Annoying flash on Win7 login screen

I did a clean install of Win7 Ultimate 64 on my m17x and everything is working good.

I do have this strange issue that does not seem to hurt anything.

After power on, I get the usual "starting windows" message and then the Win7 blue wallpaper comes on with a "please wait."

Then I see my Avatar that I click to login and before I can click it, the screen goes black and flashes a couple times kind of like it does if you change video modes or resolutions or something. But, when the screen comes back after 5 or 6 seconds, it doesn't look different and nothing appears to have changed.

Any idea what's causing this? I did not have this issue with Vista.

Thanks

 

I'm experiencing the same issue. Although its a lot quicker than yours. My initial though was that it would start with the 9400m then flash to enable SLI or something but I'm no guru.
It is a little annoying because you think your ready to log in and wait a second or two for the face recognition program to respond but all of a sudden it flashes and your back to the log in lol.. Maybe more users with this issue will add input.

 

Perhaps if you switch off facial recognition? Just set to the lowest setting in the Alienware command console.

 

nah, I get the same thing without facial recognition.

I thought it was to do with my GPU drivers but whatever version I use doesn't help, even when I'm reinstalling and don't have drivers it still flashes.


Could it be a service that checks for an external monitor on startup causing it?

I recall disabling something like that on my last computer...

 

I get exactly the same thing.

v. annoying

 

I get the same thing, thought it had something to do with hybrid SLI.

 

This is due to having Hybrid Graphics enabled. It boots up with the integrated graphics card active, then on the login screen the nvidia driver switches the dedicated video cards to active. It's perfectly normal.
If you don't like the effect, disable Hybrid Graphics and Integrated Graphics in your BIOS. Note, however, that you won't be able to sitch to the integrated graphics card on the fly to save power.

 

I have Hybrid Graphics and Integrated Graphics disabled in my BIOS and it still flashes...

 

Basically that symptom tell that your SLI is enabled and it's perfectly normal as stated by Gizmo.

And it still flashes in your case, Blue Wolf, is because Hybrid OFF + Integrate OFF = SLI enabled.

So again, it's perfectly normal mate.

If you don't want that flashing screen there is only one option: Using your 9400M which can be done by enable Save Power in Hybrid SLI or Hybrid OFF + Integrate ON in BIOS.

 

This is something related to GPUs initializing during the boot. It happens even under Linux with Hybrid and Integrated graphics disabled.
So worry not, all Hail to Nvidia, the G-d of flickering!

 

Ah lol sorry

Still not sure why it would have flashed for me while I was restarting with no adapter drivers installed in order to install the new ones. But if it's normal then that's fine with me. No SLI would bother me much more!

 

Funny, but I get it under Linux with SLI disabled, running a single 280M card...

 

lol I thought flashing screen is Windows OS exclusive

 

@Silly Honey
You are right, even if not using SLI, both cards are still initializing during the boot and in the process we are getting the flickering.

 

I would say it's Nvidia exclusive, heh.