Graphics drivers malfunctioning

[Jackie777]

Hello!

Let me start with with stating that I don't know much about computers (or laptops) in general and if you need some extra information, you'll probably need to tell me where can I get it from.

Backstory:

I couldn't update a game on Steam, and they told me it's probably because my Windows is not updated. My Win7 wouldn't update, so after another quick research, I found out that my Avast might be blocking it. So I uninstalled it and installed something else. AVG. Which turned out to be a problem, because it started messing up with my drivers for graphic cards (maybe more, but flickering monitor was the most obvious). I uninstalled it ASAP and checked everywhere around my computer for the remaints, I'm pretty sure I deleted everything. And then I reinstalled Avast. (If you have better ideas for free (or very cheap) and good antivirus, I'm all ears. As long as it's not AVG.)

Then I tried to fix the drivers for graphic card. First, my laptop wouldn't even relise she has them. Okay then. Uninstalled one - Radeon 6700 - and then, when I tried installing the drivers from AMD page, the program told me I don't even have OpenGl. I'm not even sure how is this possible. But then again - I'm a Jon Snow here.

Now:

I think my computer runs on some very basic drivers, you know, the ones that come with Windows and you have before you instal the actual ones for your graphic cards.

My Radeon graphic card has the yellow mark next to it in device manager, so it doesn't work.

My Intel graphic card insists that it's a "standard VGA graphic card", when earlier I could see it's name in device manager and I'm pretty sure it was "Intel-somethingsomething".

What do I do?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

According to the specs for your notebook, this is the only graphics driver you should install...It's on the support page for your notebook.

This package provides the AMD High-Definition (HD) Graphics Driver and Catalyst Control Center for supported notebook models that are running a supported operating system. For notebooks with switchable graphics modes, this package includes drivers for both graphics processing units (GPUs). Switchable graphics enable users to switch between a power-saving graphics mode (normally used under battery power) and a high-performance graphics mode. If high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) video output is supported, this package also installs the HDMI Audio Driver.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp55001-55500/sp55092.exe

You cannot update this driver or update any components of the graphics (Install a newer Intel graphics driver or install a newer AMD graphics driver).

You are stuck with this one because it is a custom made driver which only works on the graphic setup your notebook has.

As far as a free antivirus/antispyware program, I have always used the Microsoft Security Essentials A/V on my PC's that used to run XP/Vista and W7...Never had a problem with it, or with viruses/spyware.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/pc-security/microsoft-security-essentials.aspx

[Jackie777]

Thank you, I just did.

I kinda had to install it and install again, but after few tries my laptop finally gave in and let them through.
Problem is, the flickering returned.

It's hard to describe, it's like in movies, when someone hacks into the video feed, you know? The whole video get's jumpy for a moment. That's pretty much the same. Here, however, sometimes a monitor full of green shows up for couple of seconds, followed occasionally by black screen, and then flickers back to normal and I get adnotation that "AMD driver stopped working, but I managed to resume it."

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I'm thinking that one of the GPU's are on the way out.  It is probably the AMD one.  They run hot, and over time they begin to fail.

The more you game on your notebook, the more stress is placed on the GPU, and the more heat is generated, causing failure of the component.   Delicate electronic components + heat = eventual failure.

Comes a time when the driver won't even install.

[Jackie777]

Yeah. **bleep**, it's a good laptop. I guess it's time to start saving up for new one though..

Can I turn off the amd card then and just use intel one? It won't be able to pull games, no, but I'd be able to use computer normally in the first place.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Unfortunately, you can't turn the amd graphics off unless your notebook has the fixed switchable graphics option.

Check the BIOS and see if there is a setting to select one or the other graphics adapter as the default gpu.

If not, then your notebook has the dynamic switchable graphics.

And I do believe that your noteobook has the dynamic switchable graphics, where the PC decides what GPU to use.

I guess you can try right clicking on the amd graphics adapter in the device manager, select disable, and see if it will just run off the Intel one.

If you end up getting the basic display (as if there were no graphics drivers installed), then just enable it again.

[Jackie777]

Thank you for all your patience with me.

Turns out, my BIOS has the option of fixed graphics. Dynamic of fixed, there was a choice. I turned off the AMD card and chose fixed, but then the BIOS, instead of going back to turning computer back on, just turned everything off. So I'm not sure if it really got saved.

The display looks awful again. The name of the cards in device manager look properly, but Radeon is off and Intel has yellow sign next to it, and when I was writing this message, the monitor flickered twice already. No message about AMD card this time, just static. Weird.

I think I'll check the BIOS again...

[Jackie777]

Alright, so... I managed to get a fixed graphics, and now Intel card is the only one that shows up in the device manager.

But the flickering is still here.

My best guess is that both of my graphic cards are dying?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, probably they are both caving in.

Did you enable just the AMD one and see if the flickering stops?

If you did and they both do it, then yes, your notebook probably has the GPU's on their way out.

[Jackie777]

I mean, even with device manager showing just the Intel card (and nothing popped up when I tried to look for uninstalled elements), after all that flickering, the message about AMD drivers stopped working showed up. Nothing about Intel. Still the AMD.
I'm leaving the matter for the night, but it really starts to worry me. The card wasn't even showing in device manager, but its malfunctioning was still messing me up - why? how?