PC with GeForce GTX 980 won't boot into Windows 10 using HDMI for 4k

[mk6044]

This is my setup:

PC: Alienware Area 51 R2 with a GeForce GTX 980 NVIDIA 10DE-13C0
Monitor: Samsung 4k TV 48JU6700

Only the HDMI1 port on this TV supports HDMI 2.0. I have a good quality IBRA 6ft HDMI 2.0 cable that I'm using. If I try to boot into Windows 10 while I'm plugged into the HDMI 1 port, the screen stays black and doesn't even boot properly. If I press the power button on the PC it instantly shuts off and if I try to move the HDMI cable to a different port nothing happens.

However, if I plug into the HDMI2 port which doesn't support HDMI 2.0, the computer boots fine and I can get into Windows, however the mouse jumps around, the text is weird colors and not very sharp on webpages, and images aren't great.

Here's where it really gets confusing for me, if I switch the HDMI cable to the HDMI1 port AFTER I'm already logged into Windows, it works perfectly!

Any suggestions? I updated the BIOS, I have all the latest updates for other hardware, including GeForce Experience. I also followed all the instruction on setting up the TV to use as a 4k monitor. Thanks!

 

[Darkbreeze]

To start with, Geforce experience is a bag of ass, and in my opinion shouldn't be allowed near any self respecting system, especially when it comes to drivers. On windows 10, it's even worse. Some systems won't even run using Geforce experience.

First, disregarding ANYTHING Geforce experience says, perform a clean install of your GPU card drivers, manually, NOT using the Geforce experience, as follows:

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2767677/clean-graphics-driver-install-windows.html

If that does NOT correct the issue, do the same thing again using the 355.60 driver version.

If that still fails to correct the issue, get back to me on whether your OS has been installed on a wiped drive or if you're running on the upgrade from a previous OS. Upgraded systems have been having a VERY high rate of issues, and clean install as follows is probably a good idea.

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2784691/ditch-problematic-win10-upgrade-replace-clean-install.html


Also, what is your PSU model number?

 

[mk6044]

Hi, I tried both of those and still the same problem. I was playing around right now and I booted up the PC and the screen was black, but I pressed Ctrl and put in my password. Then I unplugged from HMDI1 and put it back in immediately and it worked.

My PSU is Alienware 850 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply. Not sure the exact model number, should I open up the case and check?

Now that you mention the OS, it was an upgrade, the PC came with Windows 8 and everything seemed to be booting fine when it was in Windows 8. The first time I upgraded to Windows 10 I got a black screen and the computer wouldn't boot, after mashing keys and restarting 10 times, it reverted to Windows 8 and told me Windows 10 could not be installed because the installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during APPLY_IMAGE operation.

Then I updated some drivers and the BIOS and tried again and it sort of worked, which is where I am now.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Do the clean install. If it reverted to Windows 8 at ANY point, it could NOT have been a clean install. With a clean install, which you can now do safely since an upgrade to 10 was already done and I assume also automatically activated, there would be nothing on the drive with which it could possibly revert to. If there is a windows.old folder on your C:\ drive, then you do not have a clean install. If you follow the directions here, exactly, or install to a clean drive, THEN you will have a clean install. You cannot use reset or refresh, or a system image. You must create installation media and NOT choose to save files, folders and settings, AND, you must delete all existing partitions on the drive during the "custom" installation process during the install.

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2784691/ditch-problematic-win10-upgrade-replace-clean-install.html

 

[mk6044]

Hi, thank you for all of the information. I've got it working now, without doing a clean install of Windows 10. I was following all of the instructions you gave me, and during the process right before reinstalling Windows 10 from the flash drive, it said to disable "Secure Boot" in the BIOS. I did this, and said what the heck, let me try a reboot now after disabling that. It worked! Is there any danger to my PC with Secure Boot disabled?

 

[Darkbreeze]

No, there's not. In fact, it's pretty much recommended to disable it in all cases unless the system or system administrator requires it to be enabled, on enterprise machines for example.

I always make sure it's disabled, but I haven't seen it cause any Windows 10 issues prior to this so that's interesting.

To be blunt and very honest though, in almost every single case where the system was upgraded and clean install was not done, problems developed sooner or later due to conflicts with remnants of old drivers, old applications or simply fragmented registry entries. I would highly recommend doing a clean install anyhow, especially since you know the system works normally with Secure boot turned off.

In most cases if the Secure boot is not supported by the hardware, it would be turned off by default after doing a CMOS reset. But since I never got around to having to suggest DOING a CMOS reset, clearly that couldn't happen as a result. Anyhow, whichever way you decide to go, leaving it disabled is fine and good luck going forward. Just glad you got it sorted out.

 

[mk6044]

Hi, I went ahead and did the suggested clean install. Everything seems to be working smoothly now, but it's saying Windows isn't activated. I checked before doing the install and Windows was activated. Is there any way to activate it from here?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Did you skip all the Windows key prompts during the clean install? If not, and you tried to use your old key or put ANYTHING in those prompts, you'll need to install again. After upgrading and activating, further installations do not require anything to be input in the product key prompts during installation.

Otherwise, it may just take a day or two for it to cycle to the activation servers. If it hasn't activated by then, you will need to call Microsoft and get them to walk you through activation or reset the activation on their servers for your BIOS hardware ID string.

 

[mk6044]

Hi, yes I definitely clicked skip during the prompts, I don't even know what my Windows keys is, it came pre-installed on my PC.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you're absolutely sure the windows 10 upgrade was activated before doing the clean install, which it needs to be, then it should activate. Try running windows update manually to force a connection to the servers. If that fails to work then I don't know as in every case I've seen it has been activated soon after the installation. You may need to contact Microsoft to activate manually.