Question Laptop black/frozen screen when drivers are installed

[nooneisback]

My 4 years old clevo finally kicked the bucket, but I wonder what exactly failed. I tried starting it up, only to find that the screen would freeze during log on, with weird artifacting during windows startup (when drivers load). Thinking that my windows install got corrupted, I made a clean reinstall and the problem seemingly went away, until I installed the drivers again. I then tried disabling the discrete GPU, but the same happened with the iGPU, except it would just show a black screen with a white line at the bottom.

The PC runs just fine using "microsoft basic display driver" (no installed nVidia or Intel drivers). When it doesn't display anything, I can turn the display on and off, as well as put it to sleep and wake it up. Sounds also play when I trigger sticky keys.

I wonder if the power delivery is dead. Didn't notice any dead components when inspecting the board thoroughly.

Specs:
i7 7700HQ
GTX 1070

 

[Lutfij]

Model/SKU for your Clevo laptop?

Seems to me that the laptop has a corrupt/dead GPU in it. If the laptop has the GPU on a standalone PCB, then perhaps you can try and replace it to get the laptop back it's old self. As for the iGPU only, the issue could then be that the motherboard is the issue and needs replacing. These are assumptions since not all laptop's are designed/built the same way hence why I asked for the laptop's model/SKU to narrow down the innards.

 

[nooneisback]

Model/SKU for your Clevo laptop?

Seems to me that the laptop has a corrupt/dead GPU in it. If the laptop has the GPU on a standalone PCB, then perhaps you can try and replace it to get the laptop back it's old self. As for the iGPU only, the issue could then be that the motherboard is the issue and needs replacing. These are assumptions since not all laptop's are designed/built the same way hence why I asked for the laptop's model/SKU to narrow down the innards.

It's a P650HS-G, and the GPU is soldered to the board.

 

[nooneisback]

A bit of an update since I'm still trying to figure out the details.

For some weird reason, the GTX 1070 works perfectly as long as I use an external display through the DP ports, while the built-in display works in a pass-through mode with Microsoft Basic Driver, but has no brightness control and is too dim for comfortable use. I was planning on reflowing the GPU as it is useless for a portable device but now I'm just confused as to what even failed here.

 

[jonnyblatt]

Did you ever get this fixed?

@noonieback - I have the same exact issue, same exact model machine, GTX 1070 and everything.

I've tried everything, re-install Windows, all different version drivers, DDU everything, even running Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC now, can't figure it out.

Has to be firmware/hardware related at this point. I even get the same white line... and basic drivers work for the internal display.

 

[nooneisback]

Reposting it here if anyone else needs it.

I partially solved it by setting the GPU mode to hybrid in my BIOS and installing nVidia drivers without the Intel ones. That way, my GTX 1070 handles the rendering, while Microsoft Basic Display Adapter handles the actual output. It works in most applications. Only Furmark seems not to be able to detect the GPU properly. If that happens, connect an external display, set it as your primary and disconnect it. GTX 1070 will remain as your main display device. Then you can set it to sleep to keep it like that.

Apparently one of the solder balls for the iGPU cracked under the CPU. A better solution would be to get it resoldered, but I doubt I'll be doing that any time soon.