* Update: Issue Resolved - See Post #13 *
I have a CoreHT 252B mini PC that I've owned since September, 2011 that I'm having some video issues with. I'm using it as a media center running Windows 7 Pro 64-bit and have the PC hooked up to my 46" TV via HDMI at 1920x1080. The problem is that while watching videos fullscreen, the PC sometimes scrambles the video with horizontal lines. This isn't limited to a single application; I've had it happen in Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, Youtube, and Netflix via web browser. When it happens, the PC is completely unresponsive; the keyboard/mouse do nothing and I cannot ping it with another machine on my network. The only fix is to reboot the PC. Here's a video of the display after a lock up:
Initially I thought the PC might be overheating, so I ran some CPU stress tests with Prime95 while logging temperatures with CoreTemp. I ran Prime95 for hours with the temperature maxed out around 86C for each core and it never locked up. I then ran FurMark, a GPU stress testing tool while again logging temperatures with CoreTemp. Within 5 minutes of the 15 minute stress test at 800x600, the PC locked, which is when I took the video posted above. The temperature was barely over 70C. This tells me it isn't a heat issue and is likely GPU or video driver related.
As far as drivers go, I've experienced the issue with 4 different versions:
Version 8.15.10.2372 installed early September (downloaded from Asrock; still the current driver listed under downloads as version 15.22.2.64.2372)
Version 8.15.10.2509 installed on 9/25/2011 (downloaded from Intel)
Version 8.15.10.2559 installed on 11/22/2011 (downloaded from Intel) <--- no longer listed on Intel's site
Version 8.15.10.2622 (just posted to Intel's site on Feb. 3, 2012)
I found it interesting that the third driver is no longer listed on Intel's website (and found a thread about this with as well). Also, the release notes for 8.15.10.2509 lists a "Fixed issue" similar to the one I'm experiencing: "Resolved intermittent crashing when an HDMI monitor is connected."
I've opened cases with both Intel and ASRock. Intel said to "update drivers or contact the manufacturer" -- Yeah, thanks. ASRock said I could RMA the unit, but I'm hesitant because I'm not sure it's a hardware issue.
So, I'd like feedback on the following:
1. Is there anyone else with a CoreHT 252B experiencing this issue? Can you reproduce it with GPU stress testing?
2. Does this sound like a driver or hardware issue?
Edit: It looks like someone else is having the same issue, though I don't know what type of PC they have: HD3000 Freeze on Vimeo
I have a CoreHT 252B mini PC that I've owned since September, 2011 that I'm having some video issues with. I'm using it as a media center running Windows 7 Pro 64-bit and have the PC hooked up to my 46" TV via HDMI at 1920x1080. The problem is that while watching videos fullscreen, the PC sometimes scrambles the video with horizontal lines. This isn't limited to a single application; I've had it happen in Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, Youtube, and Netflix via web browser. When it happens, the PC is completely unresponsive; the keyboard/mouse do nothing and I cannot ping it with another machine on my network. The only fix is to reboot the PC. Here's a video of the display after a lock up:
Initially I thought the PC might be overheating, so I ran some CPU stress tests with Prime95 while logging temperatures with CoreTemp. I ran Prime95 for hours with the temperature maxed out around 86C for each core and it never locked up. I then ran FurMark, a GPU stress testing tool while again logging temperatures with CoreTemp. Within 5 minutes of the 15 minute stress test at 800x600, the PC locked, which is when I took the video posted above. The temperature was barely over 70C. This tells me it isn't a heat issue and is likely GPU or video driver related.
As far as drivers go, I've experienced the issue with 4 different versions:
Version 8.15.10.2372 installed early September (downloaded from Asrock; still the current driver listed under downloads as version 15.22.2.64.2372)
Version 8.15.10.2509 installed on 9/25/2011 (downloaded from Intel)
Version 8.15.10.2559 installed on 11/22/2011 (downloaded from Intel) <--- no longer listed on Intel's site
Version 8.15.10.2622 (just posted to Intel's site on Feb. 3, 2012)
I found it interesting that the third driver is no longer listed on Intel's website (and found a thread about this with as well). Also, the release notes for 8.15.10.2509 lists a "Fixed issue" similar to the one I'm experiencing: "Resolved intermittent crashing when an HDMI monitor is connected."
I've opened cases with both Intel and ASRock. Intel said to "update drivers or contact the manufacturer" -- Yeah, thanks. ASRock said I could RMA the unit, but I'm hesitant because I'm not sure it's a hardware issue.
So, I'd like feedback on the following:
1. Is there anyone else with a CoreHT 252B experiencing this issue? Can you reproduce it with GPU stress testing?
2. Does this sound like a driver or hardware issue?
Edit: It looks like someone else is having the same issue, though I don't know what type of PC they have: HD3000 Freeze on Vimeo
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