PC Screen goes Black

I have a friend that is having a small problem with their pc.

Here is their problem.

The screen goes black but the pc stays on and running, but the PC looks like it's not working, it just remains on.

He is not sure if it is a graphics card problem as when he uses the pc and doesnt push the graphics to hard the pc works fine, but when he uses the pc for games and pushes the graphics it does the problem as mentioned above.

Please help as this problem is getting annoying.

His PC spec is as follows

cpu AMD Athlon xp 3200
motherbord is a gigabite GA-7VT600 1394
ram is 512mb ddr 3200 mhr 400
ati radeon 9200 series 256mb
drivers catalyst 5.1
hard drive 160G serial ata

 

Hi,

I've tried installing Bloodrayne and found that the video card we have is not advanced enough to handle video games. We had similar problems with visuals (slow play, screen going black) and found that the game we were trying to install wasn't compatible with our hardware. Meaning, there was nothing wrong with our system it was the game itself.

Sounds like it also could be the monitor. A form of calibration error. Are the monitor drivers updated? Can the monitor handle the intense graphics? To test it, I would try hooking up the computer to another monitor and try doing the same thing. I would also try an online game that doesn't require such intense graphics to see how the monitor handles it.

-Monica

P.S. What game are you trying to run?

 

So this only occurs in games?

It's most likely either an issue with the driver not working right (in which case redownload and install it). Or the card is over heating, happens quite often if you over clock but even sometimes if you don't. Check the temperatures on the card, and perhaps getting some better fans in the case will resolve the issue.

Edit: bah I was beaten by a couple seconds.

 

well im memnochs friend.......this problem just started a week a go.......have format the hard drive install all updates of hardware......the game i usually play is call of duty...the problem also happends during games online......have clean up all fans.(including grafic card)...the cpu fan is ok...temp around 50ºc.......the fan at grafic card is runnning normal.(or it looks like)....it dosent over heat....an i havent done overclock to any of the components.

If i could do something else...ill try.

 

The 50c is that at idle? It could get a lot higher during game play. I suggest downloading prime95 and run its torture test this will put the cpu under full load, monitor the temps for 30 minutes while running prime and tell us what they are and if prime errors or quits running.

Rick

 

It's a AMD 3200+. It's max temp is 85c. Even if that is 50c at idle it would still be fine, even under max load it's not going to raise it 35 degrees.

Even if it was the cpu over heating it's more then likely going to cause a BSOD. To get the black screen chances are it's the video card. Also just because the fan is working doesn't mean for sure the video card isn't over heating. It could laso just be the video card itself is broken. If you can test out the system with a diffrent video card from a working system and see if that works. If it does maybe you got a warrenty that is still valid for the video card.

 

Iwrote this some time ago and some may remember it so I am qouting myself.

The max CPU temp that AMD publishes in the Tech Docs is measured directly on the CPU die itself. The thermal diode is part of the Mobo and "reads" the radiant temp from the CPU. The BIOS/software readouts use the thermal diode and these temps are typically 10-15C lower than the actual on die temp. Most AMD CPUs have a max operating temp between 75C-85C measured directly on the CPU die, which is the point where the CPU will start to self-destruct. If a CPU was running at 75C on die temp, the thermal diode and BIOS/software readout would be about 60C, which is [content edited] HOT !

In my experience, CPUs run at temps above 52C indicated by BIOS/software readouts can start to experience system hangs or crashes. Some folks have not experience problems with BIOS/software temps up to 60C. I personally would add fans or do whatever is required to keep the max temp under full load below 52C to insure 100% stability,

I agree heat usually BSOD but if he heats up the system and reports all his temps maybe we can see something out of the ordinary.

Rick

 

one other thing, prime don't test the video card so if it passes prime then that could narrow it down to the video card or its drivers.

But if it fails then that would suggest something else.

Rick

 

make sure the refresh rate is not set too high for the monitor,
try a program like refreshforce to manually force proper refresh rates
so your monitor doesn't go to standby to protect itself when your computer
goes to play a game-at a certain resolution

 

I'm sorry but you're going to have to provide some documentation for me to believe pretty much any of that.

First off I don't know how much experience you have with AMD chips but 50c even at idel is better then what the average user gets using stock heatsink and fan (which works fine if you arn't over clocking). As for the 10-15 degree diffrence from the display and the actual die temp, I can maybe believe 1-3 degrees but 10-15 degrees is just way out there. I mean if I used that manner of measuring I have a computer here that has broken 100c and still works great and now averages at load a temp of 85-90C. Of course at load it actually reports 70c to 75c, which has never given me a problem with an AMD chip reporting those numbers, and the machine that does it now has been going for just over 2 years.

Also the official stated operating temps of the AMD chips is 90C on the odler chips and 85C on the newer ones. There is no 75c-85c range. You can find a list with this info here http://www.thetechboard.com/tutorials/athlon_xp.php

So basicly what I'm saying is don't go scaring someone who is running at 50c about heating. He's doing better then most, and heating clearly isn't the issue at such low temps.

 

I don't take kindly to you suggesting that I give bad advice.

I don't have to give my experiance or qualifications to anyone here nor will I bother to explain my methods and research to you.

I simply don't need this

If you believe a true 50c for a amd product at idle is good,fine and good luck with that.

The explanation for your machine running 100c is simply a calabration issue with the sensor, many boards have this and manufactures have bios update to fix this.

Try using a digital temp probe sometime you'll see what I mean.

I would like to know how others view my suggestions/opinions if they are anything like this I most certainly will call it quits

I think I will just quit anyhow

Rick

 

Well Dont Think Is The Temp Cause Amd Get Up To 70ºc........could It Be The Hard Drive.....cause Is Also New...........maxtor 106 Serial Ata......could It Be That Is Not Conpatible With The Chipset Of The Motherboard??? The Chitset Is A Via Vt8237 Kt600......cause Maybe It Could Be That.

Dont Now....really Just Asking Cause It Stops With Out Warning....and When Restart(by Hand) It Dosent Come Up Any-windows Warning. Or Nothing....

 

HARD DRIVE DiamondMax Plus 9 160 SERIAL ATA

 

I took the liberty of finding the system requirements for you. Also, sometimes with video games downloading the latest version of direct X 9.0 from microsoft may help.

Recently I went through this and it was a combination of the video card (not the monitor I misspoke) [Thanks for jogging my memory, Coco] not being compatible, not having the latest version of direct x.

Hope this helps!

(I retrieved the information from Amazon.com)

System requirements

* Windows:
* Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
* Pentium III 600 MHz or Athlon 600 MHz processor or higher for systems with Windows 98/ME
* Pentium III 700 MHz or Athlon 700 MHz processor or higher for systems with Windows 2000/XP
* 128 MB of RAM
* 8x CD-ROM drive (1200 K/sec sustained transfer rate) and latest drivers
* 1.4 GB of uncompressed free hard disk space (plus 400 MB for Windows 98/ME swap file, 600 MB for Windows 2000/XP swap file)
* 100% DirectX 9.0b compatible 16-bit sound card and latest drivers
* 100% Windows 98/ME/2000/XP compatible mouse, keyboard, and latest drivers
* DirectX 9.0b (included)
* 3D Hardware Accelerator Card required - 100% DirectX 9.0b compatible 32 MB hardware T & L-capable; video card and latest drivers
* Multiplayer Requirements:
* Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported
* Internet play requires 56 Kbps (or faster) modem and latest drivers
* LAN play requires network interface card and latest drivers
* Important Note: some 3D accelerator cards with the chipsets listed here may not be compatible with the 3D acceleration features utilized by Call of Duty; please refer to your hardware manufacturer for 100% DirectX 9.0b compatibility
* Supported Chipsets:
* All ATI Radeon cards
* All nVidia GeForce chipsets
* Matrox Parhelia

 

I have the exact same problem, I also found out that it happens faster depending on how "high-end" game it is, for example I got it instantly after beginning video on oblivion, warcraft 3 i was able to actually play for a 3-5 minutes (depending on how much action is going in the screen), and then an even lower game ran for a 25 mins or so, I've had this pc for 8 months, no system changes whatsoever. Have updated all drivers and stuff, It's not overheating because I tested that by letting the side of the pc be open and that drops the temperature by 15 C so it was like 45 C while playing, and it still appeared. This problem only appeared like 3 days ago, and it has worked just fine until that, played same games the whole time pretty much, I did saw this once before, but it only lasted for 1 day and after that 2 months it worked just fine. Now it's back though...

System specs
Intel E6750 Core 2 Duo 2.67 ghz
2 gb's of ram...ddr2 (not sure can't remember)
a Seagate 320 gb SATA-II hard drive
Asus P5KC S775 Ip35 ddr2 Sata2 Glan 8-ch AT motherboard
Geforce 7900 gs 512 mb graph card