Black screen instead of Intel Visual BIOS after selecting the NUC Atom theme on the NUC8i7HVK

[Playful_Curiosity]

Initially, everything worked fine and the Visual BIOS was displayed. Then I simultaneously changed several options in the Visual BIOS. Namely, I chose the NUC Atom theme, set the Boot section as the starting page, and possibly changed some other minor option. After saving the changes and reboot, all the ways to enter the Visual BIOS began to cause a black screen to be displayed. All the other parts of the UEFI except Visual BIOS works fine and booting to the OS also works fine.

- I've tried starting Visual BIOS by Power Button Menu and by the board's jumper removal menu, and also by the extended Windows reboot menu. Problem is with Visual BIOS itself, no matter the way I'm starting it.

- I haven't changed any overclocking options.

- I've tried flashing to the oldest and to the newest firmware versions.

- I've flashed in different ways, from Windows, through the Power Button Menu, thought board's jumper removal menu and through BIOS Recovery menu entry.

- I've tried to disconnect the CMOS battery cable for the duration of the day.

- I've tried 3 different monitors (not a TV sets) and 4 cables, one HDMI (NUC side) to DVI (monitor side), the second HDMI (NUC side) to VGA (monitor side), the third DisplayPort mini to DisplayPort and the fourth DisplayPort mini to DVI.

- On Windows, I installed all the updates that the Intel Driver & Support Assistant utility offered me.

- I've tried placing the board's jumper to 2-3 pins but in that case Power Button Menu action is ignored and extended Windows reboot menu also stops working. Looks like jumper on 2-3 completely disables entering to the Visual BIOS and other UEFI menus.

- In case Visual BIOS functions normal except the monitor output, I've tried 'blindly' reset it to default by pressing hotkeys sequences: F9, Y, F10, Y and F9, Y, ENTER, F10, Y, ENTER.

At the time when the Visual BIOS was still displayed, in its settings I turned off the F7 hints on the start screen and after all these flashings, this hint still doesn’t appear, from which it can be concluded that some of the Visual BIOS settings are not reset when flashing.

What should I do? Do I need to take the NUC8i7HVK to a service center, where they will flash the UEFI with some hardware programmer module and maybe this will reset the Visual BIOS settings to defaults? Service center is located far away, so the travel there is the less desirable solution.

[n_scott_pearson]

Settings are persistent across BIOS updates, even BIOS Recovery. Changing BIOS versions is not going to make any difference at all.

Have you tried entering Visual BIOS through the Power Button Menu (PBM)? Power off the NUC and then power back on, holding the button down for a hard count of 3 seconds (1001, 1002, 1003). The PBM should then appear within a few seconds. Use the F2 option to go into BIOS Setup (Visual BIOS) from there.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Playful_Curiosity]

Thanks for the reply.

Yep, I've tried Power Button Menu and the board's jumper removal menu, and also Windows extended reboot menu. Problem is with Visual BIOS itself, no matter the way I'm starting it.

[n_scott_pearson]

Try moving the jumper from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3 and then powering on.

...S

[Playful_Curiosity]

Tried that previously and tried again now.

After placing the board's jumper to 2-3 pins:

- Power Button Menu action is ignored, it just boots Windows, or, if I'm removing SSD, complains about no bootable media. I'm triggering Power Button Menu with a stopwatch, and very rarely missing timing, tried about 10 times.

- Extended Windows reboot menu also stops working with jumper on 2-3, I'ts just booting to the Windows again.

So looks like jumper on 2-3 completely disables entering to the Visual BIOS and other UEFI menus.

[LeonWaksman]

1. If your NUC is connected to TV set, try to connect it to other monitor.
2. You may try to boot with the Security Jumper removed (pins 1-2-3 open). Do not insert any USB stick with bios file. Your NUC should boot into configuration menu.

Leon

[Playful_Curiosity]

Thanks for the reply!

1. I've tried 3 different monitors (not a TV sets) and 2 cables, one HDMI (NUC side) to DVI (monitor side) and the second HDMI (NUC side) to VGA (monitor side). Also I'd like to try DisplayPort cable, but currently haven't one.

2. I've tried this, no luck.

[n_scott_pearson]

You say you can boot to Windows, right? There is a document process that you can use to request that Windows shutdown and reboot directly into BIOS Setup. Have you tried that?

Yes, I am grasping at straws here. I am going to see if I can get any better suggestions from the BIOS experts...

...S

[Playful_Curiosity]

Yep, I've tried requesting Windows to reboot into the Visual BIOS, I mentioned this as "extended Windows reboot menu" (need to hold the Shift key when pressing Restart, then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware settings). But this gives the same black screen.

Also, I can install and boot Linux, but dont think this gives any extra options on fixing Visual BIOS black screen issue.

The last known to me option, that I still didn't tried, is using DisplayPort cables. I still didn't tried it because I need to order them and that may take a week.

Thank you, I'm appreciating your help!

[MRoss5200]

You do realize that using Pins 2-3 will lock the system from entering Visual BIOS? Put the yellow jumper on pins 1-2 will put the system back into normal operation. You can then enter Visual BIOS and F10 Boot Menu, etc ....

[Playful_Curiosity]

@MRoss5200​, I was suggested to try this - I've tried. My main problem with Visual BIOS not related to Security Jumper placement to 2-3 pins, and I understand that normal functional placement of the Security Jumper is 1-2 pins.

[n_scott_pearson]

It sounds to me like the dongles that you are using could be a problem. I have all sorts of dongles that allow me to use my older DVI monitors, but I also have a few that just don't work (I'd give you part numbers but there aren't any; these are generic - bought cheap and don't work (you get what you pay for)). As for VGA, I have had mixed success with the passive HDMI-to-VGA dongles and have had to resort to active dongles in a number of cases. It is possible that the BIOS cannot get EDID information from the monitors and thus does not see the monitor as supporting the required 1024x768 mode.

...S

[Playful_Curiosity]

Yep, I'm also suspicious on dongles. I've tried couple HDMI-to-DVI, but probably they all vere cheap ones. And I tried active (with some converter box in the middle of the cable) HDMI-to-VGA dongle.

The weird part is that everything was working fine until I changed Visual BIOS theme to "NUC Atom" and set the start screen to "Boot" section. Also when there is that black screen in place of Visual BIOS, monitor reports 1024x768 mode.

Probably I'll order and try DisplayPort dongles to make sure I've tried all what I can.

[n_scott_pearson]

I talked to NUC Customer Support. Their suggestion as this point is to have your NUC replaced. If you would like to proceed with this, after verifying that your warranty is still active (here: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/services/000006303.html?wapkw=warranty+check), directly contact Intel Customer Support and initiate the RMA process. Here are pages where you can lookup contact information, including local phone numbers, sorted by geography:

• U.S. and Canada: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html#@11
• Europe, Middle East and Africa: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support/emea-contact.html
• Asia-Pacific: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support/apac-contact.html
• Latin America: http://www.intel.la/content/www/xl/es/support/contact-support/lar-contact.html

You can use the online forms or email service, but I actually recommend calling them directly. The above links provide local or toll-free numbers in most countries and support most local languages. You could also use the chat service (start here: http://intelsupportchat.force.com/icslivechat/ics_tech_desktop_ww_english_Chat), but understand that this service is offered in English only and is subject to the normal (9:00-5:00 M-F) office hours in the Pacific (UTC-8) time zone.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Playful_Curiosity]

I think I'll order and try DisplayPort dongles, to be sure, that I'm not initiating product replacement by some simple dongles issue. And if this wont help, then I'll contact support.

Thank you very much for all the help!

[LeonWaksman]

Hello @Playful Curiosity​ 

1. Since your NUC is working and displaying Windows, I assume that the problem is caused by some wrong graphic settings in bios, rather than by faulty connection.
2. I suggest you to fix those settings working "blind".
3. Boot from Windows into bios . You did this already in the past. While in bios, you will see black screen.
4. Now, press F9 followed by "Y". This will set bios to default settings.
5. Press F10 followed by "Y" to save those settings and exit to Windows.

Leon

[Playful_Curiosity]

Hello @LWAKSMAN​!

That's a good idea, and I also ran into it, but not mentioned it in original post for the sake of briefly.

But I didn't know how the F9 and F10 confirmation works in Visual BIOS, so previously I have randomly tried a lot of sequences.

And now I tried again, F9-Y-F10-Y and F9-Y-ENTER-F10-Y-ENTER. None of them don't give any result.

But anyway, thank you for the nice idea!

[LeonWaksman]

Please ensure that the security jumper is installed in Normal position (i.e. pins 1-2) rather than Locked position pins 2-3. (Fig. 12, page 46) https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/mini-pcs/nuc-kits/NUC8i7HVK_TechProdSpec.pdf

Leon

[Playful_Curiosity]

Yep, I understand mechanics of the Security Jumper. And if it's installed in 2-3 position I cant enter in Power Button Menu, which I currently used to enter into Visual BIOS by F2 pressing.

All the other menus of the UEFI, e.g. Power Button Menu and Security Jumper removed menu, shows normal on my NUC. Problem (black screen) is only with the Visual BIOS part of the UEFI, that is entered by F2 or extended Windows reboot menu.

[LeonWaksman]

I understand the situation now better. I wasn't aware that you can see the Power Button Menu. I've mentioned in your first post that you have done also Bios Recovery. I understand that you could see the recovery process displayed and that it was successfully completed (i.e. you saw a message that the bios recovery ended)? Did you perform the bios recovery by pressing F4 from Power Button menu or with the Security Jumper removed?

One question more. After depressing F9(Y) and F10(Y), did your NUC exit to Windows?

Leon

[Playful_Curiosity]

> Did you perform the bios recovery by pressing F4 from Power Button menu or with the Security Jumper removed?

I've flashed oldest and newest versions of the BIOS images in both of these ways. Also I've flashed them in third way, from Windows.

> I understand that you could see the recovery process displayed and that it was successfully completed (i.e. you saw a message that the bios recovery ended)?

Yes, I've inserted USB thumb drive with BIOS ".bio" file, and have seen flashing/recovery progress messages. And at the end, there was a message that flashing/recovery completed successfully.

> After depressing F9(Y) and F10(Y), did your NUC exit to Windows?

No, its stays at the same black screen without any changes. I've tried "F9(Y) and F10(Y)" by going into Visual BIOS from Windows and from Power Button Menu, results are the same, nothing happens and after waiting some time I just shutdown NUC by power button.

Sorry for delayed response and thanks for your help!

Image: Recovery from the same BIOS version, but also I've done recoveries from newer to older version and vice versa.