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    Inspiron m101z [1121] Intel Graphics no HDMI. How to?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by cognus, Jul 17, 2012.

  1. cognus

    cognus Notebook Deity

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    New to me m101z with apparently the arrandale series, i3 ULV 1.2ghz and Intel HD Graphics of some genus... is this pre-HD3000?
    at any rate, I've spent way too much time trying to test the HDMI output.
    I use three external displays with my thinkpad x120e - no issues with any of them - very easily done. Using same with this m101z, it appears that under no circumstances is it actually outputting to the HDMI port.
    In other words, hook it up, turn the display on, set to HDMI port, hit the function key on the Dell unit and it pulls up the options for duplicate/extend/projector-only, but on none of those can the HDTV detect signal.

    checked user docs, service manual, bios, graphics control panel - nada. the intel control panel, primitive as it is, does not even reference said HDMI.
    the dell docs reference the physical interface but nothing about connecting/using.. nothing in bios to switch on/off etc

    anyone have a clue? I imagine there is nothing novel about this particular unit so if you have similar chipset with embedded intel HD, how did you get it to attach/display?
     
    cognus, Jul 17, 2012
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  2. cognus

    cognus Notebook Deity

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    I'm jotting this for the sake of others that will encounter or have already encountered, this problem and have no help.
    I wasted almost 2 hours with Dell thinking they would be able to help with the issue. I would not have bothered except that I thought they would have something on file about this issue, and would produce driver or firmware updates that they do not show on the website when filtered for the specific service tag.
    The tech support guy and his manager were literally clueless, and finally issued an order to have FEDEX bring the system in for overhaul, after making a bunch of pointless, misguided changes to the system [was instructive for me to see how poor their training must be... or hiring/outsourcing.]

    I see numerous pleas for help on dell's community board, same issue, differing notebooks, no help. I feel for them.
    The HDMI implementation is very poor, and whereas I am not sure exactly the root cause, I have a workaround that is inelegant, but works.

    I went to intel's site and downloaded the latest available Win7Vista_64_152254
    zip file and upacked it. I had already tried the just-released Windows 8 package and it failed, but I think I may know how to do that also now that the other is in and working.

    What I had to do:
    - UNINSTALL the graphics adapter from the Device Manager control panel.
    After doing so reboot the system
    - With luck, windows 7 [or 8] will not force-install an Intel HD driver but just the generic ubiquitous VGA driver. It did in my case. For whatever reason, the presence of the other old Intel driver defeated all attempts to upgrade the standard way.
    - Once booted with the VGA driver, then point to the folder "Graphics" unpacked from the .zip - it has the appropriate driver files [not audio]
    - Windows installed the new driver and Restarted [reboot].
    - After reboot, use the hot key [in this case it is the F1 key] to flip to an external-monitor mode [they call it projector.... sheesh]. due to some bug, the system will not always hold the mode you are trying to get to. It will timeout not getting a fast enough sync, and will revert. It seemed a slight bit more tolerant in the last of the four modes: Projector-only.
    - At that point, cycle power to the attached HDMI monitor. When it powers up, the notebook is able to get a proper sync

    This works on one of my monitors, not on the another. I have a Samsung IPS 26" HDTV/mon that has firmware with a very short timeout period for each "Source" mode one tries. When it does not get an almost immediate sync, it reverts to the previous known-good Source. So far I have not been able to manually sync that one as I'm doing the Asus.

    I don't know how many notebooks are afflicted with this, nor the real permanent fix, but for now, this works and the display is good.

    The HDMI Audio device [it is listed as an Intel Digital Audio device] WILL update the driver correctly by simply pointing to the folder marked "ibxHDMI". Install that, reboot, and you're done.

    I was already a ATI fan. Now more so. They do their homework well.
    Hope AMD does not blow it.
     
    cognus, Jul 17, 2012
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