Nitro AN515-58: Second monitor connected with HDMI cord that was previously working stopped working entirely after crashing.

I've had this laptop for a few years now and whenever I play a game, but more commonly Roblox with a Discord call open or Spotify. The computer will freeze and the audio will get all weird before completely shutting down. I don't have the BSOD codes because it always skips past it too fast. But when I have had them and usen Windows built-in troubleshooter, it isn't any help. I've been on these forums before. Because, as far as I'm aware, this is a hardware issue with this line of laptops. I've tried updating my NVIDIA and Intel Drivers each time and it will work with varying success for a few days to weeks, but it always comes back. The only way I know how to fix it is by completely reinstalling Windows 11. Then everything works for a few months, but I have to redownload EVERYTHING…

With all the background info out of the way.
My problem right now is:

About a month ago, I got a notification that said I needed to update my Intel display drivers, but I put it off because everything was working fine.

A few days ago, while I was playing Roblox on a higher end game, my laptop froze and gave me a BSOD before restarting.

I went and updated all my drivers and restarted my laptop a few times. It worked well for a day. But when I played that same Roblox game it crashed again.

It hasn't crashed since, but my second monitor that I had hooked up won't connect no matter what. Nothing is wrong with the second monitor because it was working perfectly fine before the crash.

I want to know if anyone with this same laptop has had this problem and how they went about fixing it. I know that if I reinstall Windows 11 it will most likely fix the problem, but I don't want to have to back up everything again. Thank you for reading.

Accepted answers

Axxo

After a system crash, an HDMI port can fail due to corrupted graphics drivers, power-related glitches, or a physical hardware issue. To fix this on an Acer Nitro AN515-58, you should perform a hard reset, reinstall the graphics drivers, and then check for physical damage.

Perform a hard reset
Shut down the laptop completely.
Disconnect the power adapter and all external peripherals, including the HDMI cable and monitor.
Press and hold the power button for 30–60 seconds to drain any residual charge from the system.
Reconnect only the power adapter and turn on the laptop.
After the laptop has booted, reconnect the HDMI cable and check if the monitor is detected.
Reinstall graphics drivers
A system crash can corrupt graphics drivers, preventing your HDMI port from working.
Search for and open the Device Manager.
Expand the Display adapters section. You will likely see entries for both your integrated Intel graphics and your dedicated NVIDIA graphics card.
Right-click on your dedicated NVIDIA graphics card and select Uninstall device. If prompted, check the box to "Attempt to remove the driver for this device".
Restart your laptop. Windows will automatically attempt to reinstall the correct drivers.

After the restart, check if your second monitor is working.
Use the Windows keyboard shortcut
This shortcut can reset the graphics driver and sometimes fix display issues without a full reboot.
Press the Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B simultaneously.
Your screen should briefly flicker, and you may hear a beep, confirming the graphics driver has been reset.
Check if the second monitor is now detected. Check connections and cables.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you should rule out a problem with the physical connection.
Test the cable: Connect your laptop to the monitor using a different HDMI cable that you know is working.
Inspect the port: Check the HDMI port on both your laptop and monitor for any signs of physical damage, such as bent or missing pins, or debris.
Try a different port: If your monitor has more than one HDMI port, try connecting to a different one to see if the issue is with the monitor's original port.
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If this answers your question & solved your query please "Click on Like" and then Yes "Answered".

All comments

Axxo

After a system crash, an HDMI port can fail due to corrupted graphics drivers, power-related glitches, or a physical hardware issue. To fix this on an Acer Nitro AN515-58, you should perform a hard reset, reinstall the graphics drivers, and then check for physical damage.

Perform a hard reset
Shut down the laptop completely.
Disconnect the power adapter and all external peripherals, including the HDMI cable and monitor.
Press and hold the power button for 30–60 seconds to drain any residual charge from the system.
Reconnect only the power adapter and turn on the laptop.
After the laptop has booted, reconnect the HDMI cable and check if the monitor is detected.
Reinstall graphics drivers
A system crash can corrupt graphics drivers, preventing your HDMI port from working.
Search for and open the Device Manager.
Expand the Display adapters section. You will likely see entries for both your integrated Intel graphics and your dedicated NVIDIA graphics card.
Right-click on your dedicated NVIDIA graphics card and select Uninstall device. If prompted, check the box to "Attempt to remove the driver for this device".
Restart your laptop. Windows will automatically attempt to reinstall the correct drivers.

After the restart, check if your second monitor is working.
Use the Windows keyboard shortcut
This shortcut can reset the graphics driver and sometimes fix display issues without a full reboot.
Press the Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B simultaneously.
Your screen should briefly flicker, and you may hear a beep, confirming the graphics driver has been reset.
Check if the second monitor is now detected. Check connections and cables.

If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you should rule out a problem with the physical connection.
Test the cable: Connect your laptop to the monitor using a different HDMI cable that you know is working.
Inspect the port: Check the HDMI port on both your laptop and monitor for any signs of physical damage, such as bent or missing pins, or debris.
Try a different port: If your monitor has more than one HDMI port, try connecting to a different one to see if the issue is with the monitor's original port.
-----------------------------------------
If this answers your question & solved your query please "Click on Like" and then Yes "Answered".

MerpMeister

Edit: Technically my problem is solved, because when my computer crashed it ruined the HDMI port in my other monitor. 😔 The display still works and im sure the VGA port would still work, but I dont have an adapter. When checking the display settings I saw that it detected I had plugged it into another display, but was unable to actually display anything. Still wish my laptop didn't randomly crash every few months though.