Computer screen goes black during the Windows 7 installation process

This article provides a solution to an issue where a black screen is displayed during Windows 7 setup on systems with embedded DisplayPort from AMD/ATI.

Applies to:   Windows 7 Service Pack 1
Original KB number:   978226

Your computer has an AMD/ATI Radeon graphics processing unit (GPU) that uses the embedded DisplayPort (eDP) technology. When you install Windows 7 on the computer, a black screen is displayed during the installation process. However, the installation is still running. In this situation, you may be unable to complete the installation.

AMD implemented eDP support after the Windows 7 DVD was finished. Therefore, the AMD Radeon graphics driver on the Windows 7 retail DVD does not support eDP.

AMD has released an updated driver that fixes the eDP issue. The update must be incorporated into the setup process for setup to complete successfully.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. Save the Autounattend.xml answer file and the latest graphics driver to a USB flash drive. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. Copy an Autounattend.xml file to the root of a USB flash drive. If you want to create an Autounattend.xml file yourself, go to the Create an Autounattend.xml file section.
   2. Copy the uncompressed graphics driver onto the USB flash drive. To do this, follow these steps:

      1. Download the latest driver for your graphics adapter from the AMD Web site.

      2. Run the downloaded program (.exe) to extract the driver. The program will prompt for an installation location, such as c:\ati\support.

      3. After the extraction is complete, locate the installation folder that is noted in the previous step.

      4. Copy the installation folder onto the USB flash drive.

2. From the Windows 7 installation DVD, start the computer that has the AMD Radeon GPU that uses eDP.

3. Immediately connect the USB flash drive after the computer starts from DVD.

4. Follow the instructions to complete the installation process.

5. When the system restarts for the first time, disconnect the USB flash drive.

Third-party information disclaimer

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

If you have a secondary monitor, connect the monitor to the computer before you install Windows 7. Then, you will be able to complete the setup process. After Windows 7 is installed, you can install an updated driver that corrects the eDP issue through Windows Update or through the AMD Web site.

The issue is known to occur with the following system:

• Apple iMac 27"

The issue also affects systems that have one of the following AMD/ATI Radeon GPU's:

• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 (PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9480)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 (PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9488)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 (PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_945A)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4850 (PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_944A)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 (PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9552)

To create an Autounattend.xml file yourself, follow these steps:

1. On any computer that you can use, start Notepad, and then paste the following text in the Notepad window:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
        <servicing></servicing>
        <settings pass="windowsPE">
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="1" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
            </component>
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsWinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="1" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
            </component>
        </settings>
        <settings pass="offlineServicing">
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="2" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="2" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
        </settings>
        <settings pass="auditSystem">
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="3" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
            <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpCustomizationsNonWinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
                <DriverPaths>
                    <PathAndCredentials wcm:keyValue="3" wcm:action="add">
                        <Path>%configsetroot%</Path>
                    </PathAndCredentials>
                </DriverPaths>
            </component>
        </settings>
        <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:d:/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ULTIMATE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
   </unattend>
   

2. Save the file as Autounattend.xml by using the UTF-8 encoding format.

For more information about unattended installations, see Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7.

If you need assistance from Microsoft support, we recommend you collect the information by following the steps mentioned in Gather information by using TSS for deployment-related issues.