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Intel Graphics Control Panel does not open UNLESS I use Gfxv4_0.exe

fr0zensphere
Beginner
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I had the same problem that a bunch of people had already posted about: namely, the Intel Control Panel suddenly stopped opening. I would see the initial splash screen which says "Initializing", and then this screen disappeared, and nothing else happened.

 

Further details & steps

This seemed to happen right after I updated my BIOS.

 

1.) I found this thread, which outlined how launching a different .exe within Windows system files solved the issue:

https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P0000490MQcSAM/intel-hd-graphics-control-panel-not-opening?language=en_US

I tried this method, and found Gfxv4_0.exe in the same folder as GfxUIEx.exe. Did not work. Launching Gfxv4_0.exe did nothing.

 

2.) I then followed the instructions in this thread to do a clean uninstall of the Intel display drivers:

https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P0000490VwCSAU/intel-hd-graphic-control-panel-wont-open?language=en_US

I then installed the latest VGA driver provided by my laptop manufacturer.

Kind of worked:

The Intel Control Panel still refused to launch the regular way. (It did not even show the splash screen anymore. Just nothing.) However, when I went back into the System32 folder and launched Gfxv4_0.exe, this time the Control Panel opened! And this behavior continues. If I try to launch it by right-clicking desktop -> "Intel Graphics Settings", nothing happens. If I launch Gfxv4_0.exe, it works. So I just made a shortcut to this executable and placed into a desktop folder as a work-around.

 

Question:

Why is the Intel Control Panel still partially broken after doing a clean uninstall of drivers and reinstalling the newest one provided by manufacturer? I can't access it the standard way, by right-clicking desktop, etc.

 

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RAJU2529
New Contributor III
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​clean uninstall of the Intel display drivers  means  does not  clean all  the Intel folders  and  registry keys  .I would recommenned you  uninstall  completely including registry keys  by using  revo uninstaller  software  , after that restart  with windows.

reinstall the  graphics software

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fr0zensphere
Beginner
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That's not going to do anything.

 

I actually had some unrelated issue and restored my hard drive to an earlier image that had the older Intel graphics driver. Again, the graphics control center did not work, even though it was working perfectly at the time when I made the backup image. So this confirms that updating the BIOS somehow screwed it up, because this is the only factor that was different after I restored the HDD from the backup image. I repeated the process and this time took the extra step of "cleaning" the registry via CCleaner Pro after deleting the older Intel drivers. Again, same result in the end after installing the new driver.

 

Some semi-useless 3rd party uninstaller program is not going to do anything to address the heart of the problem: that Intel is just not very good at coding drivers.

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Diego_S_Intel
Employee
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Hello fr0zensphere, Thank you for contacting our Intel® communities. In order to address your question let us inform you that recently, the control panel stopped being supported from the driver itself, and now is available for download through the Microsoft* store through the following link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/intel-graphics-control-panel/9ndlclmmtmrc?activetab=pivot:overviewtab I hope this helps, please make sure all drivers are up to date and let us know the outcome. Diego S. Intel (R) Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel (R) Corporation
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fr0zensphere
Beginner
5,314 Views

Hi again,

 

Okay my work-around stopped working. I can no longer launch the Intel Control Panel. It seems that this started happening after Windows was updated to the latest version.

 

I tried the solution that you presented, to install the application from the Microsoft Store. Now it still doesn't work! This is what I get:

intel ctrl panel error.png

 

What the < > is going on with this stupid driver? It's torturing me because it's dimming/brightening my laptop screen again on battery even though I kept turning off this super annoying setting.

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Diego_S_Intel
Employee
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Hello fr0zensphere, We just wanted to double check if you still need further assistance. Please don’t hesitate on contacting us back. I hope to hear from you soon. Diego S. Intel (R) Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel (R) Corporation
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Diego_S_Intel
Employee
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Hello fr0zensphere, We just wanted to verify if you still need help. I hope to hear from you soon. Diego S. Intel (R) Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel (R) Corporation
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Diego_S_Intel
Employee
5,314 Views
Hello fr0zensphere, We just wanted to double check if you still need further assistance. We are closing your case as we have not heard anything back from you. Please do not hesitate con contacting us if further assistance is needed. Regards, Diego S. Intel (R) Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel (R) Corporation
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Diego_S_Intel
Employee
5,314 Views
Hello fr0zensphere, Thank you for your response. If after downloading the Intel® Graphics Control Panel from the Microsoft* Store, the application fails to launch, there are two reasons why this could be happening as Under Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform (UWP), there are 2 driver models. In general terms and within the context of this issue they fall under the following principles: Declarative, Componentized (DC) driver: This means that the driver installs using only declarative INF directives and OEM-specific customizations to the driver are separate from the base driver package. The Intel® Graphics Control Panel is still bundled with the package. Declarative, Componentized and Hardware Support Apps (DCH) driver: Same as previous with the exception that the Intel® Graphics Control Panel is no longer bundled with the driver package and needs to be downloaded and installed separately. The following scenarios may trigger this issue: Your computer manufacturer, also referred as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), is pushing and installing DC drivers through Windows Update service. The DC driver overwrites any DCH driver previously installed, though the Intel® Graphics Control Panel application downloaded from the Microsoft Store isn’t removed from the system during the DC driver installation. This allows two instances of the Intel® Graphics Control Panel on the system, which results in neither Control Panel to open. The issue may also trigger if you downloaded and installed the Intel® Graphics Control Panel from the Microsoft® Store and the DC drivers were already installed on your computer. How can you try to fix it? Uninstall the Intel® Graphics Control Panel ONLY via Start > Settings > Apps & Features. Restart the computer. The Intel® Graphics Control Panel included in the DC driver should work now. Also please make sure all your Windows* drivers are up to date. I hope this helps. Best regards, Diego S. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation
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fr0zensphere
Beginner
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This did not work!

 

I uninstalled the "new" control panel (the one from MS Store) only. And the "original" control panel does not open either. I believe the "original" control panel was working fine until I updated to the October update of Win 10 (v 1809).

 

So now what can be done? The control panel does not work either way.

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fr0zensphere
Beginner
5,314 Views

Are you going to help me solve this or not?

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Bryce_Intel
Moderator
5,314 Views

Hi @fr0zensphere​ 

I empathize with the frustration, this has gotten tricky with the OEM drivers getting pushed over Windows Update. Let's see if we can get your control panel working again.

  1. Download the latest OEM driver from their website
  2. Disconnect internet
  3. Uninstall the Intel graphics control panel from Apps & Features
  4. Uninstall Intel Processor Graphics or Intel Graphics Driver from Apps and Features
  5. Reboot
  6. Install the driver from step 1
  7. Verify the control panel opens and what graphics driver version is installed (just in case MSFT Windows Update installs a new one later without telling you)
  8. If the control panel isn't installed after step 7, it will require Windows Update to install it or you can install it manually from the MSFT store so move to step 9
  9. Reconnect internet
  10. Open Windows Update and run scan
  11. Once complete reboot and recheck the graphics driver version and that the control panel is still opening. At this point if it hasn't been installed by windows update, just manually install the control panel from the MSFT store
  12. Let me know if this works. IF not, I'll need the gfx driver versions for each step so I can determine what's happening and where it's going wrong. Fill out the template below including the version info and attach in your response. Thanks!

https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P0000490AGdSAM/important-template-for-submitting-a-graphics-bug

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fr0zensphere
Beginner
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Okay, somehow the issue resolved itself, randomly.

 

Summary as follows. I was stuck going back and forth between the DCH drivers and the so-called "legacy" drivers. I tried completely uninstalling the drivers using the Device Manager method and then installing the latest DCH drivers, and then installing the control panel app from the MS Store. Didn't work. As in my post above, I got an error saying that the "Intel Graphics Driver is not available." Then I tried completely uninstalling that (again using the device manager method until only the "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter" was showing) and again installing the "legacy drivers". Again didn't work. There was no icon in the system tray, no option in the menu when right-clicking the desktop, etc.

 

I then tried to find an older version of the "legacy" drivers, since everything was working fine when I first got this laptop with an older version installed, and problems only started occurring after I updated the driver. I found a version from 2017 on intel's page with driver downloads. Again I completely uninstalled previous drivers using the Device Manager method, and then tried installing this old version. Could not be installed! I got an error when launching the installer telling me that the "minimum requirements were not met" or something like that. How ridiculous! Why would it be impossible to install a driver that is listed as supporting the model of integrated GPU that I have?? Again goes to show how bad Intel's drivers are...

 

Anyway, as I was sitting there, not sure of what next step to take after I received this error, Windows self-installed a driver (because I had forgotten to switch off WiFi this time, even though I made sure to switch it off all previous istall/uninstall attempts). And for some reason, this time everything worked! The icon appeared in the system tray, and the item in the right-click menu on the desktop also appeared. So now everything is okay. I don't understand it but I also don't care anymore, as long as it works.

 

Conclusion: Intel, get your act together and fix your software... Why are these issues plastered all over the internet, on this support forum and also on Reddit? I don't think OEM PC makers are to blame; I had intel driver problems on both this laptop and my previous laptop, from two different manufacturers: Dell and now MSI.

 

And also, there were repeated posts "checking in" on me to see if I still needed help, but as soon as I got truly stuck with a seemingly intractable problem, this agent disappeared and stopped helping...........

Way to go, "support" people.

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fr0zensphere
Beginner
5,314 Views

Intel is a horrible, horrible company, and I hate everything about it. Why can't you people even write fucking functional drivers??? This is the most basic thing. On my previous laptop, I ALSO had problems with Intel drivers. One time a driver update sent my computer into an infinite BSOD loop that was impossible to get out of. Why do you people suck so much?

 

And Intel's representatives are useless. At least figure out proper fixes for the problems that you create.

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