I am testing Windows 8 RTM on a HP Envy 15 1050ca i7 laptop with a ATI (AMD) Radeon HD 4830 video chip.

Some time after installing Windows 8 the system started a crashing loop on start-up, possibly after being in standby.

The system goes to a blank black screen and hangs, or goes to a stop screen or partial stop screen, the stop usually does not make it through collecting information for the error report. After dozens of reboots trying various repair options I can get it into safe mode, or it may decide to work seemingly at random.

I had the same problem exactly with the consumer preview, in both cases (CP and RTM) I have been able to get the system to run normally by manually switching the video driver from ATI Radeon HD 4830 to Microsoft Basic Display Adapter using safe mode.

This system ran perfectly with Windows 7 leading up to the installation of Windows 8. This system did initially have video driver / firmware issues with Windows 7 but those eventually were resolved with a firmware / driver update from HP (Firmware F2B installed)

Has anybody else seen this? Is there a better fix than falling back to the basic generic video driver?

I'd even be willing to send the laptop to Microsoft so they can test a driver fix if that was possible.

Since it is issue with driver, your manufacturer should test and resolve it. I suggest visit HP support website and post this in their forum and also report it to the customer service.

• Marked as answer by Niki HanModerator Thursday, August 30, 2012 6:40 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Rick Macmurchie Sunday, September 16, 2012 4:48 AM

The problem occurs with the Microsoft provided Windows 8 driver. The only driver available from HP is for Windows 7 and I do not foresee any driver updates coming from HP since this laptop is out of production.

I have tried installing the Windows 7 driver, it does not fix the problem, I can't remember exactly but I think the Windows 7 driver install did not work properly, I'm not sure what blocked it from installing. 

 

In your case , the best way is contact HP support:

http://support.hp.com/

And discuss the issue with them.

This is an Issue with Windows 8 HP will be no help. The model is discontinued.

Further evidence that the problem is specific to Windows 8:

I have wiped the hard drive and attempted a clean install of Windows 8, the installation failed twice, with a blue screen error during installation. The error Machine_Check implying a hardware problem.

To test if the machine just happened to develop a hardware problem around the time I installed Windows 8 I wiped the drive again and installed Windows 7.

Windows 7 installs and runs as well as ever.

• Edited by Rick Macmurchie Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:03 PM

I too have the same issue. 

I tried 10 times to install windows 8, only 2 times went through. The failed cases are all related to unable to load display driver (hence the new BSOD).

The other cases when I can have windows 8 installs, it works fine. But whenever you hit "sleep" the laptop will never wake up without a *reinstall* of the OS. Neither of those "Refresh", "Reset" new rescue features worked.

The worst part is it happens during *installation* - either HP/Microsoft has to make an official announcement that this laptop is not supported *at all* in Windows 8, or else when more people try to install it on this particular laptop model (which was top-of-the-line BTW) this is going to hurt Microsoft reputation big time. Consumers don't care about whether this is a 3rd party driver issue because this is shipped with Windows 8 out-of-the-box.

Of course, the best solution would be to fix the device driver issue.

Luckily we have the TechNet release, or else I would have no way to refund the OS if I were to buy it when it hits GA.

i have an hp envy 15 1050ca and windows server 2012 installs without issue.  however windows 8 does not install due to blue screen when rebooting after install.  both installs are clean.

• Edited by biapro.com Wednesday, November 21, 2012 6:33 AM

windows 8 does not install due to blue screen when rebooting after install.  both installs are clean.

Have you tried booting in VGA mode?  OP mentioned that that is possible.   Then you could try visiting AMD for their W8 driver.   However, it seems there are various arcane steps needed to get there.   For example, see this poster's experience with a related scenario

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-system/windows-8-wont-boot-automatic-repair-isnt-solving/c07bf2c9-f000-4940-8306-321fbb65e2d6?page=6&msgId=18d932b1-13dc-4e9a-9b4b-79e69b25660b

Others have said they needed to delete the manufacturer's drivers, e.g. using Device Manager to do something similar.   Others say "How can I use Device Manager with a Black screen?"   In some instances the answer to that for some is to activate Narrator (e.g. via Ease of Access button on the login screen) and let it guide them around in the darkness.    Again, I would wonder if they had tried VGA mode.   ;  )

Do you have a secondary monitor you could use?

FWIW one curious thing that happened to me when I was testing the  VGA boot  idea with my own system is that my display mode switched from Extended to PC Screen only.   I.e., my wide-screen monitor went black.(!)  Otherwise VGA mode (really SVGA mode since resolution was 800x600) was surprisingly functional.   I could even flick my Start Screen with Touch!  

(!)  OMG  I just realized what some of those black screens could be:  switches to the VGA port and blacking out the laptop or desktop's main monitor just the same way that my wide-screen monitor went black.   Another reason to have a second monitor.   <eg>

On another tack you could try booting in cmd only mode and using that to try to diagnose your problem.  E.g. apparently there may be a file somewhere called  srttrail.txt

C.f.:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-system/windows-8-wont-boot-automatic-repair-isnt-solving/c07bf2c9-f000-4940-8306-321fbb65e2d6?page=7#LastReply

That's an example of how the upgrade got into some kind of reboot loop for a few users.   Sounds like yours isn't as bad as that?   ;  )

   

HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
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• Edited by Robert Aldwinckle on forumsMVP Saturday, November 24, 2012 6:16 AM This editor is still broken.

Bought win8 almost 2 months ago. Had it running 100% properly with this thread:
http://marceloazuma.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/windows-8-on-hp-envy-15-1050nr/
The only thing that really helped me.

My solution was to deactivate Windows 8 fast boot. Try that please!