Any dv6-60xx graphics issues and Win7 SP1?

I had some issues with my dv6tqe-6000 concerning the default OEM OS installation and how it is affecting my Radeon HD 6770M. Out-of-the-box, it would not play blu-ray movies of any sort using any player (I tried multiple versions of the four or five most popular). It would also suffer occassional BSOD's while switching GPU's that pointed the finger at the ATi driver. Also interesting to note is that the default OEM install would not allow me to upgrade the Catalyst package. HP version 8.1 (AMD v11.4 I think it is) is what was shipped and the only thing I could use.

I alleviated all of my symptoms by doing the minimal system install. Now I could update to HP's version 8.3 (AMD v11.5) driver package, watch blu-ray movies using PowerDVD 10 and received absolutely no BSOD's. All was great up until the point that I installed service pack 1 for Windows 7 x64. Despite rebooting many times and shutting down foreign processes, I cannot seem to switch graphic GPU's. Neither manually while plugged in nor automatically by going to battery power. I receive an error stating that "graphic processors cannot be changed due to one or more running processes".

I traced the issue back obviously to having something to do with installing a component(s) of SP1. I am nowhere near being a "techie" so I do not have the experience or knowledge to begin troubleshooting any better than that.

Are there any known issues or fixes concerning my particular problem or is this something new? Or is the obvious and only reasonable fix to simply not install SP1 for right now? I kind of would like to have everything updated and working as it should (the perfect world scenario).


Any help or suggestions is appreciated. Thanks!

 

Actually its 11.4 not 11.5 for the HP driver 8.83.

Revert to preupdate state.
Uninstall the HP graphic driver via express option.
Download the offline installer of SP1.

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=5842

Restart ... Run Windows Update, install only critical updates.

Restart...

Install HP Graphic Driver.

Resart.
---------


Did you happen to install the normal AMD drivers at one point somewhere before you tried to service update?

 

No. Everything I installed was pulled directly off of HP's support site or through the Support Assisstant.

What I did was to install the minimal image. Updated the Catalyst package and driver to HP's latest release. Then I began to systematically install updates via Microsoft update.

Thanks, Falco. I'll try the order you suggested using the offline installer and then report back.

 

Well... it seems that there is an "order" to be adhered to when installing important system updates and drivers. Following that order in combination with the offline file, cleared up my little SP1/graphics mess. What I did specifically was:

- installed minimal image.
- uninstalled default HP Catalyst package.
- updated to Windows 7 service pack 1 via offline installer.
- installed current HP Catalyst package.
- installed other OS updates through Microsoft update.
- updated HP drivers and software through the Support Assistant.


I restarted/rebooted after every step. And all is good. Manual switching graphics works great as is everything else that I had issues with before (the reason I chose to do the minimal install).


Thanks, Falco!

 

My apologies, in advance, for dragging out something so trivial:


After some more researching and expiramenting into my previous issue, I have found that it was not Service Pack 1 at all, that caused my the issues with my not being able to switch my graphics over, getting the error "graphic processors cannot be changed due to one or more running processes".

The actual error did not occur until after I upgraded my default HP Catalyst Package (which contained the ATi 8.81 driver). HP's May/June 2011 CCC package, which is what I upgraded to, contains the ATi 8.83 driver (hope I got those right). As is turns outs, after I installed HP's latest CCC package, I also installed various components of the latest build of Windows Live 2011.

Messenger (at least the latest build) was the app/process that was not allowing my graphics to switch over. After I cloesd it out, the GPU switched normally. For yuks and giggles, I went back to using the original HP CCC package that shipped with my dv6 to see if the same results would occur. No - as it turns out, when using ATi driver 8.81 (assuming it is the driver and not CCC2), Messenger and the Radeon GPU play very nicely with each other. I can switch GPU's even when running Messenger.

I get that Windows Live and Messenger are not very popular apps, but I thought perhaps this might be worth mentioning and alittle testing to see if anyone else with the 6000 series is experiencing or can produce similar results as mine.

 

Actually, that problem has been known for awhile. Almost 2 years in fact.

You hit a known quirk with AMD Manual Switching Technology with Intel Chipsets. AMD updates their detection for active hardware 3d accelerated application to prevent odd video behavior that is common with manual switching by preventing the switch until the application in conflict is shut down. Sometimes they introduce false positives every time they update which is really annoying to track and work around.

But hey, at least they threw an error. Before, the button just do nothing.

That's why we have that warning to shutdowns all application prior before switching. It is highly recommended that you take its advice, it would make your computing experience less frustrating.

This is a major factor why I favor the dynamic switching over manual switching.

Also, believe it or not. MSN Messenger 2010 and later are render via 3d acceleration.

Office after 2012, is going to be render via 3d acceleration. Manual switching is going to be a pain for those who use it in the next 5 years as more and more random apps are going to be render via 3d acceleration.

 

Well nutz... that explains that then. This is good to know. Otherwise I would have just become frustrated in thinking there was some sort of actual defect in either my hardware or the OEM software build.

Now, since Office is so commonplace among the population of programs that reside in someone's PC and widely used/preferred in the enterprise, would it be logical to assume that AMD might, at some point, address this through through a future software update? I mean, I understand why AMD flags the app and prevents the switch. But it would seem beneficial to either alter the manner that the device "updates detection for active hardware 3d accelerated applications" or to include some kind of aid or system center that points to the app/process in question. I mean there is quite a few programs out there that will actually tell the user what to shutdown or the what is in conflict as it is being installed.

 

If it was that easy, the dynamic switching would of worked out of the box.

It just simpler to just to tell you to close all before switching. It is their coverall method. The odds of them doing your idea is very very low now since they are pushing forward with their dynamic switching.

The AMD manual switch with AMD integrated have no problems with this cause they follow same in house architecture. But Intel and AMD each to their own and foreign to each other.