Windows 7: Screen turns black when playing games

For the past few months I've had this problem where my monitors will turn black when I'm playing a game. It happens anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour into game play.



There is no sound playing when this happens. My computer will completely lock-up and there is no way for me to alt-tab or open task manage or anything. I am forced to hold down the power button and wait for my computer to shut down.

This has happened to me in CoD4, Oblivion, and Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.

It probably will happen in almost any game, but those are the only games I've been playing recently.

My drivers are up to date.

I don't really know which specs are helpful in situation so I'll just kind of list what seems important:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
GeForce 9600 GT
nForce 750i SLI
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 4300 @1.80GHz
2048MB RAM
DirectX 11

Thanks for taking the time to read this,
Rachael

Your specs are not high enough for the latest games, but I would start by going through the drivers guide in my sig, then running chkdsk and memtest86+. Post the results. Also check the temps with HWInfo32. Install the chipset first.

My specs are more than adequate to run all of the games that I play. Everything runs at a good frame rate on the highest settings. Oblivion isn't a new game and it happens on there.

I do plan to buy a new processor this week, but regardless that couldn't be what is causing the issue. It wouldn't play the games in the highest settings with a good frame rate and then just lock-up if it was my processor.

Alright, hang on.

A 1.8GHz CPU would choke Flashpoint, unless you run @ 800x600. Those specs are not high enough for 1080p gaming.

I use dual monitors at 1360 x 768.
I understand what you're saying, but it just isn't the case. This black screens area new problem for me and I've always been able to run new games on the highest settings without any problems.



How do I run memtest86+? I've got the ISO mounted. Do I just need to reboot and it will boot through the mounted image?

I ran chkdsk, but when it was complete it closed itself. (I don't know what that is supposed to do.. Like, was I supposed to be able to copy and paste results, or is it basically a clean-up?)

You really should tick both boxes for chkdsk, then reboot and wait. As for memtest86+, burn it to cd and boot from the disk.

Tick what boxes? I just searched for chkdsk and then ran chkdsk.exe

I don't know which information you want to know from HwiNFO32, so here's a screen shot:


edit: rebooting now, be right back.

That HDD is a bit hot - its getting close to 50 degrees. I'd also put in a few more fans - that motherboard number is definitely off. As for chkdsk, right click your hard disk, select properties, tools tab, chekc for errors, tick both boxes, reboot and wait for the results. This looks like heat though.

The motherboard number is wrong. I opened the side of my computer (butterfly doors), and the air inside is cool. My computer always blows cool air out and usually makes my foot cold, so I'm 99% the program is wrong. Also, all the numbers listed in the program are changed constantly, but the mother board number isn't changed, which also leads me to think it's a problem with the program.

I have temp limits set in my BIOS so my PC would beep and shut down if my motherboard was anywhere near that temp.

I can't boot from that disk. I went into my BIOS and set the boot order so CD-ROM is first, but it still refused to boot from the disk. I'm doing the chkdsk thing now.

Did you burn the .iso properly?