14 November 2020

Intel 10nm GPU Driver Blanks BCD Boot Menu

This is the second case of a brand new laptop based on Intel's 10nm 10xxGx processors, in which the Intel Display Adapter driver causes the BCD {BootMrg} menu to be invisible (black-on-black), though still working.  Here's how to demonstrate the bug:

  1. Run BCDEdit from an "As Admin" Cmd or PowerShell
  2. Add an OSLoader entry to BCD {BootMgr}, so BCD boot menu will be invoked
  3. Set the Timeout to 15 or so
  4. Restart system from cold, i.e. not "Fast Startup", Resume from Sleep or Hibernate, etc.
  5. Rotating dots will vanish to blank black screen, where you should have seen the boot menu
  6. Wait for timeout or press Enter; system will boot as expected
  7. Device Manager, select Intel Display Adapter, Disable
  8. Repeat from (4), menu will now appear as it should, OK
  9. Device Manager, select Intel Display Adapter, Enable
  10. Repeat from (4), menu will fail to be visible again

The current case is a Dell Inspiron 3593 based on i7-1065G7, whereas the first case was an Asus X509JA-i541GT based on i5-1035G1.  Both processors are 10nm but have different integrated GPUs.  Windows 10 versions 1909 (Dell original), 2004 (Asus updated) and 20H2 (Dell updated) equally affected.

Click the link words to drill down into detail, and here for a fuller description of the problem.

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