Colored Pixels then Black Screen

[Blackscreenx360]

My laptop shut off overnight. When I plugged it in and pressed the power button, it started to boot but the screen turned black with scattered rainbow colored pixels that moved around and eventually ended in a thin section at the top of the screen.

I then turned the laptop off and tried to restart it. The power button will light up and the fans will run for a couple seconds but the screen remains completely black with no illumination at all. I’ve tried searching other posts of people with similar issues but haven’t found a solution that works. 

The laptop is an x360 envy, and it is running Windows 11. 

Thank you in advance for any help.

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

Hi @Blackscreenx360 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Based on what you described (colored moving pixels followed by a completely black screen with no illumination), this points to either a graphics subsystem issue or a hardware-related display concern. Let’s go through recommended steps to isolate and resolve this.

Step 1: Perform a Hard Reset

This helps clear any residual electrical states that may affect startup.

1. Turn off the laptop completely.
2. Disconnect the AC adapter.
3. If the battery is removable, remove it. (If non-removable, proceed without removing.)
4. Press and hold the Power button for 15 seconds.
5. Reconnect the AC adapter (leave the battery out if removable).
6. Turn on the laptop.

Step 2: Check for Display Output Using an External Monitor

This helps determine whether the issue is with the internal display or graphics hardware.

1. Connect the laptop to an external monitor or TV using HDMI.
2. Power on the laptop.
3. Use the key combination:
   Fn + F4 (or the display key with a screen icon) to toggle display output.

Results interpretation:

• If external display works → Internal display panel or cable may require service.
• If external display also shows no output → Graphics or system board issue is likely.

Step 3: Attempt BIOS Startup

This verifies whether the system can initialize before Windows loads.

1. Power off the laptop.
2. Turn it on and immediately tap the Esc key repeatedly.
3. When the Startup Menu appears, press F10 (BIOS Setup).

Results:

• If BIOS screen appears → hardware is partially functional; issue may be deeper in display or graphics path.
• If nothing appears → points more strongly toward a hardware-level concern.

Step 4: Run HP Hardware Diagnostics (if screen comes up)

If you were able to access the startup menu:

1. Press Esc during startup.
2. Press F2 for Diagnostics.
3. Run:
   • System Tests
   • Video Memory Test

Step 5: Observe LED and Fan Behavior

You already noted that fans spin briefly and power light turns on. Please check:

• Caps Lock or Num Lock blinking pattern after pressing power
• Any repeating beeps or LED codes

These indicators help identify hardware faults.

Important Observation from Your Description

The appearance of “rainbow moving pixels shrinking to a line” is typically associated with:

• GPU (graphics) failure symptoms
• Display panel signal distortion

And now that there is no screen illumination at all, it indicates the system may not be completing POST (power-on self-test) or the display signal is no longer being transmitted.

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Blackscreenx360]

Thank you very much Hawks_Eye! My issue now seems to be resolved, though I'm not quite sure what fixed it. In case it's helpful for others' future reference, I'll say what I did.

I had tried the hard reset with no luck. I had also previously tried the BIOS startup with no luck. When I was trying to connect to an external monitor and press Fn + F4, I was just pressing some keys to see what worked on the laptop, and suddenly an error message popped up on my laptop's screen. It said CMOS Reset (502) and let me restart, and now everything seems to be working fine. Before connecting to the monitor, I did try logging into the laptop with my password even though I couldn't see the screen. This was something I hadn't tried before, but I'm not sure if that would have an effect.

[Hawks_Eye]

You are welcome @Blackscreenx360 

Thank you for sharing the detailed update and the steps you tried. It’s good to hear that your system is now functioning again, and your notes about the CMOS Reset (502) message are very helpful for others who may encounter similar behavior.

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 😊

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye