The HP Elite USB Type C dock appears to have issues when used with Zoom virtual backgrounds.
The HP Elite USB Type C dock appears to have issues when used with Zoom virtual backgrounds.
I own an HP Elite USB C dock (X7W54UT#ABA) that was refurbished from HP Business Outlet a while ago. It has been functioning properly until recently, when it started crashing every time I tried to use a virtual background on Zoom. I think the issue is with the dock itself, since I can use virtual backgrounds on my laptop when it's not connected, and also on my smaller HDMI travel dock linked to a second monitor. However, when connected to the C Dock, turning on a virtual background causes the computer to disconnect from all external monitors and won’t reconnect until it’s turned off. I can hear a clicking noise as the laptop attempts to reconnect but fails. Turning off the virtual backgrounds resolves the problem.
I’m seeking advice from others about possible causes and hope to find a solution that allows me to use virtual backgrounds without disruptions.
My system details: HP Elitebook 1030x360 G2, Intel i5 7th gen, 3.60 GHz, 16 GB RAM (64-bit), running Windows 10.
Verify if there is a more recent BIOS, chipset, and video driver available for the laptop, as well as any updated firmware for the dock. There have been issues with Zoom background bugs and certain video chips; I recall we had to wait at work to use them properly on some models.
This might be the problem, since I just verified and my driver for the USB C Dock is marked as a Microsoft driver from 2006. HP provides updated drivers on their site, but when I tried to install, nothing appeared (the date should be 2018). Can there be a method to bypass the Microsoft drivers and guarantee the right ones are installed for this dock?
I made the BIOS update tonight and verified the chipset and drivers to ensure everything was current.
I discovered the dock drivers are correctly installed in the Device Manager's display adapters category — specifically the generic Windows driver listed under "portable devices."
The problem persists with Zoom, leaving me uncertain about the next actions to take.
I have fixed this problem! It turned out HP wasn’t providing the updates I expected, even though I believed their drivers were current. I discovered a few that still needed updating using the HP Image Assistant tool, and everything seems to be working now. HP Support clarified the situation via chat. Thanks for your assistance!
Updated 3: Confirmed the driver changes didn't solve the issue. Didn't test long enough; virtual backgrounds caused problems again, and external displays still froze during Zoom use. Reached out to HP Support with additional updates, including DisplayLink drivers, but nothing worked. I'm considering purchasing a new dock since no solution seems available.