Microsoft Windows for 64-bit Extended Systems

Getting the Realtek 8169/8110 family of Gigabit Ethernet adapters to work:

  1. Download my modified version of the net8169a.inf, see below.
  2. Install Windows 2003/XP/Longhorn as you normally do.
  3. Replace the net8169a.inf from the %SystemRoot%\INF folder with the one you downloaded in step 1.
  4. Delete the net8169a.PNF from the %SystemRoot%\INF folder.
  5. Either click click Update Driver... or re-detect the hardware. Windows will now find any Realtek 8169/8110 series Gigabit Ethernet adapter and will install the driver.

For the die hards, there is a more challanging method of replacing the Realtek INF file. ;-)
  1. During the GUI mode of the Windows 2003/XP/Longhorn setup when the system has just booted and is busy detecting the hardware, press SHIFT + F10 to open a Command Prompt.
  2. Change directory to %SystemRoot%\INF.
  3. Edit the net8169a.inf file using notepad.exe.
  4. Search for the string: %RTL8169.DeviceDesc% = RTL8169.ndi, PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_8169&SUBSYS_816910EC and remove the SUBSYS section from the line (&SUBSYS_816910EC).
  5. Save the file and quit Notepad.
  6. If you did this quick enough, Windows Setup will now find any Realtek 8169/8110 series Gigabit Ethernet adapter and installs the driver.
BTW. This exercise will save you three minutes afterwards you would else be spending using the first method. ;-)
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Can be sent to: amd64@collosumus_NOSPAM_.net, please remove the _NOSPAM_ from the e-mail address. You can't be too careful with spam these days.


Last update: 01/09/2004.