Laptop won't turn on without HDMI plugged in (lights on, fan working, black screen)

[Aleksa Zagorac]

I have my asus laptop for about 3 years and it was working great. Yesterday when I tried to turn it on, I pushed the power button. Power button light and keyboard lights were on, and I could hear the fan, but screen was completely black. It was like that for long time, then, I tried to connect it with my TV with HDMI. Then suddenly laptop booted and everything was normal. Now I have to put HDMI to turn on my laptop, and then I disconnect it and use it normally. This issue is really annoying, any ideas?

Specs:
-Processor: Intel Quad Core i7-4700HQ CPU @ 2.40 GHz
-RAM: 16GB
-System: Windows 10 Pro (x64)
-Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB
-Laptop model: ASUS G750JH-T4087P (ROG laptop)
-Screen: 17.3'' FHD LED 1920x1080 non-glare

 

[Ralston18]

Not sure that the computer is "not booting" per se. It could just be that the laptop screen driver is faulty/buggy and you do not see anything until you switch to the TV via HDMI.

Check your display options, try another monitor or TV, and then try reinstalling the laptop's graphics drivers if the problem continues.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Not sure that the computer is "not booting" per se. It could just be that the laptop screen driver is faulty/buggy and you do not see anything until you switch to the TV via HDMI.

Check your display options, try another monitor or TV, and then try reinstalling the laptop's graphics drivers if the problem continues.

Okay, now I tried to see if my nvidia drivers are up to date, and I tried to open nvidia geforce experience (I update my graphics drivers there) and then the small windows opened saying "This application was unable to start correctly (0xc00000022) Click ok to close the application.'' Then i reinstalled nvidia geforce experience and it is still saying that when I try to open it. Is that the problem maybe?

 

[Ralston18]

Possibly. I googled the error and found quite a variety of reasons and fixes. Would not trust some of the links that came up.

Doublecheck that you downloaded the correct drivers for your video card. Probably worth going directly to Nvidia's site and doing a fresh download.

While there, check their forums and FAQ's for any postings regarding 0xc00000022 errors.

Unfortunately, some error codes are too generic and cover a range of possible issues. Hopefully another error code will show up and help narrow things down.

You can also check the Event Viewer logs. You should find some red or yellow icons that, when right-clicked will provide more information.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Possibly. I googled the error and found quite a variety of reasons and fixes. Would not trust some of the links that came up.

Doublecheck that you downloaded the correct drivers for your video card. Probably worth going directly to Nvidia's site and doing a fresh download.

While there, check their forums and FAQ's for any postings regarding 0xc00000022 errors.

Unfortunately, some error codes are too generic and cover a range of possible issues. Hopefully another error code will show up and help narrow things down.

You can also check the Event Viewer logs. You should find some red or yellow icons that, when right-clicked will provide more information.

Okay, now I updated my windows 10 to latest build (I used windows 10 upgrade assistant, because Windows Update in settings was not working), and now I don't have that 0xc0000022 error, so, i updated drivers through nvidia experience, but that screen bug was stil there...

Then I downloaded fresh drivers directly from nvidia's site, doublechecked that I downloaded correct drivers, installed successfully, (all these updates fixed some bugs like start menu not working, microsoft edge not working etc.) then I tried to shut down and turn on my laptop and that screen bug was still there. Now I tried other external monitor (this time I used VGA instead of HDMI) and it booted.

Also there is nothing under 'critical' in Event Viewer.

I think it actually won't boot at all without external monitor, because if I push power button and THEN connect external monitor nothing will happen. I must connect external monitor BEFORE turning on my laptop.

And also I noticed when windows updates were installing and when my laptop restarted, screen was black because I forgot the external monitor. I thought it was working and I left it like that the whole night and in the morning I pushed power button again for few seconds to turn off my laptop, connected external monitor and turned on my laptop, and it began to install the updates. So actually my laptop didn't even boot, because if it did, it would install all updates. It was working for like half an hour and finished, but this bug is still here...

So that's not a driver problem... What could it be?

 

[Ralston18]

Not sure but there may be a way to see what is happening.

You have found a pattern, i.e.:

"I think it actually won't boot at all without external monitor, because if I push power button and THEN connect external monitor nothing will happen. I must connect external monitor BEFORE turning on my laptop."

Clear the Event Viewer logs.

Turn on the lapton then connect the external monitor - the "nothing happens" scenerio. Turn laptop off, connect the external monitor, power it up, and restart the laptop and see the display.

Check the Event Viewer logs. See if there is some log entry related to the post-connection (after start) attempt and then some difference in the entries when you connect the external monitor before starting.

You may also be able to look at Task Manager via the laptop's screen. Look for some process or service that fails to run or start when the monitor is or is not powered up.

Could be just that the combination of hardware, software, and configuration does not support or otherwise accomodate Plug and Play when the monitor is connected after start up. Getting the monitor to display depends on the monitor being powered up and detectable beforehand in order to have the process work. Or there may be some software bug preventing that from happening.

Will admit I am not sure about the specific causes involved but it does seem that there are still some trouble-shooting options available. Just need to methodically grind through it all.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Not sure but there may be a way to see what is happening.

You have found a pattern, i.e.:

"I think it actually won't boot at all without external monitor, because if I push power button and THEN connect external monitor nothing will happen. I must connect external monitor BEFORE turning on my laptop."

Clear the Event Viewer logs.

Turn on the lapton then connect the external monitor - the "nothing happens" scenerio. Turn laptop off, connect the external monitor, power it up, and restart the laptop and see the display.

Check the Event Viewer logs. See if there is some log entry related to the post-connection (after start) attempt and then some difference in the entries when you connect the external monitor before starting.

You may also be able to look at Task Manager via the laptop's screen. Look for some process or service that fails to run or start when the monitor is or is not powered up.

Could be just that the combination of hardware, software, and configuration does not support or otherwise accomodate Plug and Play when the monitor is connected after start up. Getting the monitor to display depends on the monitor being powered up and detectable beforehand in order to have the process work. Or there may be some software bug preventing that from happening.

Will admit I am not sure about the specific causes involved but it does seem that there are still some trouble-shooting options available. Just need to methodically grind through it all.

In Event Viewer I can see:

-Warning: 'Kernel-PnP' saying: The driver \Driver\WudfRd failed to load for the device ROOT\WPD\0000.

-Warning: 'DNS Client Events' saying: Name resolution for the name gfwsl.geforce.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

-Error: 'DistributedCOM' saying: The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{6B3B8D23-FA8D-40B9-8DBD-B950333E2C52}
and APPID
{4839DDB7-58C2-48F5-8283-E1D1807D0D7D}
to the user NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE SID (S-1-5-19) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

-Error: (again same DistributedCOM)

-Warning: 'DNS Client Events' saying: Name resolution for the name stats.mbamupdates.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

-Error: (again same DistributedCOM)

All errors and warnings are at almost the same time (when failing to power on my laptop) except last 'DistributedCOM' error. It is about 30 seconds later.

I had a similar problem few months ago... It was actually the same problem like this one, but it only happened when there is a CD in my laptop, and when I click power button, I can open the CD drive, and then I restart my laptop without a CD inside and it works normally.

I didn't actually understand that part about Task Manager... Where should I look when I open Task Manager?

 

[Ralston18]

CD drive - maybe the computer was trying to boot from the CD drive and failing to do so because the CD was not bootable. I think that would have brought up "this drive is not bootable" error.

Or some plug and play issue....

There are multiple tabs available via Task Manager. Look at Processes, Startup, Services. Looking for something is either started or not running as a difference between monitor connection before or after powering up the laptop.

Check Device Manager > Monitor - what does that say about your monitor? And the CD player?

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

CD drive - maybe the computer was trying to boot from the CD drive and failing to do so because the CD was not bootable. I think that would have brought up "this drive is not bootable" error.

Or some plug and play issue....

There are multiple tabs available via Task Manager. Look at Processes, Startup, Services. Looking for something is either started or not running as a difference between monitor connection before or after powering up the laptop.

Check Device Manager > Monitor - what does that say about your monitor? And the CD player?

At processes tab there are too many things running, and I was looking but i couldn't find anything about this, or any difference.

At startup tab, i can't see anything related to monitor or graphics. I can see only NVIDIA Capture Server Proxy, and some other applications that are enabled but I think none of them are related to monitor or graphics.

At services there are also too many things, and most of them have short name and I don't understand what does it mean. Is there something specific I should look for?

In device manager, for my CD/DVD ROM drive it says: 'MATSHITABD-MLT UJ260AF' , and when I click properties it says 'This device is working properly'. For my Monitor it says: 'Generic Non-PnP Monitor' and when I click properties it says 'This device is working properly'. When I scan for hardware change, nothing happens, and when I try to update driver software it says that drivers are up to date (I clicked automatic online search).

 

[Ralston18]

Yes, those tabs can provide quite a bit of information and it can be difficult to glean out relevant information. So much going on......

Reference, Device Manager Monitor = "Generic Non-PnP Monitor".

What make and model is your TV/Monitor?

Take a look at this link in this forum:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2265838/screen-resolution-issue-generic-pnp-monitor.html

Not the same problem per se that you are experiencing but the link does provide some insight to various factors that may be involved. E.g., a different cable might work for you as it did for one poster.

However, you are using a TV and not a monitor. PnP may just not work.

And those two warnings provided via Event Viewer may be bearing that out. Will need some time to see if I can verify that to be correct.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Yes, those tabs can provide quite a bit of information and it can be difficult to glean out relevant information. So much going on......

Reference, Device Manager Monitor = "Generic Non-PnP Monitor".

What make and model is your TV/Monitor?

Take a look at this link in this forum:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2265838/screen-resolution-issue-generic-pnp-monitor.html

Not the same problem per se that you are experiencing but the link does provide some insight to various factors that may be involved. E.g., a different cable might work for you as it did for one poster.

However, you are using a TV and not a monitor. PnP may just not work.

And those two warnings provided via Event Viewer may be bearing that out. Will need some time to see if I can verify that to be correct.

My Laptop monitor is Generic Non-PnP Monitor, and that monitor is problem. So before I power up my laptop i connect external monitor SAMSUNG SyncMaster 710v, and when I can see lock screen, then I disconnect my SAMSUNG monitor, and use my laptop monitor. I connect SAMSUNG monitor with VGA. I also tried with a TV and my TV is SONY Bravia KDL42W706BSAEP. I connect TV with HDMI.

I looked at that forum. NVIDIA Control Panel detects my monitor so that is not the problem. I will try to search online for some driver updates for Generic Non-PnP monitor. Maybe there is a bug with that automatic search and it can't find drivers for monitor.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

I searched for driver updates with 'Smart Driver Updater', but there was nothing about my graphics or monitor. Just sound and network adapter. My nvidia drivers are up to date. But that bug is still here.

 

[Ralston18]

Probably some firmware or software problem related to the laptop's monitor. It is not being initially detected within the laptop and therefore the necessary drivers/resources are not being loaded at boot up.

However if you connect another monitor then (in some cases) those resources/drivers get loaded and the laptop's monitor (screen) likewise becomes functional.

Sort of a gross overview of what may be happening: unfortunately I have not been able to pin down anything specific.

Not sure what else to suggest at this time. Maybe someone else will pick up on something I have overlooked.

 

[tsnor]

Does the screen work if you boot to BIOS (UEFI) instead of booting windows ?

If no then plug that external monitor in and again boot to BIOS. Reset to DEFAULTS - there is a PF key for that. then SAVE then boot again.

IF the screen work for the BIOS and you continue to boot is anything displayed on the screen before it goes blank? Do you hear any beeps ? Google SAFE MODE and how to boot to safe mode. If the BIOS works with the screen and no external monitor than SAFE mode should also work. SAFE mode replaces all your drivers and driver setting with very basic drivers that generally work.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Does the screen work if you boot to BIOS (UEFI) instead of booting windows ?

If no then plug that external monitor in and again boot to BIOS. Reset to DEFAULTS - there is a PF key for that. then SAVE then boot again.

IF the screen work for the BIOS and you continue to boot is anything displayed on the screen before it goes blank? Do you hear any beeps ? Google SAFE MODE and how to boot to safe mode. If the BIOS works with the screen and no external monitor than SAFE mode should also work. SAFE mode replaces all your drivers and driver setting with very basic drivers that generally work.

Screen does not work when booting to BIOS. I must use external monitor. Also when I can see BIOS on external monitor, I can't see anything on laptop monitor.

I reseted to DEFAULTS, no changes.

I can't hear any beeps. Only when I hold power button for a few seconds, and then my laptop turns off. When I try to boot into SAFE MODE, I have to use external monitor.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

Probably some firmware or software problem related to the laptop's monitor. It is not being initially detected within the laptop and therefore the necessary drivers/resources are not being loaded at boot up.

However if you connect another monitor then (in some cases) those resources/drivers get loaded and the laptop's monitor (screen) likewise becomes functional.

Sort of a gross overview of what may be happening: unfortunately I have not been able to pin down anything specific.

Not sure what else to suggest at this time. Maybe someone else will pick up on something I have overlooked.

Okay. Thanks. This is not a big problem, because I only need external monitor to boot my laptop. Then I can use my laptop monitor. But this problem is annoying a little bit. Maybe the solution would be that if I don't have external monitor (Maybe when I am not at home) I just leave my laptop on, but with closed lid. 🙂

 

[tsnor]

If the bios does not work after you reset to default then you know two things:

1. It's not windows. Windows code is not loaded until after you get past the BIOS. So stop loading new drivers, etc.
2. It's not a BIOS setting. Resetting to defaults would have fixed that.

Check the place you plug in external monitor. Any chance there is dirt there making the laptop confused about video that goes away when you plug in external monitor ?

Suggest send note to support for your laptop, and post on forum for your laptop. Maybe they have seen this before.

Goo luck.

 

[Aleksa Zagorac]

If the bios does not work after you reset to default then you know two things:

1. It's not windows. Windows code is not loaded until after you get past the BIOS. So stop loading new drivers, etc.
2. It's not a BIOS setting. Resetting to defaults would have fixed that.

Check the place you plug in external monitor. Any chance there is dirt there making the laptop confused about video that goes away when you plug in external monitor ?

Suggest send note to support for your laptop, and post on forum for your laptop. Maybe they have seen this before.

Goo luck.

Nope, no dirt. I will send a note, and I will post the solution here. I hope I don't need to do the reset... I've done one just a few weeks ago for another problem...