Problem with Switchable Graphics Card, Getting Black Screen

[Nas3]

I have owned my HP Pavilion dv6 3054ca with the "Switchable Graphics feature" for about 5 or 6 years and have recently incurred a problem that I cannot manage to fix. I searched the internet extensively realizing I'm not alone, others have the same issue but none of the solutions offered on the forms and sites fixed mine. PLEASE HELP!

THE CAUSE

I realized that my ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 driver was very old (2010) and has not been updated. So I updated the driver using the files provided by the AMD/ATI website. And I completely REGRET it. Ever since my graphics has been glitchy and getting a black screen.

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM:

I am getting a black screen. When I turn on my laptop, after HP logo, and the "glowing" Windows logo that says "Windows Starting" my screen goes black. I can hear the windows welcome music play and the computer is functional but the screen is black and does not change. The only way I can keep the the screen from going black is if I go into Safe Mode. 

WHAT I TRIED:

I disabled and uninstalled the new drivers via Device Manager. I was then able to use "Normal Mode" but the graphics are slow, glitchy. In normal mode I downloaded an .exe file from AMD site to do a clean uninstall of both ATI and Intel HD Graphics and also got rid of annoying Catalyst application.  I went to the HP website, found driver page for my laptop and downloaded both the ATI and Intel drivers. I installed.. rebooted.. and after the Windows Starting Logo it goes black again.

I read some forms related to this issue and some people said to try hacked drivers from http://leshcatlabs.net HOWEVER, I tried a couple drivers, it didn't fix my problem. I'm not sure which driver to use from this site as there are many.

I've been trying to fix this for 4 days now, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Laptop using:

Windows 7 64 bit

Intel Core i5 M430

[CherylG]

Have you considered backing up your files & doing a System Recovery to get the laptop back to out-of-box state? I know it is a pain- but may be the best option.

[CherylG]

System Recovery: Windows 7

Creating Recovery Media: Windows 7

[Nas3]

Thanks for your reply. I have considered that option as a last resort since I have a lot programs I use on this laptop and like you said it's a pain to reinstall all of them one by one. 

That's why I posted here to find a solution before I got that route.  

[Nas3]

What baffles me is why doesn't the drivers from the HP website itself work!? Even after a clean unistall of the current drivers. I find it so stupid. Smh.

[CherylG]

One other thing you might try. The AMD graphics driver posted on your support page includes the Intel driver. The Intel driver is posted for use on models with only the Intel graphics. It may not make a difference-but I would uninstall Intel and AMD graphics drivers. Then install only the AMD driver.

[Nas3]

Good idea. Ill try this out right now and will post my results. *Fingers crossed!*

[Nas3]

Hi CherylG so I tried it out by uninstalling both ATI and Intel drivers.. reboot and install only the ATI driver provided on the HP website. Even before I could instsll it.. windows device installer would already begin trying find suitable drivers for both ATI and Intel and it cant be cancelled.

Anyhow, I tried the installation of the ATI only and tried to again get rid of or disable the Intel. But the graphics still remain slow and glitchy during normal use.

Any other suggestions?

[CherylG]

Sorry it didn't help. Maybe someone else will have some ideas.

[atsele]

    Hi Nas3 maybe you can try this:First of all install DDU http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html read carefully the instructions for its use.Uninstall amd driver and all amd components from control panel,also uninstall Intel display driver if it exists.Boot in safe mode (by pressing F8 while booting) run DDU as  administrator and select to uninstall ATI/AMD graphic components reboot again in safe mode and run DDU as administrator and select to uninstal INTEL graphics components.After that boot normally in windows and  install this http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp50501-51000/sp50640.exe .Now if you have fixed mode in BIOS you can try this www2.ati.com/drivers/mobile/12-10_mobility_vista_win7_win8_64_dd_ccc_whql_net4.exe  on top of HP driver while you are in fixed mode it is old but it is newer from the HP driver and it works.