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Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

well I think I owe the peaple over at EA Sport, and the TW08 forum an apology. Something is going on with my rig and I can't figure it out. It only did it in TW08 but now it's happening in FSX. I keep getting video crashes to black screen. usually happens very quickly after starting the games. It's not the video card cause I've tried two different ones and they both did it. I've tried four different drivers and same thing. I ran a couple tests on my CPU and it seemed fine. Weird thing is some games it never happens in. Any body got any ideas?

Shadow_Bshwackr · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject: Re: Black Screen

It could be extra heat buildup. Make sure all the cooling fans are working and not plugged with dust, dirt, etc.

Next, try testing the RAM... Wink

Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

no dust, for sure. I just installed another 120mm fan in the front, and all 4 are working fine. Any good suggestions for testing the ram? I just installed 4 gb of crucial ballistc in January so probably not going to be that but worth testing anyway.

401RCAF_Hammer · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:45 pm Post subject: Re: Black Screen

-S-

Could be a virus or trojan, download anything latley..?

Hammer Cool

Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

nope, other than some aircraft nothing really new. Trendmicro isn't picking up anything either.

401RCAF_Hammer · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:30 am Post subject: Re: Black Screen

-S-

Check to see if the connection from your computer to monitor is tight, may be a loose connection.

Hammer Cool

401RCAF_Jel · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Black Screen

Seem to remember summat like this happening with me a while ago... If memory serves me right my mobo was up the swany. It's a process of elimination, fans ok, cpu ok, ram ok, PSU?? ok? graphics ok.... Mobo!!

Puters eh, who'd have em, erm we would lol. Pain in the ariass when they're not complying though.

Let us know how you get on Wink

Shadow_Bshwackr · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: Black Screen

Yep Jel, that is the 'diagnostic steps' to take.. Wink

The next test after the RAM is the CPU as all Video requests have to go through it, and don't forget about the Power Supply. As Jel says, if all checks out, it's probably a bad Main Board.

The one thing I always try to do when finding these issues is to start with the easiest and cheapest things (tests) first. You can always get out your wallet to fix the more expensive things..lol

Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

you know, I'm glad you said that. When I changed my CPU not too long ago from a single core to dual core, I was trying to gently remove the heatsink from the processor. The problem was they had it super glued on there and it would come off. it took so much pressure to pull it off it actually pulled the chip off the motherboard without the lock being in the open position. I was real worried about it damaging the board but the new CPU went in fine and it started up and ran so I never thought anymore about it. Might have damaged the cpu slot. I've run a couple tests on the CPU and none of them came up with any problems so I don't know, feels like I'm grasping at straws now.

JG300-fr8ycat · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: Black Screen

Bummer, sorry to hear about your probs Rixster. This looks like one that might be hard to pin down without a complete failure. Not that I could help you but maybe someone else could with some clarification.

Is it "always" the same games that it does this with and "never" the others. Does it do it with non game use, surfing the net, non game aps, etc.
And is operating system Vista.

Sorry if you already answered any of these and I missed it. I work the grave shift so I tend to read, reply and sleep all at the same time first thing in the morning. Laughing

Chuck_71st · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jul 23, 2005 Posts: 235

Did you install this with your new CPU? Dual core optimizer may help...do you overclock?

www.amd.com/us-en/Proc...06,00.html

Shadow_Homfixr · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:09 am Post subject: Re: Black Screen

I had this happen to me when I install some game a while back and it turned out that I needed to update my BIOS. Prolly not ur prob cuz you just put a new chip in lately but just a thought. Good Luck!

Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

fr8ycat, so far it has only happened with TW08, and fsx. No crashes with normal use or my other games. I've been looking into the bios update as well, but my pc doesn't have a floppy. I do have one I could just plug in to do this so I may just try it. Couldn't hurt right? Still trying to figure out what bios update to use from the manufacturer. As far as overclocking, I don't mess with it. Most I've ever done is use Ntune but it's not overclocking anything right now, stock settings. Chuck I'll try that optimizer, thanks for all the help guys. Hopefully I can get some time to work on it this weekend. It won't be tomorrow though, I'm going to the Masters tournament Wink

Kitform · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:05 pm Post subject: Re: Black Screen

Be very careful when updating the Bois... Make certain that you get the correct one for your machine.

If your using an external floppy drive, make sure it recognised outside of the windows environment otherwise you may not have access to it during a flash update.

As to pulling the cpu out with the heatsink without releasing the socket lock, it shouldn't have damaged the socket.

I keep thinking it's a driver issue...IMHO

Rixster · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Mar 09, 2008 Posts: 190

as far as the bios, thats why I haven't done that yet, still nervous about it...as far as the drivers that's what I thought kit but I've tried 4 different ones with no change...and thanks for putting my mind at ease about the cpu socket.

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