Screen turns all black at random times

ShadowMoses · Post by **ShadowMoses** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:36 am

Windows Version (and Service Packs): Windows XP Service Pack 3
Processor Speed: 2.21Ghz
RAM:1GB
Video Card (Make and Model#):NVidia GeForce6600GT
Sound Card (Make and Model#):dunno
Connection Type (Dialup, Cable, DSL, other):DSL
Modem (Make and Model#):dunno
Router (Make and Model#):dunno
Internet Service Provider(company name):dunno
Location(State/Province/Locality, and Country):Perth Australia
Installed Mods: None

Make and Version of firewall: Windows Firewall,
Make and version of anti-virus:AVG 8.5

Confirm that you have the following installed:

* .Net 2.0 [ ]
Net1.1
Net2.0 SP2
Net3.0 SP2
Net3.5 SP1
all installed

Problem Encountered at Step #: (read the "What Should Happen" for this step#)
Which Program (ASGS/Allegiance): Allegiance
What Error Message: None
Comments (What you tried, description, etc):

Im playing the game in full screen with no problems. At a random time around 10 to 20min the screen turns black (the monitor "on" button starts blinking suggesting its in sleep mode or something). I can still hear the sound of boosting and firing if i press the buttons. Its like the monitor just turned off while im still logged on.
This only happens when i am playing allegiance and not any other full screen program.

Also is there a way to fill out this helpline template faster? Maybe a program that finds it all? Should really put "how to find all this info" in the read me first sticky.

Thanks

Post by **FreeBeer** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:22 am

Sounds like a graphics card or driver problem. The timing you mention leads me to think your card may be overheating and drops into a "cool down" period. Check your video card fan to see that it's running (if you have one) and check for accumulated dust and the like and clean that up. (Dust can act as an insulator not allowing your card to cool.)

Note: this may not be just limited to the card, but it's the most likely culprit in by experience.

If that checks out it's likely something related to a video driver. I'm a unfamiliar with the all the details relating to the various drivers and updates, so maybe someone else more familiar with that will chime in.

ShadowMoses · Post by **ShadowMoses** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:50 am

Thanks, ill give it a clean

Post by **FreeBeer** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:58 am

FWIW, I too experience a "blackout period" but it doesn't fit your description with regards to timing. Mine happens only when I first join the game (and not always). I suspect it's due to video mode changing and something goofy in the driver. But I have an older ATI card.

If you still have the problem after cleaning, report back and maybe we can examine it further. Allegiance is a really good program to use to find hardware and driver faults. It's really picky about stuff that other apps can ignore for some reason. Back in the days of DOS, we used to use MS Flight Simulator to check for "compatible hardware". If MS FS didn't run properly then the hardware wasn't as compatible as the manufacturer claimed. /history lesson

ImmortalZ · Post by **ImmortalZ** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:57 am

Hmm, Moses, open up your Power control panel and change the Monitor Standby time to Never. May fix your problem.

HSharp · Post by **HSharp** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:26 am

Could also be a RAM problem. Moses did you update your graphics drivers recently? If you did sometimes a rollback helps

ShadowMoses · Post by **ShadowMoses** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:29 am

Lol i gave the graphics card a clean from dust and i must have broken something. Now when i turn on the computer, i can hear it start up normally but the screen is black (same black screen as the problem i am having with allegiance).

I made it worst!

Going to buy new graphics card. Will tell you how it goes.

Post by **FreeBeer** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:54 pm

It may have not been something you did. The card might have been on it's last legs.

Bard · Post by **Bard** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:19 pm

FreeBeer wrote:QUOTE (FreeBeer @ Sep 20 2009, 09:54 AM) It may have not been something you did. The card might have been on it's last legs.

You might have also left some dust in the card slot. I've had that happen a few times when I've taken things apart and put them back together only to need to yank them out, blow things cleaners, and re-seat again to have it work.

ShadowMoses · Post by **ShadowMoses** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:55 pm

Thanks Bard, your right. Its workin again after i yanked it out.

Ok now that it got a good clean, ill see if my problem still happen. =]