Can't enable wifi on Novatech laptop after new mint 19 install

Internet Connectivity
21

My guess would be that it’ll be the same in Fedora now too

For some reason I think the motherboard is disabling the hardware and ignoring the switch/key combo … usually the “removing the battery trick” works, but obviously that’s going to be a problem here.

Is there an option to disable wireless in the BIOS … if so, disable it … boot once … reboot … re-enable wireless … and boot.

Maybe that will unstick it.

Something else … have you tried the key combo a few times because sometimes it just disables bluetooth on the first click, then disables wireless, then re-enables bluetooth, then re-enables wireless … if you get my drift

22

I couldn’t find anything in the BIOS that would disable wifi.

I tried the key combo a few times too but that didn’t seem to do anything.

Worst case I can take it to bits tomorrow and remove the battery and see if that makes any difference.

Thanks for looking into this so deeply - it’s a Herculean effort!

23

Maybe simply running the battery flat will do it … just a thought.

24

Ah, I’ll try that before taking it apart…

25

Maybe also try a Fedora LiveDVD/LiveUSB … just to check.

26

Good idea.

I’ll try both those things and update later…

Thanks again.

27

If it works in a Fedora Live session … check which kernel they’re running, maybe we can duplicate that in Mint.

28

Still no luck.

I ran the battery down to zero overnight, pressed power button etc but still blocked.

I also booted Fedora 29 from a USB and its blocked there too…

29

On my Novatech the Fn/F12 keys are the wireless control, if that helps ??
Don W

30

Hi Don,

Thanks - tried that but still no luck.

Don’t know if it’s related or not, but when i shut down, it just hangs at the mint logo and I need to switch off manually. Restart works fine though.

31

Occasionally my Mint takes about two minutes to shut down, it doesnt happen very often. Perhaps its something to do with saving stuff before it closes down. I dont know, but I dont think it`s anything to worry about.

It doesn`t seem to happen with Peppermint!