dv9500t HDMI won't work

So I have tried everything I can think of to get the HDMI to work on my laptop but I can't figure out why my HDMI won't work. I have searched everywhere but can't find what I need to get it to work.

I just bought two Dell sp2008wfp monitors off my friend and I finally got a HDMI to DVI cable so that I could hook up my monitor to a digital feed rather than VGA. I can't get it to work though. No it isn't the cable. And it isn't the monitor. I thought originally thought that it might not be working because the monitor searches for input and figured that it wasn't activating the DVI therefore not bringing up the settings in my HP. I then tested my computer on my friends TV which did not work. I made sure everything was working by plugging in his xps and the image popped right up.

I tried using the HDMI once before with no luck when I first got my laptop but I couldn't get it to work then either. Since I didn't have HDMI at the time I just figured that there was a setting or something I just couldn't find. After searching everywhere I can't find any setting that I have missed.

As far as I can tell it should be plug and play or force detect should work after restarting.

I am running Windows 7 RC right now and I had Vista Ultimate but as far as I can tell the issue stayed the same. I am really hoping that it isn't the hardware since I just came out of my two year extended warranty.

This is driving me up a wall so any help would be appreciated. Specs for my computer are below.

HP dv9500t - Windows 7 - Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2 GHz - 4 GB OCZ Ram - NVIDIA 8600GS 256MB - 4965AGN Intel Pro/Wireless - 320GB + 100GB (Seagate 7200rpm)