# Black screen (no signal) crash when gaming



## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi everyone! I'm new in the forums, and sorry for my english.

Well I'm having trouble with my computer from several months ago. It used to run every game flawlessly, but since past summer (approx.) almost every game I try to play, crashes to a black screen with the no signal floating text and the last sound played loops rapidly making a buzzing sound for 2-3 seconds. Keyboard doesn't respond and I've to reboot computer manually. This happen with all games, even games that doesn't gave any problem before. It's weird, because it's random for some games but for others it happens in right the same places/conditions. Sometimes I can play L4D2 for more than one hour without any issue, but other times I can't play even 5 minutes without crashing. It's worse with Dead Space, it always crahes at the same point, but if I just do nothing, it can run for hours (i.e. I don't play, just watch the screen while the game is running). It's very frustrating because it happens also with old games like GTR2, wich never ever give any problems, now it crashes too.
The only games that doesn't crash are Portal, Back to the Future Episode 1 and maybe Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising (but I'm not sure about this one because I have not played much lately).

I've tried almost everything and find no solution, I've updated graphic drivers, new versions, old stable versions, uninstalling previous in safe mode with Driver Sweeper, tested the GPU with furmark for an hour without any issue (temps maxed at 74C), tested the CPU with Prime95 for two hours without a problem (temp maxed at 64C), rum memory tests with memtest for a complete night without fails, tested my HDD using the manufacturer tools, updated directx, updated sound drivers, updated motherboard drivers, updated network drivers, turned off Aero theme, turned off antivirus software, clean boot... ¡anything! Nothing worked, it's still crashing when I'm gaming.

There is much people with this same problem, but I haven't seen anybody getting the sollution.

Ask any additional information you need.

Thanks!!


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

One more thing, it also always crashes when I run Windows Experience Index. Same crash, black screen, requires manual reboot... No sound buzzing, but WEI doesn't plays any sound at all, so I guess that's why there is no sound buzzing anyway.

Please! I need your help, guys!


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

You may be running your games at a resoultion too high.
Try running the games at 800x600. 
I only get that if I set my games over 1280x1024.


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks for the tip, but that's not the problem. I used to play those games at 1440x900 without having any trouble, and tried to play Dead Space at 800x600 and it crashed too.

But thanks, anyway :up:


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

Just a question but what OS are you running?


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 64 for a couple of years, no problems untill this summer. The setup have been always the same, same GPU, HDD, memory sticks, utility software... Only thing I've changed from time to time, graphic drivers, and as I said, uninstalling latest drivers and reinstalling older drivers, doesn't solve the problem.

Thanks!


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

Try running the games in Windows XP compatibility mode (or Vista) but not Windows 98 or 95, otherwise it'll give the "Cannot run" error.
If you don't know how to do this, right click on the main .exe file and select "Properties" and click on "compatibility" and select Windows Vista or XP (Service pack is up to you) if the option is greyed out click the box and select that way. 
If that doesn't work just unclick the box. 
Some people do say XP is best for gaming. 
You may also want to try the "Run in 640X480" option too.
If "Disable Visual Themes" box is checked, uncheck it.


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Thank you, maybe it works, but that's not a sollution. Those games were running flawlessly in W7, ¿why I have to play them now in compatibility mode?

Thank you for your efforts :up:


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

I know it sounds stupid, but (aside from Windows 98/95) the OS doesn't really matter.


You said that this problem has been happening for a few months, but just before the problems started, did you install any software? 
If it was from a "unknown publisher" the software could have been secret malware. 
Sounds stupid, I know but I got a virus last year (from a torrent, learnt my lesson) and everytime I tried to play GTA San Andreas it'd give the "no signal" error like you got.


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Sorry if you misunderstood my last posts, what you say isn't stupid. It's just it doesn't looks like a sollution to me. I really appreciate your help.

I'm pretty sure I have not installed 'suspicious' programs, just new drivers. 

Thanks!


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

It wouldn't hurt to try it though. 
Are these drivers supported by your games?


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

You're right, I'll give it a try. At least, if it works, I would play wich I can't, right now.

The games are old enough to be perfectly supported by nVidia GPU's and their drivers, and as I said in older posts, I've played already those games before without any issue (Dead Space 1 & 2, Portal 2, GTR2...).

Thanks!


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## harleygjc (Jun 12, 2007)

sounds alot like a problem I get with my ati card, every now and then it will freeze up and start making a buzzing sound then drop to a black screen and come back as vertical stripes!! I later found from another forum that alot of the cards I have were shipped as overclocked! if you can go into the cards control panel and drop the gpu mhz by 5 or so it may stop your problem, if it does then your card is probably overclocked. Since I dropped mine back by just 5mhz I've had no further problems.


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks harleygjc, already did it and the problem persisted. I downclocked GPU clock, memory clock and bus clock. I went down to 100 Mhz downclocking without solving the problem. What I have is just a black screen and no signal sign (and the sound looping for a couple seconds), no vertical bars, no graphic corruption nor any other weird artifacts before crashing. 
Anyway, my card is not factory overclocked (nVidia GTX 295).

I've checked my temps and all of them are far from dangerous (card never passed 83C, CPU never beyond 63C) and fans are free of dust and dirt. Also, the case is very well ventilated (it has perforated metal panels) and air is circulating well through it.

Have to try running in compatibility mode when I have time, as other user suggested.

Thanks!


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## Himanshumital08 (Feb 8, 2012)

:C im having sme problem black screen but only with 1game can any1 help me


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

Does it happen on your user account only or everyone who uses your PC?
Also try moving the main folder (Located C: Program Files\???\Dead Space) 
Move the main folder ALL the files to "My Documents"
Just another suggestion since (My own personal expericance) when my GTA San Andreas had this problem (Oddly yesterday :/ ) Someone suggested moving to My Documents and it works!
Try that, if not move it back to where it originally was.


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## Lord Impaler (Oct 26, 2002)

have you checked the event viewer/log?


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Well, actually I downloaded Dead Space from Steam, so I think it's not possible move the main folder to another location, but thanks anyway TheNathanNS.

I checked the event viewer several times, but the only event was 'unexpected power off', no driver crashes, no memory read error, no nothing but 'unexpected power off'... of course, I knew that, it was myself shutting the damn thing off! Thanks, Lord Impaler


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

It is possible to move the folder.
I should imagine the folder is called "Steam" and inside is "Dead Space"?
If so you can move the folder by searching for a folder named Dead Space and it should come up (I think, I do not use Steam)
C:\Programs And Files\Steam\Dead Space


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

I do use Steam and it's not that easy, doh! I tried... 

Thanks again!! :up:


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## TheNathanNS (Feb 5, 2012)

Is the folder hidden?If so unhide it.
Try this
Right click on your Dead Space folder and make sure "Read Only" is not clicked.
If it is, unclick it. It could help a bit.


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## webjesusss (Feb 4, 2012)

Nope, it's not hidden, but Steam games are in a common folder called Steamapps, and they share some files. It's a little bit too obscure for me just figure out what file goes with what game, there isn't just a 'Dead Space' folder... 

But I have this problem with other no Steam games, so it's not something specific of Dead Space or Steam games.

As said before, thank you for your help!! :up:


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## Himanshumital08 (Feb 8, 2012)

its happening with me 2 no game is working for more then 15-20mins then black screen and no signal. :C


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