I accidentally set my resolution too high and now I only see a black screen

[YKoba12]

I've been using my D34010WYK as an HTPC for a few years. I recently upgraded to a 4K TV. As a test to see if it can support 4K output, I used the Intel Graphic Control Panel thing to set it to 4K resolution. When I did that, I got a black screen and suprisingly, it did not adjust back to the original resolution after the usual 10~15 seconds.

Now every time I boot up, I get a black screen with a "no signal" message on the TV. I don't even see the boot loader screen. I know that the computer itself is running and I can log into Windows10. It's still functioning as a PLEX server so the only issue seems to be that it can't display anything.

Is there a way to revert the resolution back to 1080 without being able to see what's going on? I found this youtube video tutorial but it didn't work for me. In the comments section, others who changed the resolution via the Intel Control Panel seem to be struggling too.

It seems very strange that I'm getting the black screen right from boot-up (i.e. black screen even if I hit F2 for the bios). Any help would be much appreciated!!

[n_scott_pearson]

Have you tried booting up in Safe Mode to see if you can reset it there?

...S

[YKoba12]

Thanks Scott. To be honest, I'm not sure how to boot into Safe Mode without being able to see what's going on. With Windows10, pressing F8 no longer takes you there (which I didn't realize until when I tried to do it last night). I could create a USB boot drive, but I think my bios is set up to boot directly into the SSD. I'm not sure about that last part - I can give it a whirl tonight

[n_scott_pearson]

Try the process Leon suggested in this conversation: https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P00004dyUXQSA2/hii-really-need-your-help-my-laptop-wont-be-able-to-boot-to-windows-after-disabling-intel-optane-in-bios-i-wanted-to-clone-my-laptop-hdd-to-my-hybrid-disk-no-bootable-files-when-i-tried-to-boot-to-my-hybrid-disk?language=en_US

...S

[YKoba12]

Apparently no luck.

I made a Windows10 boot USB and as far as I can tell, it's booting via the USB. I can test if I'm logging into Windows10 by whether it starts functioning as a PLEX server, and when I boot up with the USB drive plugged in, it's not logging me into Windows 10, so I have to assume the that I'm booting into Safe mode. However, throughout the entire process I get "No Signal" on my TV.

Is it weird that I'm not getting any signal even at bootup, before Windows even loads? Shouldn't I at least be able to see the BIOS screen?

[YKoba12]

I know I'm booting into Windows. Is there a key sequence I can blindly go by to open Intel Control Panel and change the resolution?

I tried:

Right click

Up, Up (to select Windows Display Settings)

Tab, Tab, Tab (to get to Resolution)

Return (to select drop down)

Down x bunch of times to set it to low resolution

.... but for some reason this didn't work. Any reason I would have to adjust the resotultion in the Intel Control Panel instead, since that's where I originally changed the resolution to 4K? If so, can someone point the key sequence for me to do it (without needing to see where my mouse cursor is)?

[LeonWaksman]

Hello @YKoba12​ 

1. Before you are trying to change the resolution in Windows, you should see the Bios screen.
2. I suggest that you connect your NUC to PC monitor rather than to your new 4K TV. Could be that on this monitor you will see the video signal.
3. You may want to set your BIOS setting to default using this blind method: Power on your NUC and repeatably depress F2 during ~15 seconds. This should be bring you into Bios setting. Next press F9 followed by "Y", to set Bios to default. Finally press F10, confirmed by "Y", to save setting and exit from Bios.
4. One more thing, booting from USB Installation USB, doesn't put yet your NUC into SAFE mode. Read my instructions in the other thread. You have to see video output first, so, connect to other monitor instead of your TV.
5. You may use your other video output - miniDP instead of miniHDMI.

Leon

[YKoba12]

Thank you, Leon! I had partial success.

I tried 2. and 3. but had no luck. Since you mentioned miniDP port, I wanted to try that too, but my monitor doesn't have that input option, so I ended up waiting until the weekend (given the current Shelter-in-Place) and sneaking into my office to try it with a monitor there. Connecting to a monitor via mini DP worked and I was able to adjust the the resolution down in Windows.

Unfortunately, once I got home and plugged it back into the TV via HDMI, I'm getting no signal again. I've tested the HDMI cable with other devices and it seems to be fine. At this point, I wonder if there's a hardware issue with the NUC HDMI port, but the timing seems strange since it was working just fine until I had set the resolution to 4K. Maybe I need an HDMI to mini-DP adapter.

[YKoba12]

I guess I didn't follow your instructions you posted on the other thread. Once I saw that I can get back into Windows10 via mini-DP I assumed I was done. Was my assumption wrong?

[n_scott_pearson]

I am starting to think that 4K support, even at degraded frequencies, is not going to be possible using the miniHDMI connector on the WY NUCs (either that or there is something wrong with yours). The answer may be that you need to use a miniDP-to-HDMI adapter. I have a couple of these NUCs, but have never tried using them with a 4K TV. I will take a stab at testing this out tomorrow (my wife owns my Saturday evenings).

...S

[LeonWaksman]

Hello @YKoba12​ ,

1. Booting in SAFE mode may solve some different driver's problem. This will however not solve your's. The maximum supported resolution from the miniHDMI port on your NUC is only 1920 x 1200 @ 60Hz, while the maximum support resolution from the miniDP port is 3840 x 2160 @ 30Hz. please refer to para. 1.5.1.3 and 1.5.1.4, page 23 in Technical Product Specification. So, as you can seed the HDMI output support only HD resolution, while the DP output may support your's UHD TV.
2. You should use 4K miniDP to HDMI cable . In my opinion this is a better solution than buying a adapter connected to poor quality HDMI cable.
3. While you see the Bios screen, please enter Bios setting Advanced > Video and verify that the IGD Primary Video Port is set to AUTO (this enables both video outputs, DP and HDMI, according to connected display).

Leon

[YKoba12]

Thank you both @n.scott.pearson​ and @LWAKSMAN​ for your continued support.

I just placed an order for a 4K miniDP to HDMI cable, which should arrive late this week. I'm disappointed (and still confused why) I couldn't get it back to display via HDMI at 1920 x 1080, but hopefully swapping the cables will be better long term. I'll report back once I the cable arrives.

[LeonWaksman]

Hello @YKoba12​ 

1. Did you checked the IGD Primary Video Port value as explained in para.3 in my previous post?
2. While you connect your NUC to HDMI input in monitor at 1920 x 1080 have you selected on this monitor the correct HDMI input? This should be done on the monitor's on screen menu with the monitor controls.

Leon

[YKoba12]

Sorry I forgot to respond:

1. Yes, IGD Primary Video Port was/is set to Auto
2. Yes, I confirmed that the HDMI input was correct. I typically have the NUC and TV connected to an AVR, but so in this case, I tried connecting the NUC to several different HDMI ports on the AVR, as well as several different HDMI ports on the TV. In each case, I confirmed I had it set to the correct input, but I always get the "no signal" message.

[n_scott_pearson]

So I ran some tests using my WY NUC and a Samsung 4K (3840x2160) TV (HDR Disabled). All connections were established using a XXXX-to-HDMI dongle and a HDMI 2.0b-compliant HDMI cable.

My results:

1. I was able to achieve 4K@30Hz on the WY NUC's miniHDMI port.
2. I was able to achieve 4K@30Hz on the WY NUC's miniDP port. This was using the same miniDP-to-HDMI dongle that allows me to achieve 4K@60Hz on a SY NUC.

...S

[YKoba12]

@n.scott.pearson​ and @LWAKSMAN​ :

The plot thickens! The new 4K capable miniDP to HDMI cable arrived today so I excitedly plugged everything in and... nothing. No signal message on the TV again (regardless of whether the HDMI is plugged in to the TV or AVR). No Windows, no bios, nada.

When I plug the NUC back into my monitor, it works just fine. With the NUC connected to the monitor, I mapped out the blind keystroke sequence to adjust the resolution via Windows and via Intel HD Graphics Control Panel, which I tried out with the NUC connected back to the TV, and it didn't make any difference. I also mapped out the blind keystroke sequence to get into SafeMode via Windows10 bootable USB, and, again, no luck.

I am completely stumped and have no idea how to proceed. At this point, I think I've ruled out any hardware related issue (cables, HDMI/miniDP ports, TV, AVR) so I do think it's on the NUC side of thing. I'm still perplexed as to why I wouldn't be able to see the bios at least. I'm tempted to reinstall Windows, but if I can't see the bios when connected to the TV, I'm not sure how that'd help in any way.

[n_scott_pearson]

It is unclear to me why it worked for me (including 4K) and doesn't for you. How much memory do you have (mine has 16GB). My standard connection on this NUC is to a Samsung 65" 1080p TV. Do you have a 1080p HDMI TV you can try?

...S

[YKoba12]

Unfortunately no 1080p TV I can try. That's what I had my NUC connected to for years, but my 3yo threw a toy airplane and broke it a few weeks ago (which is why I got the new 4K TV). My NUC has 8gb of RAM.

[n_scott_pearson]

The 3 year-old did it? Uh Huh. That's the story you're going with? You couldn't just say "Dear, I want a 4K TV." You had to sacrifice the kid. Nope. Not buying it. 😜

All kidding aside (sorry, you walked right into that one), your later comments got me thinking. I *did* see a blank screen for a while. I remember seeing it on both connectors too. But then it was suddenly working. I thought it was just a glitch. I never tried power cycling. I will need to go test it again - tomorrow. The WY NUC is connected to the 1080p HT setup upstairs. I will need to disconnect it and bring it down to my 4K setup downstairs (which I didn't have to sacrifice a grandchild to get, BTW 😍).

I will let you know,

...S

[YKoba12]

Lol​, well it worked :) "Honey, the 3yo broke our TV. 4 days into a 2+ month quarantine. What do you think, should we get a new TV?" The only thing she cared about was who had the fastest shipping speed.

Anyway, thanks for the extra bit of info about the black screen. Very interesting.

[n_scott_pearson]

The WY NUC is not booting right now (I think I broke something while removing its board for cleaning 😨), so this testing will have to wait until tomorrow when I can either steal the wife's unit or debug and fix this one.

Honest, I *am* an expert (35 years, 21 with Intel) 😵

Stay Safe 😷

...S