Black Screen of Death when trying to run 3D applications

and my discrete GPU is a HD 6870

anybody?

You made sure everything is properly connected? No misplaced headers, and you made sure the standoffs are all properly in?

Regarding the standoffs my Motherboard plate could not line up exactly with the standoffs so I coulnd't but all the screws in. But the MB is raised up and not making contact with the inside of my pc case

and this was my first PC build so could you specify what a header is? IS it one of the many connectors I had to plug i into the motherboard? If I didnt plug something into to the right place would my pc turn on at all?

Right, so you have a Llano A8 3850, Cpu/Gpu integrated.
And are running a 6870 Graphics card in the Pci-e slot of the board.
Lets see if we cannot work this out.
As soon as I start a program that uses the Gpu the screen goes black and the signal to the monitor is lost.
Obviously you need an Ati graphics driver installed so the Gpu can be used to its full potential. The next thing to remember is when you launch a program that intends to use the Gpu, the power demand of the card increases, so if the power supply unit is not up to the job you will get a black screen, with no signal to the monitor.
Can you post what brand of power supply you have and it`s wattage output, and the amp ratings of the 12v rails of the power supply unit please. Then we can rule out if it is the problem other than driver related.

Most certainly Weaselman. My PSU is here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

If you don't have your standoffs in it can still start up and may only short when a certain component is used, I would try breadboarding the system to see if it works than or if anything is permanently damaged.

My motherboard is on the standoffs I just couldnt put all the screws into the stand off holes because it would not align correctly when I put the back of the motherboard into the I/O plate.

Ahh I dunno, still sounds like a short to me and when installed correctly the I/O shield should match perfectly, unless there is a manufacturing flaw in the case.

the inside of my case is pretty bad actually

What is the case? Your PSU's specs should be fine and Corsair is a quality maker.

It's an ASUS case, really cramped on the inside. The exact make of the case I am not sure how to determine

Asus would still meet ATX standards. The MOBO should line up. Which ASUS case?

it says Apevia on the top, so an ASUS Apevia?


Talking about the standoffs got to me to doubting what I did.
I only put 2 screws into my mothebrboard stands offs should I just remove the motherboard again and try to make them all align correctly ?

You can take a look at page 10 of this manual it describes where the standoffs should be for each form factor: http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/matxspe1.2.p...

You also should not have any standoffs placed where they should not be, but you should also use all of them as well.

SOme nrew information, I just checked windows update and I have 141 updates to install, could this be the root of my problems? Downloading and installing them now


I placed all of the standows I had (6) in the corresponding locations on my motherboard. I only placed screws in 2 of them though because the others would not align correctly when I put my motherboard into the I/O plate. THe motherboard seems secure as in it was not moving around when I set the case upright and put my GPU in

It cannot hurt to install them, but what you previously described still sounds like a short to me. I would possibly consider returning your case, all your MOBO screws should fit into the standoffs.

if my motherboard is not touching my case how could it of shorted?

You've installed six metal standoff's underneath the motherboard where only 2 are in the proper location. That leave 4 in contact with area's of the motherboard that are not correct causing a short.

Thy're where the holes are on the board. just they're not aligned to where i can fit the screw in

Can you give me a bit more details about you Ram ?

Corsair Vengeance DDR3 RAM 8 gigs ? Eg. Speed Rating or Specific Model

If it is not aligned then it could be contacting and shorting, even the vibration from your GPU fan revving up could shake the board down onto a contact.

RAM:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

It should be noted that I ran memtest for 7 hours and it reported that my RAM was fine.

Ok, It must be something to do with the power to the board Cameron.
Make sure the Eight pin block from the Psu is connected to the motherboard located next to, or near the Cpu socket. Next check the 24pin atx power block is fitted firmly into the block of the board. And make sure both of the six pin blocks from the power supply unit are plugged into the back edge of the 6870 graphics card. The Psu is fine btw Quality. You may also want to take a look in the ATI graphics applet, Have a check that the 6870 card is set in there as the primary display.
Also look to see if cross fire is enabled or disabled. Disable it first. then test to see when you run a game ect if it diplays without the monitor going blank. It maybe a case the system is switching from the 6870 card as the output to the screen to the A8 cpu/Gpu chip and defaulting to the graphics output on the motherboard, and why it blanks the screen out. Remember because you have an A8 AMD ATI cpu/Gpu. that it can most likely do cross fire, And the switching may be the cause if the 6870 card is not setup on display 1 or the monitor you are using. If the A8 is set to use it, any 3d test or program will switch to the on board graphics output on the back of the board. So you need to check this in the ATI driver app cameron, as it could be the cause. Good luck.

Can you test the GPU in another system? I still say clear up the standoff's. Something is just not installed properly. If your case does not support Micro ATX, you should buy a different case too. Apevia is not an ASUS case. Was ASUS on the case as a sticker? Did you have an ASUS MOBO before you bought your new components? Definitely fix the instal first then move on from there.

Get your machine fully up to date. Run games as well as Windows Experience. Start trying to test individual components.

your monitor is plugged into the gpu and not the motherboard? rite?...
simple test if you have a spare dvi lead. plug the lead into the gfx card and the other into the motherboard. when the screen goes black unplug the lead from the monitor and plug the other 1 in. if you get a picture it means the cpu gpu is overriding the discreet gpu and needs to have the priority changed in bios.

if so go into bios and disable the lianos gpu or set it to peg 2 and the discreet gpu to peg 1 if you can. reboot and this should stop any conflict.

I pulled my discrete GPU and fixed my standoffs.

Booting from the APU I was able to run Windows Performance tool so the issue has something to do with my GPU.

I just put my GPU back and and I'm re installing drivers, will update as they come

where are the settings in the bios to do so Hex?

OK, I have it fixed.

@Weasel - You were 100% correct in your Power assumption.

WHat I had pluggged into my GPU's six pin PCI-e slots were adapters left over from my old power supply that weren't drawing any power. I neglected to take those out and put in the new PSU's actual 6 pin PCI-e connectors. All is good now!

Thank you all for your help it really means alot