Intel Driver Iris Xe Graphics Driver Freezes All Application

[lorenzostolk]

Strategy 1 (device manager):

I updated my Intel driver to 31.0.101.4952 with the Intel Driver Assistent and it broke my laptop. 

I tried what was advised in this post: https://community.intel.com/t5/Graphics/Intel-Iris-Xe-problems-with-freezing-screen/td-p/1404991 

I uninstalled the driver in device manager, restarted my laptop, and everything worked fine untill a few minutes later. File explorer, cmd and control panel worked fine, but all apps and the windows 11 settings panel kept freezing.

I tried the driver from here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html and this worked fine. But when internet is up, it updates I guess and everything freezes again. 

With the https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/785597/intel-arc-iris-xe-graphics-windows.html , I installed the 31.0.101.4887, which works fine. It also installed ARC. I put the wifi on, opened ARC, ARC updated to 31.0.101.4952 express. Than after a few restarts, everything started to freeze again after around 30 seconds after startup. 

The only thing I can find that installed after this was Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 7.0.7 (X64), so I updated it the latest version (7.0.13). 

When an app is frozen, it crashed when u press something in it. Sometimes it responds to closing, and sometimes it does not. When it it closed, It does not open when I try to start the application again. 

After a few times my windows gave me the error "user profile cannot be loaded". Windows created a TEMP user profile, which I now fixed. 

Strategy 2 (DDU):

Now I uninstalled it with DDU in safe mode.

I found out that after I installed a version like 31.0.101.4887 in safe mode (not sure if it installed, the installed said succesful), restarted to normal mode, my screen starts blinking cause windows comes with an update called "Intel Corporation - Display - 30.0.101.1298". Than after restart, everything works fine. Than windows comes with another update called "Intel Corporation - Extension - 31.0.101.4255". I restarted and no other updates came and everything worked. After a few hours it broke again. 

I checked the Intel Iris Xe version and it is still 30.0.101.1298. 

This driver update broke it all. What is causing it? Are these problems known by Intel? 

In the attachments you will find some info/logs from DirectX Diagnostic Tool and Intel System Support Utility of Strategy 1. 

[Dkenn]

With exception of some BIOS/firmware drivers, Razor recommend downloading drivers from Windows Update. I would suggest doing the following:

1. Boot into Safe Mode.
2. Uninstall the Intel graphics drivers (make sure to select Delete the driver software for this device) using Device Manager.
3. Open a command-line window (e.g. Windows PowerShell) with Admin rights.
4. Run a scan with the System File Checker (SFC /SCANNOW).
5. Reboot the computer.
6. Check for Windows Updates.

Hope this helps.

[lorenzostolk]

Thank you for your reply!

I tried it, it doesn't not work. 

[Dkenn]

Which display driver version is Windows Update automatically (not optional drivers) installing for your system?

[lorenzostolk]

30.0.101.1298

[Dkenn]

This is beginning to sound like the problem might lay somewhere else, i.e. the Intel driver update might have been a coincidence.

The good next step would be to take note of the date/time of the next freeze, and then look in the Windows Event Viewer System, and Application logs for related events.