Weird install problem HD 4000 with GEforce 650M on HP DV7-7012: black screens

[idata]

I've got an HP laptop running Win7 Pro (64 bit) with hardware known to be good (dual-boot proves it), but a weird problem occurred when I did a driver update. Now the screens are all black if the HD 4000 driver is active.

If the Intel display adaptor is enabled, all the screens go black as soon as the windows login screen appears (or, actually, doesn't appear). The boot sequence is fine, but of course that uses the default non-PnP VGA driver. Once the screens have gone black, even a reboot won't make them come back (i.e., the BIOS screens are also black). I have to physically remove all power for a few seconds to reset whatever bit is stuck the wrong way.

When the screens are black, PnP will detect if a monitor is plugged/unplugged (the "bing-bong" sound occurs), but nothing is displayed (the monitor LED may be on, but all the pixels are turned solidly off).

Tried a variety of driver versions (both for the Intel gfx and the Nvidia, as well as drivers from the HP site), uninstalled/reinstalled/rebooted several times.

The only way I can use my machine now is to disable the Intel graphics chip, which effectively disables the Nvidia as well...that gets me back to the "safe VGA" dumb graphics mode. No multiple displays (normally, I use three). Also, no suspend (which depends upon real drivers).

Possible theories, given all the testing I've done:

• Intel chip has some configuration data stored somewhere that puts it into no-display mode. Is there some utility or regedit hack that could test / correct this?
• Intel driver is not properly connecting to the monitors' drivers--something is missing or corrupted. Ditto with the utility/regedit question.
• Intel driver is not properly connecting to the Nvidia drivers, hence it has "no input". Ditto again.
• Intel driver is fine, Nvidia driver is messed, hence no output delivered and Intel chip is properly rendering a whole lot of nothing. Again with the ditto
• I'm stupid and I've missed something obvious. The remedy here is your responses!

Going crazy with the prospect of having to reinstall windows just to make the graphics adaptor work.

Help?!?!?!

[Stefan3D]

Does it still work with the original drivers from http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/HP-Pavilion-dv7-Entertainment-Notebook-PC-series/5226224/model/5255921 HP® Customer Support ?

Actually there are a bunch of fresh updates.

Do you have the "HP On-Screen Display Utility" listed there installed?

Maybe it's incompatible with newer drivers.

[idata]

Sorry I wasn't more specific: the HP drivers no longer work (although they install just fine). Something got corrupted by the update I did from Intel's driver from some time last year and the latest version, and I can't seem to back-track.

NEW CLUE: I used prtScreen to capture what's going on in the "black screen mode". Windows lets me log in and run things (even though I can't see them in real time), so the screen capture lets me see some things. Note that even prtScreen's view of the world is goofed: most of the screen area is "blacked out" (I made dozens of these, all showing the same effect.

[Stefan3D]

You can try to roll back via "system restore points"

Also there is a special uninstaller for GPU drivers named http://www.wagnardmobile.com/ DDU (never tried or needed that myself)

[idata]

Tried a couple of roll-backs...didn't help any.

Tried to download several versions of DDU, and although they "install' quickly, they don't run (either in Safe or multi-user mode).

Ugh.

[idata]

Hi Davodavo, Since your computer is fully supported on Windows* 7 and 8, I recommend you to try a Windows recovery.After that I recommend you is to install the latest customized driver released by HP*http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-dv7-7000-entertainment-notebook-pc-series/5226224/model/5255921# Z7_3054ICK0K8UDA0AQC11TA930O2 http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-dv7-7000-entertainment-notebook-pc-series/5226224/model/5255921# Z7_3054ICK0K8UDA0AQC11TA930O2 We sell our Intel chipsets and processors to third party manufacturers and they design their own computers with their own features, settings and capabilities.For that reason they design their own drivers, to meet the exact specifications on their computers. That is why I recommend you to try their drivers. Please let me know the outcome. Regards,Hellen.

[idata]

Yes, I had already gone back to HP's original drivers both for the Intel and Nvidia chipsets.

No go.

Did all the simplistic repair paths, nothing did it.

Did an in-place "upgrade" (from Win7pro64 to Win7pro64) of windows, reinstalled all the service packs and updates. That was the only solution.

Everything works fine now, and I have 10 GB more free disk space (yes, there was that much cruft...)

[idata]

Hi Davodavo,

It is great to know that your computer is working as it should, do not hesitate to contact us back. Regards,Hellen.