whiped my tablet to do a windows 11 re install on my surface pro 9, stuck on missing network adapter... HELP.

It sounds like you are experiencing an issue with the network adapter after reinstalling Windows 11 on your Surface Pro 9. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Check Device Manager: After the installation, check if the network adapter is listed in Device Manager. If it is not listed, it may indicate a driver issue.
2. Install Drivers: You may need to install the appropriate drivers for your Surface Pro 9. You can download the drivers from the Microsoft website or use a USB drive with the drivers saved on it. Make sure to install the network adapter drivers specifically.
3. Run Windows Update: Sometimes, Windows Update can automatically find and install the necessary drivers for your hardware. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.
4. Check BIOS Settings: Ensure that the network adapter is enabled in the BIOS settings. Sometimes, hardware can be disabled at this level.
5. Use Surface Diagnostic Toolkit: If you have access to another device, download the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit and run it on your Surface Pro 9. This tool can help identify and fix issues with your device.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

References:

• Surface Pro 9 Component Disassembly and Reassembly
• Surface Pro 9 with 5G Component Disassembly and Reassembly

Hi alex scott,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

I understand how stressful it is to finish a clean install and then get stuck without network connectivity. Surface devices require device-specific drivers and firmware for components. A clean install from a standard Windows ISO might not include these drivers, prompting this issue.

If you have a phone with a data plan and a cable, it's possible to turn on Hotspot & tethering, and once connects to the Internet, you can directly install the missing Surface drivers. However, if you can't do that, you need to use another device (a PC is better, but phone can do it):

1. Go to Surface Pro 9 Drivers and Firmware | Official Microsoft Download Center
2. Click the blue button to download the driver pack for your Windows 11
3. Transfer the .msi file, e.g. save to a USB drive and plug it into your Surface
4. Double-click the .msi and let it install all required drivers, then restart
5. Once Wi-Fi works, connect to the internet and run Windows Update

I hope the above helps you get your Surface back online. If you want a fully clean reinstall next time, use the Surface Recovery Image instead of a generic Windows ISO. It includes all drivers by default.

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Haven't heard from you for a while, alex scott. Did you successfully get Internet connection for your tablet yet? Did you get stuck at any steps?

If your issue appeared earlier in Windows setup stage, you should try using a cable (if possible) for Ethernet instead. Or modify the Windows installer itself to add the package directly (you can use third-party tool like Rufus).

If you don't have conditions to do both, another suggestion is to press Shift + F10 during the setup to bring up Command Prompt, type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press Enter - in some cases this allows you to bypass the OOBE phrase, and then you can manually add the Internet adapter after that.