Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support => Topic started by: Mobius on May 18, 2008, 08:18:09 am

Title: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 18, 2008, 08:18:09 am
Hi, I've recently started experiencing a weird problem when quitting FSO...basically the screen becomes black and I can do nothing but cutting the energy supply to turn the computer off. I'd like to know if this is a serious thing...I'm willing to work for the FSCRP but afraid to play to prevent the computer from breaking.

On a side note, that problem also occurred thrice when I tried to turn the computer on earlier today. All of a sudden the screen became black before I could access the desktop.

What should I do?
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Herra Tohtori on May 18, 2008, 08:39:08 am
Could it be video card getting stuck between switching states from 3D to 2D (or, like ATi's drivers that like to flicker the screen a few times on startup with some cards and systems)?

What GPU do you have? And does it have the recentest drivers?


The only thing I've ever noticed with FS2_Open having residing side effects on display was if it was using it's own gamma calibration and quit inappropriately, the FS2_Open-affected gamma setting could stay behind... which is why I play with the -no_set_gamma option enabled. Probably unrelated, but then again, I've seen stranger things with computers. :nervous:


Also. Does this happen every time you quit FS2_Open, or only with certain conditions? Or seemingly randomly? What build(s) are giving the problem? Try to reproduce the problem. Run a debug build. Try windowed mode (crapsucks not being able to play in full screen, but if that's the only way you could use it, it's always an option... playing on 1280x720 resolution isn't too bad after all (at least if you ask UbiSoft, regarding Assassin's Creed on PC... :blah:).
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 18, 2008, 10:31:56 am
As I said I got the same error when turning the PC on. Everything became black before I could see the desktop.

Don't ask me too many things about my PC - I tend to use programs like Everest, if needed...for now I can tell you that I was using the latest FSO trunk build(3.6.10 trunk r) and MediaVPs.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on May 18, 2008, 11:44:44 am
This sounds more like a hardware or OS issue.  Check the fans on your video card and the rest while you're at it.  Run a test on your hard drive.  Etc.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Herra Tohtori on May 18, 2008, 11:46:30 am
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ (http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/)

Tells you everything you need to know about your graphics card...
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 24, 2008, 02:49:18 pm
Updates...

I got GPU but it tells nothing but "You already have the latest version" or something like that. My brother noticed that sometimes, when the screen becomes black, a mobile reptangle appears. It says "Not optimum mode - Recommended 1280x1024 60Hz". I changed my screen size to 1280x1024 and still have to test if everything works properly. I hard believe the problem is related only to my options, however.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on May 24, 2008, 03:10:29 pm
My system started doing that after it took a lightning hit.  While the power supply still worked it wasn't giving out enough power for certain video modes at times (like when running video games).  It kept getting more frequent until I finally popped a new power supply in.  Started working just fine but I still had to reload the system because all the crashes messed up the registry to the point a good deal of windows default programs didn't work.

In summary check your power supply.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 24, 2008, 03:38:46 pm
I think you're right here...

Although the computer is reletively new(2 and a half years)the power supply system is the one I have been using for years with my old computer(so it's about 8-9 years old). That may be the problem.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: tinfoil on May 29, 2008, 03:38:23 pm
While i have no idea how to actually fix your problem you could try Ctrl-Alt-Del to exit the game until you fix whatever it is.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 30, 2008, 02:08:11 pm
Things are alright now but I can ensure that Ctrl-Alt-Del wasn't useful at all.
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: tinfoil on May 30, 2008, 03:17:25 pm
that sounds more like a graphics card problem then
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: Mobius on May 30, 2008, 03:19:59 pm
It could have something to do with the energy supply...I said that before...
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: tinfoil on June 05, 2008, 10:30:34 pm
are you arguing with me? :eek2:
Title: Re: Black screen after quitting the game
Post by: colecampbell666 on June 07, 2008, 09:34:02 am
are you arguing with me? :eek2:
It's not a big deal. Mob argues with everyone.