All,
The issue here is not that Network Connections cannot be found, nor is it that an existing NIC connection is not appearing in the System Tray.
It is simply that there would appear to be no available network interfaces in the PC, and therefore no connections to configure in Network Connections.
If there is no LAN card or Wifi card or modem (or serial / parallel or USB "network" devices), then no icons will be present in Network Connections.
Once a physical device is installed and identified by the system and drivers loaded, then it will appear and populate Network Connections - which will otherwise remain blank, apart from the New Connection and Network Setup Wizards.
SD