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Screen Now Flickering on New Windows 10 Update

Anonymous
2023-08-26T15:58:25+00:00

I installed the new windows update about 20 minutes ago and now after about 3 minutes of turning on my pc the screen starts flickering all over the place. What has happened?

And no I haven’t dropped it.. it’s absolutely fine for the first 3 minutes.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-08-27T19:19:16+00:00

    If the flickering of the laptop screen starts at the BIOS level, this is a hardware issue. If, however, it doesn't start until Windows loads, it could be a driver.

    If the flickering does not start before Windows loads, then we replace the driver. Now that you have the ability to see what you are doing, try this:

    1. Click Start and type "device". Open the Device Manager.
    2. Go to Display Adapters. Right-click on each one and choose "Uninstall Device".
    3. Reboot.

    This will reload your video adapters. Most likely you have two, one controlling the external monitor and one controlling the laptop screen. By removing both and then restarting you should refresh both of them.

    If this does not work, then try this:

    1. Click on Start and type in "msconfig". Open the System Configuration Utility as Admin.
    2. Click the Boot tab.
    3. Check Safe boot.
    4. Click OK.
    5. Restart.

    This will cause Windows to come up in Safe Mode one time only. When it comes up, video will be run at the most basic level with the most basic drivers. This may have no effect, it may delay the effect, or it may make the issue go away. Give it several minutes to see what happens. Rebooting will return you to normal functioning.

    Here is a breakdown of what different results mean:

    1. If it flickers even before Windows loads, it is hardware or firmware (BIOS).
    2. If it goes away after resetting the driver, it was probably a corrupted driver and you are now fine.
    3. If it fails in Safe Mode, it is hardware or firmware.
    4. If it works in Safe Mode, then it is probably still hardware, but it could be a driver issue.

    If it works in Safe mode, you may fix the issue with a driver rollback or update.

    Return to the Device Manager and right-click on the Display Adapter driver. Choose Properties, then the Driver tab. From here you can try "Roll back the driver" (in case the latest driver is the problem, or "Update Driver" and scan for a new driver. If a new driver is unavailable or does not work, go to the manufacturer's website for the latest drives and how to install them.

    If it is a hardware issue/BIOS issue then you have one possible fix that doesn't require repair. Check the manufacturer's website for manuals that instruct you on how to reset the BIOS settings and how to flash an updated BIOS. Follow their instructions.

    Please note that at this point you would be working with the manufacturer, not Microsoft or myself. Flashing the BIOS should be a last resort, as it can make the laptop unusable, and you undertake this at your own risk. If you have any difficulties, the manufacturer will have to help you further.

    Unfortunately, I strongly suspect that this is a failure of the electronics that control the LCD on your laptop. This is a common way in which they fail.

    Good luck!

    Regards,

    David N.

    Community Independent Advisor

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-08-27T18:21:11+00:00

    Hi David,

    So I have successfully managed to connect my laptop to a screen, as you suggested thank you.

    It works fine which is great as I’ve managed to back up my files.

    I was wondering as what the issue might be if other screens work fine?

    Thanks for your help

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-26T21:45:29+00:00

    If SFC cannot run and gives no errors then something is seriously wrong either with Windows or the hardware.

    When you say that it flickers a black screen upon startup, are you able to go into the BIOS? If so, does it flicker there? If it does then you have a hardware or BIOS issue.

    Flickering like this, especially when it keeps getting worse and/or starting up earlier, is often a sign of a hardware issue. I suspect that the timing is a coincidence, or that the update triggered an already existing issue. Once this happens additional damage can occur and reversing the update will have no effect.

    I would recommend testing with a different monitor, even perhaps a TV that is what you have, and see if the issue persists. If not, it could still be an issue with a failing video card or motherboard video chipset.

    Regards,

    David N.

    Community Independent Advisor

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-08-26T17:18:49+00:00

    Hi David,

    Appreciate the response. I tried everything you suggested but nothing worked.. it’s actually gotten worse now on start up it flickers a black screen.

    I believe the board is ‘Intel(R) HD Graphics 530.

    Edit: oh and also the SFC command ran for 2 seconds and then nothing happened.. not that I can access it anymore but thought that was odd.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-08-26T16:50:22+00:00

    Hello!

    My name is David N., and I am a Community Independent Advisor and Windows fan. I will be happy to assist you with your issue.

    This may mean that the driver is conflicting with the new update. To reinstall the driver:

    1. Click Start and type in "device". Open Device Manager.
    2. Under "Display Adapters" locate your video card or motherboard video.
    3. Right-click on it and choose "Uninstall Driver".
    4. Reboot.

    Windows has now reinstalled the driver. Test to see if the issue is resolved.

    if this does not help you can uninstall the latest update. To do this, please follow the instructions here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how....

    If you still have issues, you probably want to run the system file checker.

    1. Click Start and type "command". Open Command Prompt as admin.
    2. Type "SFC" without quotation marks and hit Enter.
    3. Let SFC run. If it does not report errors reboot and test.

    If none of these work, or if you get errors, please reply with the exact error and the name and manufacturer of your video adapter. This may require a specific driver update.

    If you do uninstall the update, I recommend going to your video adapter's manufacturer's website and look for the latest drivers. Update to the latest drivers. It is possible that the update needs newer drivers to work properly with your device. This can prevent issues if the update is necessary and has to be reinstalled, or if a later update has the same issue.

    I hope this helps! Please let me know if this resolves your issue or if you require additional assistance.

    Regards,

    David N.

    Community Independent Advisor

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