impressed by MS Customer Service, a factor which has highly influenced my purchasing decision, but I cannot begin to state how disgusted I am. This is the first time I've ever had to complain. I called customer service and kept getting through to a bot who won't process that I could not access internet on the device!!! (Bot keeps redirecting me to find an online solution!!!

Finally got through a telephone rep: who transferred me to the technical department who was difficult to understand took a VERY long time to comprehend that I could not access internet on the device and got upset when I pointed out that I was tired of repeating myself and if they could lsten to the issue and note it down. The rep accidentally forgot to put me on hold one time and could be heard laughing and giggling with a colleague. In the midst of trouble shooting the phone hung up and they did not call back.

The trouble shoot removed uninstalled the (Marvell Avastar Wi-Fi adapter and I have not seen it again since.

I made several attempts to call back - kept being told I was being transferrred - I just kept being left on hold.

When I would call back to try to get a name - the rep would hang up. I was eventually left on hold for hours - the rep would check to see if I had hung up - of course I hadn't. I chose to record and document the behaviour.

I managed to get online on a nother device and contact support. I got a call back and said I would get an email of instructions to carry out a 'recovery' (?) By then I had tried numerous fix attempts - reboot, reset, CMD, Windows service install.. this that and many more. I was told that an email would be sent to me and to buy a flash drive between 16 -32gb. As it would only work on this size drive. So I did.

No Email.

When I check the service request history it says - Resolved (!) When I try to open a new request - It disappears.

This is disgraceful behaviour and for the first time in history - I wish to file a formal complaint. It is not acceptable, distressing and making me lose respect for MicroSoft - a brand that I have always had high regard for. I have always been impressed that many solutions are made easy to fix with the online self help. But not all of them can be resolved this way. When you have reps that behave in this EXTREMELY disgraceful manner and is a completely crushes the 'premium' of MicroSoft products.

Currently status of issue.

Marvell AVASTAR not displaying.

Ethernet Controller displaying - with yellow warning triangle.

When I try to update driver...

"

Windows found drivers for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install

Marvell AVASTAR Wireless -AC Network Controller

One of the installers for this device cannot perform the installation at this time,

Surface | Surface Book | Network
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Barb Bowman 80,355 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-04T16:34:20.6966667+00:00
    2 people found this answer helpful.
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Rez 13,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-11-04T16:11:48.78+00:00

    Thank you for trying everything. The last fix that you can do is either do first is to reset your surface and if that doesn't work, do a clean wipe and install of Windows designed for your device. As what we recommend.

    All the best,

    Rez

    1 person found this answer helpful.
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Barb Bowman 80,355 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-04T14:16:08.53+00:00

    Yes, customer service has gone downhill.

    First step: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/restore-or-reset-surface-for-windows-e1fd649a-6396-a7de-2e87-7ba3b45e0fb1 - try a reset. You will need to use the local install since your wifi is the issue.

    if that does not work, second step is the downloadable recovery image specific to your Surface. You will need to prepare the drive using a Windows 10 or 11 PC. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/creating-and-using-a-usb-recovery-drive-for-surface-677852e2-ed34-45cb-40ef-398fc7d62c07

    1 person found this answer helpful.

1 additional answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Rez 13,000 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-11-04T13:50:06.1066667+00:00

    Hi Ann,

    Thanks for reaching out to the forum. I understand how it is frustrating not to get the proper support you needed to get your surface device fixed especially it's network driver.

    Can you share the exact model of your surface?

    Have you tried installing and running the surface diagnostic toolkit?

    There appears to be a corruption in the driver store on your Windows Image.

    Open an elevated command prompt in Administrator mode, type

    sfc -scannow

    The system file checker will check the driver and component store for errors and will attempt to repair them.

    If SFC finds errors, but cannot repair them, then you will need to use DISM to scan the health of your computer image. Type

    DISM /online /Cleanup-Image /scanhealth

    this will determine if your component store is repairable.

    Then type

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ,this will attempt to restore the system files with known good ones. If this doesn't help, then you will need to possibly Refresh or Reinstall Windows.

    Let me know what results you get.

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.