No really, it just happened again...(#reproducible)

[AVLien]

Okay, I started building computers in 1991. I get it. I know how it sounds, but I just reproduced this issue (though completely by accident). This may not have been my fault at all...ever and my heedless clicking in driver verifier may have

1. never ferreted out the problem and
2. not caused any of it at all

My Windows just updated to version 2004 (the day after I forced the 2003 update, thanks MS 🙄) and once again my HDMI stopped working completely. The NVIDIA card was still working, and processing video in Premier Pro (etc) but the HDMI was just dead. Aside: I upgraded my SSD a couple of months ago, and I always wonder if I closed all of the ZIFs and taped all of the cables back down. I've never (in about 20 years anyway) left off a bracket or screw, but I always worry I will. 🤷‍♂️

So, after some head-scratching, and trying to remember how I solved this before, I Googled (well, I guess I Binged) my own post (linked above). "Why not?" I say...

Reboot into UEFI, opened 

3rd party ROM option management

There are no available options under it, it's just an empty menu, so I close it, exit the firmware menu, restart the machine, and Bob's your uncle—the HDMI works. I have no f****** clue why it happened (apart from the Windows updates) and also no reasonable understanding of how simply opening a firmware menu with no options, then closing it and rebooting the machine fixed it.

Seriously, I'm old enough to remember manually setting IRQs, but fundamentally it still works the same. How would this even be possible? Maybe I'll post this on SuperUser...