Tried everything: Computer screen goes black during gaming/videos

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Aluwolf

Aluwolf

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Sep 26, 2011
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I have exhausted every possible option i can think of. Some background on the problem:
It first started about a year ago playing Star wars Kotor. Every few hours, the screen would go black with some random colored lines, usually red or blue, and the sound would keep playing until I moved my mouse.

After exhausting different troubleshooting, like running mem test, gpu stresser and updating the bios, I could not replicate the problem. Eventually, I was able to fix this problem, by raising the voltages on my GPU, which led me to believe that the turbo overclock just didn't have enough voltage to be stable.
My problem was seemingly fixed for over half a year. However, upon installing windows 8.1 from 8, the problem returned on that very day. I was so confused, I thought it was a voltage issue, so how could windows 8.1 be doing this? I downgraded back to 8 but the problem still remains.

At this point I don't think i can ever get an answer on my own. Weirdly enough this problem is only happening during Hulu or watching a flash video full screened. Not during games anymore. Event viewer just gives a generic windows has shut down unexpectedly because I have to turn off the power.
Windows 8 Radeon 6850 ICEQ turbo raidmax 630 watt psu
corsair vengeance 8GB
FX-4100
GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3 AM3+
 
Solution
Avro Arrow
The problem isn't software-related, it's hardware-related. Your card is defective. Video cards aren't supposed to have problems that go away when you overvolt them. Send it in for an RMA and your problems will be over, provided that your "quick-fix" didn't void the warranty. If I encountered a problem like that, I would send the card back immediately. No software issue on earth could make you need to change the clocks so that your GPU works.
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danscan11

danscan11

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Jul 17, 2013
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I think I know your problem your using an AMD cpu. No just kidding is the temp ok? Have you tried updating your motherboard BIOS and/or display/graphics drivers? It sounds like either a bad driver or your cpu is faulty. Is TDP on? If so you should probably turn it off. It sounds more and more like a TDP issue. I'll look into it some more but look at BIOS and see if TDP is on and double check to make sure your drivers are all current.
 
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danscan11

danscan11

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Jul 17, 2013
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Mainly I am asking you to check out these other issues first because if it IS a GPU issue and you keep upping the amps then its dying. Also the 4100 has a flaw that AMD chose to ignore leaving it up to others to fix it for them. You might want to uninstall afterburner or if your running any video capture turning it off Ive heard of it hurting streaming but not in-game for some reason. I have checked a bunch of threads all of which has a gigabyte mobo involved having issues just like yours. So those are reasons why I have been "ignoring the GPU". Most of peoples answers have included the CPU micocoding error, BIOS setting's/drivers, overheating issues things of that nature like cool n'quiet or any other cooling control being on creating crashing. So other than that knowing your PSU is 130w over what is required to run your card the alternative is you have a defective GPU, funny 2 AMD products having issues coming straight out of the factory. I'm sorry the .zip didn't work. I've been having network issues myself thats why I havent responded until now. Mobo chipset might be defective as well, I thought I had suggested actually feeling the temp. of your PC with your hand if its an overheating issue thats probably the easiest way to find out where its coming from. AMD=half A___d products. I know from experience using them before and having issues constantly.
 
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Aluwolf

Aluwolf

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Sep 26, 2011
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My Bios is flashed to the newest version and every driver is up to date. I really wish I had a spare Gpu or CPU to test and rule out problems.

Right now the problem is only happening during Hulu or youtube fullscreen, I have not had it trigger doing a game (windowed or fullscreen) in a very long time.

My temps are also very normal, and don't go past 50c under load. Some things are hot to the touch under full load like the cpu, but nothing alarming, and my computer uses little resources for Hulu or youtube so i have doubts it's from that.
 
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danscan11

danscan11

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Jul 17, 2013
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Hmmm..... Well I'd run Prime95 http://www.playtool.com/pages/prime95/prime95.html
You should be able to pinpoint where its coming from or if its a hardware issue at all. Sorry I didn't mean to sound rude in my last reply. I re-read it and felt it sounded mean spirited. Its funny it sounds like when its something easy it crashes instead of a heavy load like a game. I'll ask a friend what he thinks, Im hoping that prime95 will show you something.
What rev is that mobo 1.x or 3.0? BIOS is 11/23/2012 or after correct? Well hopefully my boy will have a fresh perspective if its not the PSU or the mobo thing, I know I went there again I'm just double-checking and I know your frustrated but sometimes like I learned with my friend that 3rd time around is necessary.
 
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Aluwolf

Aluwolf

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Sep 26, 2011
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I have run those in the past, including Prime95 and furmark at the same time. I have also ran memtest. None of them has caused any problem and they pulled through every test multiple tests some lasting for hours.

Also I'm not sure if I mentioned this but the problem went away for over half a year until I upgraded from Windows 8 to 8.1. Even though I went back to 8 the problem is still there. This leads me to believe it is instead software related, but why was the problem initially fixed by lowering the clock speed on my gpu and increasing the power it receives?
 
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Avro Arrow

Avro Arrow

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Nov 12, 2009
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The problem isn't software-related, it's hardware-related. Your card is defective. Video cards aren't supposed to have problems that go away when you overvolt them. Send it in for an RMA and your problems will be over, provided that your "quick-fix" didn't void the warranty. If I encountered a problem like that, I would send the card back immediately. No software issue on earth could make you need to change the clocks so that your GPU works.
 
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Solution
danscan11

danscan11

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Jul 17, 2013
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Im afraid Avro is right, its the card. You did do everything under the sun. Tried everything I had suggested to hopefully find something else other than a defective card. Its gotta be card or PSU but more than likely card since you haven't had any issues with any other hardware.
 
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N

Nick_STL

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Apr 7, 2014
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I am having the same issue that Aluwolf is with a brand new Alienware Aurora R4 I just took out of the box 2 days ago. It crashes whenever I play games (either the black screen or occasionally colored lines and the sound keeps going until I move my mouse). The Event Viewer also doesn't show anything beyond the error that my computer unexpectedly restarted because I had to unplug it to get it to unfreeze. I've played Shogun Total War 2 (takes 10 to 12 minutes to crash each time), Civilization V (takes 75 minutes to crash each time), and Civilization IV (takes about 4 hours to crash). Temperature is not the issue - everything gets about 50C to 52C max.

I spent 4 hours on the phone with Alienware Customer Service yesterday and found that my computer consistently crashes when we run some sort of graphics benchmark test, and that uninstalling and re-installing the drivers didn't fix the problem. They are sending a technician out in the next day or so with a replacement graphics card to see if that's the issue.

So here's what I can do. Later this week when the technician has replaced my graphics card, I can let you know if that fixed the issue on my machine. Since the symptoms are so similar, I think there's a good probability that whatever fixes my machine will fix yours'. Alienware actually had better customer service than any company I've ever worked with before so I think they really intend to keep working at it until my machine is fixed. I was so impressed with the service that I almost forgot how frustrated I was that a $2,000 toy didn't work when I took it out of the box.
 
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T

Tawns

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Feb 27, 2015
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I found a workaround! Install Mizila Firefox-install VLC again FULL INSTAL! delete your previous preferences-instal the VLC Firefox plugin-set the plugin to always activate-open your local files in the browser-profit-it works because firefox is magic-#ffisloveffislife
 
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Aluwolf

Aluwolf

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Sep 26, 2011
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The card was the issue by the way, the low clock speed, low power states used when not in game caused it to crash. Fixed by flashing the card to run on a higher voltage and clock speed 24/7
 
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