[FIX] HP Pavilion dv4 / dv6 / dv7 etc. Switchable Graphics intel + AMD Radeon HD 6000M/7000 win 10.

[the_black_baron]

Hi everyone,

A while back, I made a post trying to fix the switchable graphics issue on my laptop with no luck: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/HP-Pavilion-dv6-6b38eo-switcha...

Fortunately, I have finally found a permanent fix. This applies to the HP Pavilion dv4, dv5, dv6, and dv7 series etc. laptops running the 2nd Gen Intel + AMD Radeon combination. Because official support for these old architectures has ended, the only way to get switchable graphics working correctly on Windows 10 is by using community-modified drivers. I've been using this setup for a while now, and it works perfectly.

Driver Download Link: You can find the modified drivers here on the TenForums thread: https://www.tenforums.com/graphic-cards/176458-amd-ati-hd-6xxxm-7xxxm-intel-hd-graphics-2000-3000-w1...

(Note: I personally used the 9.17.10.4459 link for Intel and Catalyst 14.8 for AMD. Only the Google Drive links work, the Mega links are dead).

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Clean Out the Old Drivers

1. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).

2. Boot your computer into Safe Mode.

3. Run DDU. Select Intel from the device type, click Clean and restart.

4. Once booted back up, go into Safe Mode again. Open DDU, select AMD, and click Clean and restart.

Step 2: Enable Test Signing Mode

1. Crucial: Disconnect your internet (unplug ethernet or disconnect Wi-Fi) so Windows Update doesn't immediately try to ruin the clean slate by downloading generic drivers.

2. Go to your downloaded driver folder and run the On batch file to enable Windows Test Mode.

3. Restart your computer.

4. After restarting, you should see a "Test Mode" watermark in the bottom-right corner of your desktop. Do not proceed until you see this.

Step 3: Install the Drivers (The Correct Order)

1. Open the driver folder. Run the Intel driver setup first. Follow the prompts, finish the installation, and restart.

2. Once booted back up, run the AMD driver setup and restart.

• Note: If Windows pops up a warning asking if you want to install unsigned/unregistered drivers, click Yes / Install anyway.

• The driver documentation notes you may need to restart twice here, though it may work fine after one.

Step 4: Block Windows from Overwriting Your Drivers Windows update will try to overwrite these community drivers, so you must block them so they do not get replaced.

• For Windows 10 Pro / Enterprise:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.

2. Navigate to: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update.

3. Locate "Do not include drivers with Windows Updates", double-click it, set it to Enabled, and click Apply/OK.

• For Windows 10 Home:

1. Press Win + S, type "Change device installation settings", and open it.

2. Select "No (your device might not work as expected)" and click Save Changes.

Step 5: Turn Off Test Mode

1. Go back to your driver folder and run the Off batch file to disable Test Mode.

2. Restart your computer one final time.

Troubleshooting & Device Manager Errors (If needed)

If you check Device Manager and see a yellow exclamation mark/triangle next to either GPU, it means the driver installation skipped a step (usually due to missing a restart before Test Mode). You can force install them manually:

1. Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.

2. Right-click the affected GPU (Intel first, then AMD) and choose Update driver.

3. Select "Browse my computer for drivers" then "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer".

4. Click "Have Disk..." and click "Browse".

5. Navigate deep into your extracted driver folders to locate the .inf file.

• Example AMD Path: ...\AMD.14.201.0000.0000.Dynamic\Packages\Drivers\Display\WB6A_INF (Select the .inf file inside this folder).

• Example Intel Path: Look for the corresponding kit64.inf or ki11064.inf file in the Intel subfolder package.

1. Select your GPU from the list and hit install.

• Note for AMD users: If your exact card is a Radeon HD 7400M series, it is normal for it to be detected or listed under its rebadge name, the HD 6490M. They use the exact same architecture, so select that and proceed!

PS: If you found this helpful I'd appreciate some love lol. Now I can finally play League of Legends and break my laptop after completely wasting days trying to fix this lmfao

[Deep_World · Accepted solution]

Hi  @the_black_baron,
 

Thanks for reaching back! and Thank you so much for taking the time to share this detailed solution with the community. We truly appreciate the effort you’ve put into documenting the process step by step it’s clear you’ve invested a lot of patience and persistence into getting this resolved.

Your guide will no doubt be a valuable resource for others facing similar challenges with switchable graphics on legacy hardware.

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

 we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Regards,

Deep_World

[Billydv1]

So unfortunately this no longer works on windows 11. There are a few things that would get done manually, for example the windows test signing mode, that can be done by simply typing the 3 commands from the batch script into powershell, also you need to disable 3 settings, smart app control goes to off, in core isolation both settings for vulnerable driver blocklist and local security authority get turned off. This will allow the amd catalyst driver to install BUT, after restarting and the driver loads, you simply get a black screen with noise coming from the speakers. Intel hd3000 graphics will work in windows 11 but none of the radeon hd drivers do. They all have problems whether or not you allow them to load by disabling all the preventative settings or not. 

[Deep_World]

Hi  @Billydv1 
 

Thank you for taking the time to come back and share your findings with the community. We truly appreciate the detailed update and the effort you put into testing the workaround on Windows 11.

We understand that the previous solution no longer works with newer operating system requirements. Your observations regarding Test Signing Mode, Smart App Control, Core Isolation settings and Local Security Authority protections provide valuable insight for other users attempting to run legacy AMD Radeon HD 6000M/7000M graphics on Windows 11.

It's especially helpful that you documented the outcome after installation, including the black screen and audio distortion issue when the Radeon driver loads. This information can help for users with older switchable graphics hardware that may not be fully compatible with Windows 11.

Thank you once again for sharing your experience. Contributions like yours make the HP Community a valuable resource for everyone.

If you have any additional questions or need assistance with HP product, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always happy to help.

Have a wonderful day ahead!