OK, I finally got it to work. Sorry, I should have updated.
Here's what I did. I had to reset my computer using the D:/ recovery. When setting up Windows Update, DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT let Microsoft update hardware drivers. Update your drivers only through the HP utility. It's a pain in the buttinsky and will kill several hours with the update/restart, etc. Just let things go on the side when you're watching TV, etc.
Make sure you do all of the non hardware Windows 8 updates to current date and don't install any other programs until you are through to 8.1. The second it goes through to 8.1, MAKE A RECOVERY point and this all should be just a bad memory.
There is hope, but it's a pain.