Windows 10: Laptop screen is flickering/blinking randomly while using is it because of update?

Company DellInspiron 5

:)

 

Flickering and blinking laptop screen

I'm using a laptop with Windows 10 and an Intel HD Graphics 4600 display adaptor. A few days ago I attached a Dell D3000 dock to my laptop, and almost immediately my laptop screen started to flicker and repeatedly blink off and on again. I disconnected the dock, which did not resolve the problem, and since then I've tried various techniques to fix the problem, but none of them have worked. In order, this comprised of:

1. attempting system restore - but all five restore points were corrupted (?!);
2. updating the driver for the Intel display adaptor;
3. rolling back the driver for the Intel display adaptor;
4. uninstalling the driver for the Intel display adaptor;
5. downloading Windows 10 from the Microsoft site and re-installing it.

The problem has persisted even when I disconnected everything from my laptop, took it to my workplace, and switched it on there (using its battery for power); so the following possible reasons can be ruled out: its location in my house, any attached peripherals, a faulty power cable.

I am certain the problem is in some way connected to the Intel HD Graphics 4600 display adaptor:

1. after I completely uninstalled it - which reverted the graphics card to the standard Microsoft one - the screen didn't flicker or blink once afterwards (I left the laptop switched on for about an hour without incident, whereas previously I would experience as many as ten 'events' a minute). This rules out a possible damaged connection between the body of the laptop and its screen. However, when Windows auto-installs updates it reinstates the Intel one...
2. ...and when the laptop is switched on the screen flickers and repeatedly blinks off and on again...
3. ...although, strangely, connecting an external monitor to the laptop (HDMI to HDMI) results in neither the laptop screen nor the external monitor flickering or blinking. The problem returns when I disconnect the HDMI cable from the HDMI port on the laptop.

I now have the inescapable feeling that when I attached the dock I somehow fried the Intel display adaptor, and it isn't possible to fix it: I have read in the forums that replacing the graphics card on a laptop is well-nigh impossible. But if anyone else can suggest an approach I haven't yet tried I'd be very receptive!

As an aside, I contacted the retailer and they have sent me all of the drivers that are available for my system, but I don't know how to install them.

 

Flickering and blinking laptop screen

Thank you bro67 and ArazelEternal for your input.

At Caledon Ken's suggestion I reset the BIOS (or at least, I think I did - I'm relying very heavily on sites such as pcadvisor and techradar to guide me through a process that is light years ahead of my comprehension). The fun really started after I inserted my USB on which I had carefully created an install disk containing Windows 10 ISO: I encountered a message reading, 'windows cannot be installed on drive 0 partition 4'; a quick Google search brought me to this page https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/...irmware%20mode, and following its advice I've deleted all the partitions. I suppose I'll have to re-create a couple of partitions down the line, but that seems to be fairly straightforward by comparison.

Anyway, Windows 10 has now completed its update process, and the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter which didn't flicker has been superseded by the Intel HD Graphics 4600...and the screen has begun to flicker and blink again. So I'm back to square one.

It's been an interesting process, but one which will ultimately lead me to the laptop repair shop to see if they can do anything to remedy it.

 

Flickering and blinking laptop screen

An interesting and exciting update!

I switched my laptop on about an hour ago and not once has it flickered or blinked! (I'm keeping a lot of fingers crossed here.) I'm attributing this to Caledon Ken's advice to reset the BOIS; something I hadn't considered, but it seems to have worked - thank you Caledon Ken.

One thing I have noticed is that when I switch my laptop on now I see two options on screen - f2 to Boot and f7 for Setup - something I haven't seen before, but then after a few seconds I see the welcome sight of the angled blue squares that make up the Windows 10 icon. Should I be worried? How do I revert it to normal (ie straight to the Windows 10 icon)?