Switch video card to ATI RADEON. Hang, reboot and blank screen.

[fedecris]

Hello.

I was using my notebook as usual, and like many other times I tried to swich to High-Performance video card.  At that moment Windows hangs; so I had to press the power button several seconds until the computer turns off.

Then when I turned it on:

- Nothing on the screen (on the notebook display nor external monitor)

- Cannot access BIOS

- No booting sequence (OS not loading)

- Power led is ON (no LEDs flashing)

- Keyboard not responding (caps lock led for instance does not change when I press it)

I've tried several "basic" suggestions that I've found on Internet, with no luck:

- Disconnect Power Cable, remove battery

- Remove BIOS battery, RAM, HDD

- Press power button 60 seconds

So I guess something is dead here.  Could it that be the RADEON card is not working anymore? 

When the computer is turned on, which card uses by default?

Is there any way (not through BIOS, not through OS) to specify to use the integrated Intel graphic card? Removing the RADEON card (is this even possible)?

Thanks in advance.

[Sparkles1]

Hi @fedecris, 

Welcome to the HP Forum! 🙂  It is a fantastic site to find information, tips, and suggestions. For you to have the most rewarding experience please review the HP Forums Guide. First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More

I grasp that you tried switching to the high-performance graphic card, as you have done many times before and Windows froze. You restarted your notebook but the display remained blank. You have tried a hard reset but there was no change. You are also unable to access the BIOS.

Please try starting in safe mode as this will load the basic drivers. HP PCs - Windows 7 Safe Mode and try troubleshooting. If that is not possible here is a link to HP Notebook PCs - Computer Does not Start (Windows 7, Vista, XP) that should help.

Please let me know if this information helps you resolve the issue by marking this post as "Accept as Solution", this will help others easily find the information they may be looking for. Also, clicking the “Thumbs Up” below is a great way to say thanks!

[fedecris]

Hi @Sparkles1, thanks for your reply.

I'll respond your comments and then update the status:

• I grasp that you tried switching to the high-performance graphic card, as you have done many times before and Windows froze.

Exactly.

• You restarted your notebook but the display remained blank. You have tried a hard reset but there was no change. You are also unable to access the BIOS.

Correct.

• Please try starting in safe mode as this will load the basic drivers. HP PCs - Windows 7 Safe Mode and try troubleshooting. If that is not possible here is a link to HP Notebook PCs - Computer Does not Start (Windows 7, Vista, XP) that should help.

This suggestions where impossible to achieve because the computer didn't even complete the power-on sequence.  No keyboard response for instance (as I mentioned, caps lock light).

So, one day I left it power-on in that "blank screen" state for some minutes (10? 15?) and after that period, it started to boot Windows!  I thought the problem was solved, but then again, when I tried to switch to the high-performance graphic card the system hanged once again. 

Turned it off.  Turned it on and blank screen again.  Now the "blank screen" lasted only a minute or so.  I accessed the BIOS and changed from STATIC to DYNAMIC.  However, once I run any application that requires the ATI RADEON, Windows hangs. 

Hence, any attempt to use the high-performance card ends with Windows hanged.  So, I'm guessing the problem is a hardware failure, not a software/driver failure; due to the problem appearing directly when the computer is turned on.  Why does the blank screen problem last a few random minutes and then the power-on sequence continues normally I don't know. 

Is my diagnostic correct? Any suggestions?  I'm afraid the "blank screen" time at power-on will increase or - even worse - last forever.

[Sparkles1]

Hi @fedecris,

Thank you for the update. As your computer is starting, you can run a hardware diagnostics on your card. HP Notebook PCs - Testing for Hardware Failures (Windows 7, Vista). Should you consider replacing the card, here is a link to the HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC Maintenance and Service Guide. Please note chapter 1, page 4, for the recommended graphic cards for your notebook. You can contact HP Support for service options also. Contact HP Support. Fill out the online form and follow the prompts.  As you stated on startup you get a blank screen but if you wait, the display comes on and your computer responds, you can then go through the suggestions in the computer does not start document. Please let me know how it goes.

[fedecris]

@Sparkles1 thank you for your time and reply.

I run the BIOS System Diagnostics, and apparently there is a hardware problem.

System Tune-Up

Memory Test: FAILED

Failure ID: Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403P03

Product ID: LM726AV

System Tune-Up: FAILED

I could not find any reference about the Failure ID, but obviously looks like a memory problem, whether the RAM or the RADEON graphics card memory (I don't know if the system diagnostics includes testing this memory, but given that the notebook hangs when I try to use the RADEON, it might be related).

So, looks like I have no other option than contacting HP Tech Support, right?

Once again, thank you.

[Sparkles1 · Accepted solution]

Hi @fedecris,

Thank you for the update. The failure code  Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403P03 indicates a memory module failure. Please review the maintenance and service guide for the recommended replacements. (the link is in my above post) Note chapter 3, page 31, item 23.  

[fedecris]

---

@Sparkles1 wrote:

Hi @fedecris,

Thank you for the update. The failure code  Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403P03 indicates a memory module failure. Please review the maintenance and service guide for the recommended replacements. (the link is in my above post) Note chapter 3, page 31, item 23.  

---

YES! That's it! Fortunately that was the source of the problem. Thank you very much for your help.

I'll write some details about the tests I did for future references.  Maybe someone suffers the same issue.

So based on your previous comment, I started doing several memory tests: As I have 2 DDR3 memory modules (4GB each), I ran the following tests:

8GB:

1. Module 1 on Slot 1 and Module 2 on Slot 2  => ERROR (Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403P03)

2. Module 1 on Slot 2 and Module 2 on Slot 1  => ERROR (Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403703)

4GB:

3. Module 1 on Slot 1 only = OK on first run and ERROR (Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403703) on second run

4. Module 2 on Slot 1 only = OK on first run and ERROR (Q0F7E4-5R7894-MFH14K-403703) on second run

5. Module 1 on Slot 2 only = OK on first run and OK on second run

6. Module 2 on Slot 2 only = ERROR (didn't write code this time) on first run

So it looked like both modules have problems. 

The next step was swap memory modules with a Lenovo notebook.  In this case, the HP reported no memory errors AND THE ATI RADEON WORKED WITHOUT PROBLEMS!  The lenovo on the other hand, could not even start.

Finally, and as a temporary solution until I buy new memory modules, I re installed the HP memories again but now swapped the modules from the original order (test 1) to the order in test 2.  Incredibly, the RADEON now works under this configuration!! So most likely, the switchable graphics application was trying to allocate on certain memory address that was corrupted under test 1 configuration, but not under test 2 configuration. 

Once again, thanks a lot!!