Black screen/Invalid Signal on Arc A770

[Ripthorn]

I believe it is a bug in the driver, because it only happens when I install the Intel Arc drivers, it never happens with the generic MS driver.

As soon as I install the driver and try to restart my PC, the post screen goes black. If I do nothing, it goes straight to the Windows login screen. If I try to enter the BIOS setup first, it remains on the black screen. Most of the time it is a black screen, but sometimes the invalid signal message appears on the screen. I decided to check the HDMI signal stats and it is wild... hard to explain, better watch the video:  20240911_181128.mp4

If I need to see the post screen or enter the BIOS setup, the only way is through cold boot.

[ManneZ]

I’m having the exact same problem.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hello Ripthorn,

This could potentially be due to driver conflicts, compatibility issues with your hardware, or incorrect driver settings.

To better understand and assist you further kindly provide answer to the following questions below.

• What specific version of the Intel Arc drivers are you using? Have you checked for updates or rollbacks?
• What are the specifications of your PC, including the motherboard and specific GPU model? if possible, please run Intel® System Support Utility for Windows* and share the report logs here.
• How did you install the Intel Arc drivers? Did you use the official installer, and did you uninstall previous drivers completely? If not kindly used and follow these instructions How to Use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to Uninstall an... (intel.com)
• Are you using any other display ports (e.g., DisplayPort, DVI) besides HDMI? Does the issue persist across different ports?

Your answer will help me to fully diagnosed your system. Looking forward to your response!

Randy T.

Intel Customer support Technician

[Ripthorn]

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@RandyT_Intel wrote:

Hello Ripthorn,

This could potentially be due to driver conflicts, compatibility issues with your hardware, or incorrect driver settings.

To better understand and assist you further kindly provide answer to the following questions below.

• What specific version of the Intel Arc drivers are you using? Have you checked for updates or rollbacks?
• What are the specifications of your PC, including the motherboard and specific GPU model? if possible, please run Intel® System Support Utility for Windows* and share the report logs here.
• How did you install the Intel Arc drivers? Did you use the official installer, and did you uninstall previous drivers completely? If not kindly used and follow these instructions How to Use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to Uninstall an... (intel.com)
• Are you using any other display ports (e.g., DisplayPort, DVI) besides HDMI? Does the issue persist across different ports?

Your answer will help me to fully diagnosed your system. Looking forward to your response!

Randy T.

Intel Customer support Technician

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I'm currently using version 32.0.101.6079, but I've been dayling driving this PC with Arc GPU since August and whenever a new driver version comes out I update it. This problem happened with all the drivers I installed. I've done a clean install, I've used DDU and it still persists. Also I always install through the official installer.

I use an LG OLED TV model C1, so no DP.

I attached the Intel SSU log, I had to delete the network part because it contains sensitive information. I can send the full file if necessary via private message.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hello Ripthorn,

This suggests that the newly installed driver may be incompatible with your current hardware or setup, leading to display issues. The fact that your PC goes straight to the Windows login screen without displaying the POST (Power-On Self-Test) indicates that the system is booting, but there is a problem with the display output during the initial stages. If you cannot access the BIOS and are met with a black screen or an "invalid signal" message, it indicates a communication issue between your motherboard and the display. The mention of wild HDMI signal stats points to potential instability in the video output signal, which can occur due to driver issues or hardware compatibility. Can you please try the following recommendations below and share your findings with me?

Boot into Safe Mode:

Restart your PC and try to enter Safe Mode. You can do this by pressing F8 (or Shift + F8) during boot-up. Once in Safe Mode, the system will use a basic driver, which may help troubleshoot the issue.

Roll Back or Uninstall the Driver:

If you can access Safe Mode, roll back the driver to a previous version or uninstall it altogether. This may restore normal functionality. Make sure to reinstall the driver later after addressing the compatibility issues.

Check Connections:

Ensure that all cables (HDMI, power, etc.) are securely connected. If possible, try a different HDMI cable or port, as this might resolve the "invalid signal" message.

Test with a Different Monitor:

If available, test your setup with another monitor to determine whether the issue lies with the display or the PC itself.

Update BIOS:

If you are unable to resolve the issue via Safe Mode, consider updating the BIOS to the latest version, as it may contain fixes for hardware compatibility.

Check Hardware:

Inspect the graphics card and its seating in the PCIe slot. If you have integrated graphics, try removing the graphics card and booting with the integrated GPU. Check if issue still persist.

As a last resort, if the issue persists, a clean installation of Windows might resolve any underlying software conflicts that could be causing the display issues. Monitor the system behavior after implementing these recommendations.

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[MUC]

The video shows that there is no valid signal here. This is strange because the graphics output before Windows loads cannot depend on the drivers installed in Windows.

The motherboard is an ASRock B660M PG Riptide with HDMI output. The installed Intel Core i5-12600K processor also has built-in graphics. What happens if you plug the HDMI cable into the motherboard's HDMI port? Do you then see anything during POST?

Once you have a signal, you can change this setting in BIOS (by pressing <F2> or <Del> right after you power on the computer):

The graphics output during POST depends on what is selected in "Primary Graphics Adapter".

"AUTO" may not be enough to let the Arc A770 do the output. So please change to "PCIE1" or "External Graphic" or whatever it is called there.

Please note that there is another setting a little further down: "IGPU Multi-Monitor"

Select "Disable" to disable the processor integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770) when an external graphics card is installed.
Select "Enable" to keep the integrated graphics enabled at all times.

Leave BIOS via "Save Changes and Exit". Then you have to move the HDMI cable back to the Arc A770.

Now you should be able to see something during POST phase even with the dedicated graphics card. Independent of the Windows graphics driver.

[Ripthorn]

With the iGPU works fine, I changed from AUTO to PCIE1 and the same thing happens. 

This problem only occurs with the ARC GPU and only after installing the driver.

I think I know what the problem is... Probably the GPU is incorrectly sending the video signal to one of the DP ports that are not being used during the boot process and then corrects itself when Windows starts. I'll confirm this theory later, I need to find my DP to HDMI adapter first.

[JeanetteC_Intel]

Hello Ripthorn,

Good day!

I'm following up to check whether you have had the chance to review our prior correspondence. If you have, kindly acknowledge receipt and do not hesitate to reach out if there are any aspects you'd like to discuss or require further explanation on.

Best regards,

Jeanette C.

Intel® Customer Support Technician

[RandyT_Intel]

Hello Ripthorn,

Since I have not received any response from you, I will proceed with closing this ticket. Please note that this case will no longer be monitored. 

If you have any new questions or inquiries, kindly submit another ticket, and we will be happy to assist you. 

Thank you for your understanding. 

Best regards, 

Randy T. 

Intel Customer Support Technician