may upgrade machine blows up

Richard Boris 1 Reputation point
2020-07-31T12:25:11.73+00:00

Upgraded to May 2020 refresh of Windows 10 after second announcement of its availability became solid on Windows upgrade.

The first upgrade did not work at all and I thought that this new one would.

Compared to the first upgrade it did in that it completed perfectly.

BUT

Then my problems started and to deal with these I have to back up a bit and tell you about my video connections (because that is where the problems lie, I believe).

I have two NEC P242W-BK monitors.

And I have two identical computers: ASRock X79; 16 GB; Samsung SSD; Several hard drives. Only one computer is attached at a time.

Each has a display port and an HDMI port (along with a DVI port).

My video card is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680. That card has three ports corresponding to the display’s: display port; HDMI; DVI.

There is also a MacBook PRO, about 5 years old.

The ASRock computers are attached to the display port and to the HDMI port. And Windows has always found these ports.

The MacBook PRO is attached to the spare port on each monitor (again, display port and HDMI) to the Mini Port on the MacBook.

SO, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Windows starts very, very slowly from a cold start with the dotted circle taking five minutes before booting into Windows, which eventually happens. N.B.: I shutdown normally but ever since I've installed Windows 10, I can restart the computer by taping the keyboard. I think the computer is in some halfway space between real hard shutdown and hibernation.

After shutdown I have no images at all on my screens although it is clear that Windows is “there” has booted.

If I hold the left shift key when I shutdown the computer really shuts BUT then I get a cold start with all of its problems.

I think the computer can’t find the video ports.

THEN

a. removed macbook pro from monitor, pulled cables
b. removed hdmi and display port cables from pc in question
c. plugged in two dvi-d cables into pc and monitor
d. removed all external harddrives
THEN

a. i restored the reflect imagine of the new install (May 2004 refreshed updated)

WHAT HAPPENED?

same problems appeared: five minute boot from cold start -- dot circle starts stops; about 5 minutes to get into the machine
from "sleep" boot after about five minutes if I type windows key and P then I get an image

Clearly the update has problems with dual monitors and how to find them.
Device manager has absolutely no yellow exclamation points.
Flummoxed.
Thanks

Windows 10 Setup
Windows 10 Setup
Windows 10: A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.Setup: The procedures involved in preparing a software program or application to operate within a computer or mobile device.
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  1. Don Cuthbert 406 Reputation points
    2020-07-31T17:18:06.73+00:00

    I have a similar video card (mine is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690) but only one monitor connected to my 2012 Alienware desktop.

    To eliminate hibernation and Fast Startup, at least temporarily, from your configuration, try totally disabling all hibernation. From an Administrator Command Prompt, run powercfg /H OFF.

    Sometimes there can be a slowdown during boot if one of the hard drives has begun showing a lot of SMART errors. You can check their status using a utility, such as CrystalDiskInfo. SMART errors can be happening without Windows showing any issues.

    There is a new key sequence in Windows 10 that forces a GPU reboot, which can reset the video without a full restart: Win+CTRL+SHIFT+B. That might help with the blank screen after Windows has booted.

    Win+P should bring up display options for the multiple monitors, but you shouldn't need to configure those every time. The Nvidia Control Panel also has settings for this.

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  2. Richard Boris 1 Reputation point
    2020-08-01T11:36:12.21+00:00

    powercfg /H ON will reverse?

    Thank you for suggestions.

    On another forum it was suggested that I update nvidia driver to current version because of issues with earlier iterations. Do you know about that?

    will restore the May v. 2004 image soon and try. Along with upgraded driver.

    Much appreciated.

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  3. Don Cuthbert 406 Reputation points
    2020-08-01T18:13:03.173+00:00

    I had done a clean install of Windows 10 version 2004. Windows Update installed the new DCH version of the Nvidia driver. I now have Nvidia driver version 451.67. The DCH driver separates the Nvidia Control Panel into a separate app, delivered via the Microsoft Store.

    14888-screenshot-2020-08-01-120133.png

    powercfg /H ON does enable hibernation again.

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  4. Richard Boris 1 Reputation point
    2020-08-04T19:49:41.43+00:00

    i just started following your advice and that of another person on a good forum (ten forums).
    By booting my machine into safe mode. Unfortunately safe mode would not recognize my password, so I am back to where I started after having restored my REFLECT image.

    I was going to upgrade my nvidia driver to 451.67 and then move to your suggestions before moving on to the upgrade to the new version of windows 10.

    Any thoughts?
    And thanks.

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  5. Richard Boris 1 Reputation point
    2020-08-04T19:50:09.51+00:00

    i just started following your advice and that of another person on a good forum (ten forums).
    By booting my machine into safe mode. Unfortunately safe mode would not recognize my password, so I am back to where I started after having restored my REFLECT image.

    I was going to upgrade my nvidia driver to 451.67 and then move to your suggestions before moving on to the upgrade to the new version of windows 10.

    Any thoughts?
    And thanks.

    0 comments