HDMI out - not connecting to HDMI monitor on initial bootup

[gitman999]

Howdy  - I have an HP Pavilion D7 Notebook. The motherboard has been completely rebuilt about 3 years ago, SSI drive, fast, generally all ok BUT, I recently go this newish Dell monitor which I connect via HDMI port. I don't know what happened because when I initially got the monitor a couple weeks back the HP booted up and bang, I got the Windows, screen etc. Recently what's going on  is this:

- boot the machine from totally down

- laptop screen displays a dull blank screen, no Windows, and monitor sees the same thing

- when I unplug and replug the HDMI cable, laptop screen clears up and I get Windows/login screen, and the monitor sees the same thing...I can log in and get on with things OR restart machine (soft reboot)...same phenomena.

The HDMI port just goes stupid on initial boot, I don't get it. I have checked both devices (AMD HDMI, and Dell S2817Q), both are up to date and say "working properly".  Also ran HP Diagnostics app for BIOS update, all good. Ran chkdsk /F, no trouble.  What could this be all of a sudden? Very annoying. Thanks much.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @gitman999,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd like to help!

As far as the display showing normal, nothing to worry about. However, if you are facing issues with HDMI connections, check if the cables are seating properly. 

Refer to this document for further assistance. 

You may also refer to this article. 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.
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!

[gitman999]

HI Elohi_NR, thanks for taking the time to reply.  I appreciate the scope of your answer but it doesn't really do the trick. Points:

1- the machine and monitor are absolutely static all the time, there is no "jiggle" to loosen the cables, and the fact that I am having to re-insert the machine input every time I boot up (with then-successful video display to the monitor) indicates that the connection does work, or can work.

2- there is only one HDMI in this 10+ year old (I just found out) machine, so I daresay I have the correct HDMI cable, per #1 results above

3- there is a lot in these HDMI debug docs about getting the audio out right...never been a problem with that. I don't use the audio out to anything, but it does work fine in the monitor.

Conclusion as a software dev/debugger, electronics guy, and computer hardware fighter:  There is something the the machine bootup/driver system is not doing to properly recognize the presence of the monitor at the HDMI connection on bootup. Since the monitor is already "live" and starts seeing the HDMI signal when I replug the HDMI connector, then that tells me the machine has to be jogged/woken up at the HDMI input point somehow, which it should be doing on its own. As stated earlier, all drivers/devices are showing "working properly", and with a new motherboard, etc, I can't imagine what it is, except that these Pavilions are funky machines to start with. I remember my computer tech who rebuilt the thing had to go through some considerable research, etc, just to get the HDMI turned on as it was dead. Whatever. I'm bothering to pursue this in such detail for the hope that it might help someone else too, and give HP a clue as to weaknesses in their machines. Still open for suggestions! Thanks.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @gitman999,

Thank you for performing the recommended steps, I see that it has not helped. 

And also thanks for sharing the feedback. 

This might require one on one interaction to fix the issue

I've sent you a private message with further instructions. In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile Name or simply click on this link.

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