Black box on screen

[anon1310]

I recently purchased the HP Spectre laptop, and since yesterday have had a black box taking up most of the screen space. It popped in the evening during use. When it came up and clearly was not a random window, I closed the laptop. As of today, it was still there in the morning, so I shut down my laptop, during which the laptop ended up updating. When it started up again, the black box was gone. I took handwritten notes successfully using the stylus for about 30 minutes, then my stylus stopped working for a moment, my screen went dark, then when it turned on again a second later, the black box had reappeared and the stylus no longer could no longer completed any actions on the screen. Now, all windows are displayed behind the black box, however if I hover over the widget for a window, the black box will disappear and only show that window until I click on it.

[Raj_05]

Hi @anon1310,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like the black box issue on your HP Spectre laptop might be related to a software glitch or graphics issue, possibly linked to the touch/stylus functionality or a background process. Here's a list of steps to help you troubleshoot.

Check Display Drivers

• Update the display driver:
  • Go to Device Manager (right-click the Start button > Device Manager).
  • Expand Display adapters.
  • Right-click your graphics card and choose Update driver.
  • Choose Search automatically for drivers.
• If the issue persists, try rolling back the driver by selecting Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.

Disable Tablet/Touch Mode

Since the issue seems connected with the stylus and tablet functionality:

• Go to Settings > System > Tablet and toggle off Tablet Mode if it’s enabled.
• Alternatively, try disabling the touch screen temporarily:
  • Open Device Manager.
  • Expand Human Interface Devices.
  • Right-click HID-compliant touch screen and select Disable device.

Check for Background Processes or Apps

• Open Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and check for any suspicious apps or processes running that could be causing this issue.
• Disable or stop any unrecognized processes, particularly ones related to graphics or stylus input.

Restart Windows Explorer

Sometimes the graphical glitch is with Windows Explorer:

• Open Task Manager.
• Find Windows Explorer in the list.
• Right-click and select Restart.

Check for OS/HP Updates

• Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for any pending updates.
• Open HP Support Assistant and run it to check for any driver or firmware updates specific to your laptop.

Reset Stylus Calibration

• If this is related to the stylus malfunctioning, go to Settings > Devices > Pen & Windows Ink and recalibrate the stylus.

Run HP Diagnostic Tools

• HP provides built-in diagnostic tools. Open HP Support Assistant or visit the HP website and run their hardware diagnostics, focusing on the display and touch screen.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support