Black screen of death :( Help!

[pushkar1989]

HI,

I am getting frequents black screen of deaths.

Very few times, what I see is Black screen while working on After effects or browsing internet or watching movies, today I got 2 black screen while playing multilayer MW3 and even on Batman.

What it does?
The screen goes black and CPU is running. Keyboard lights goes off.
1 in 10 times I see that whole system gets restarted again.

Graphic driver is latest updated.
CPU temp are 30-34 C idle and 45 C while playing games
Mobo temps around 38 C normal, 50 while playing games.
RAM are okay in MemTest.

I recently tested my system with Performance test with all test and it shows result as 2022.4
http://s29.postimg.org/icsp0avav/Untitled.png


What can be the issue of black screens?

I checked my CPU it has black lines.. See images.
I tried to rub it with cloth and it was getting off, is that dust? Will that effect? If yes, then how can I clean it in a better way? Is this CPU is issue?

http://s28.postimg.org/74qwvz9h9/DSC_0003.jpg
http://s28.postimg.org/eainyfikd/DSC_0007.jpg


My system specs:
Mobo: ASUS M4A88T-M
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1090T BE
CPU Cooler: CM Hyper 212 EVO
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti DS Superclocked
PSU: Seasonic Gold X 650W
2 HDD
12gigs RAM

Dump files:
http://1drv.ms/1nL0qVj

 

[TVeblen]

This could be caused by a power related problem.

This could be the power supply - power levels dropping below the minimum requirement.
Do you have a multimeter you can use?

This could be a motherboard problem - one part of the Power Logic Circuit that is malfunctioning.
Check all you cables from power supply to motherboard for positive connection.
A test: unplug the lead from your computer case power switch and reset switch from the motherboard and run it without those for a while. You can start the PC by briefly touching the 2 leads on the power switch pins with a screwdriver.

This could be a problem with a failing component - causing a short circuit that resets the system.
The most likely suspect is the video card, only because the symptoms happen during video tasks.
The quickest and easiest way to diagnose or eliminate the graphics card from the equation is to borrow a known good card and test the system with that.
But it could be any other attached component too.

The black marks on the processor pins looks like corrosion, but that could be normal, especially on an older motherboard. The key is if the pins are relatively smooth it is OK, but if the corrosion creates a raised surface, or can flake off, then it can become a problem.

As always, the more information you can give on what the system is doing when these problems happen the better we can understand what is happening. And telling us the results of the tests above can help narrow down the possible causes.

 

[pushkar1989]

HI

Thanks for reply.

I do not have multimeter. SO I cannot test PSU. But I can take it to my any computer shop near to my locality.

About graphic card, I have removed my Nvidia GPU and I am using stock graphic (mobo), but still the same issue.

I can tell you more about it, few minutes back I tried rendering a template in Adobe After Effects, I do not know if you know the working of it. I added a template to render it and after 100 frame and sometimes after 50 frames, I see black screen. I have also seen the same when I was converting lossless avi in Sony Vegas.
I was playing Batman and after 4-7 minutes I got black screen.
2-3 days before, I was watching a movie and got black screen.

One more thing, I am using my computer from last 50 minutes and it is stable. I am just surfing internet. Checking sites, etc.

Is the information good?

 

[TVeblen]

All info is good.

Good idea to get the power supply tested. That will either identify or eliminate it from the equation.

What you want to do is determine whether this problem is cause-and-effect (Every time I do this it does that), or time related, or 'other'.
Time related means that the problem occurs fairly regularly after a set amount of time.
'Other' means that the problem occurs more randomly - not cause-and-effect, not on schedule.

Temperature (overheating of components) is another common cause. The system is designed to shut down if critical temperatures are reached.
So you should check that all your fans are working and that the case is not clogged with dust.
You can test further by running the PC with the side(s) off the case, or even blowing a house fan directly at the (open) case.

You can also run some monitoring programs like CPU-Z to check operation of CPU and RAM, and Speedfan to check temperatures and voltages.

 

[pushkar1989]

I will be able to test the PSU tomorrow and let you know the result.

I guess it comes mostly when I do a high resource work, like rendering work. Coz I am just listening to music and surfing net from last 2 hours, and guess what no BSOD. So maybe high resource work is causing like rendering and converting movie file.

Temperature is not the issue, I have CM trooper with 1 200MM fan and 1 140MM + 2 fan in front, 2 on side and 1 on bottom. Temps are normal on full load. Just GPU temp goes to 80 C while playing games. GPU does not make my BSOD as I have seen 100C on my GPU.

For voltages, as I have never overclocked my system, so all these settings are default. Never altered speed, voltage, etc.

 

[TVeblen]

There was a day - way back when I first joined SevenForums - when I insisted my problem could not be my graphics card.
Guess what? It was my graphics card.

Never assume anything! Test, test, and test some more!

 

[pushkar1989]

I have removed the Nvidia graphic card and I am on a motherboard graphics, it still do the same.

 

[TVeblen]

It is looking more and more like a power problem.

 

[pushkar1989]

Okay, I am trying to get a multimeter and test PSU.
Do you know any best tutorial for same?

 

[TVeblen]

What I do is open the case and find some unused power connectors coming from the power supply. The Yellow wires are 12v DC, the Red wires are 5v DC, the Orange wires are 3.3v DC, and black wires are the Grounds.

I attach the leads from the multimeter into the connectors. The black or COM wire from the multimeter always goes to a black wire from the power supply, the red wire from the multimeter always goes to the wire for the voltage you are testing.
Sometimes it helps to use some tape to secure the connections so they don't fall out.

With the multimeter set to the correct DC voltage range and on, I then start up the PC and observe the readings. I will leave it like that while I use the PC through a series of tests - using demanding programs - or just use the PC as normal.

What I am looking for is any fluctuation greater than a tenth of a volt (depending on the quality of the multimeter, there can be a 'normal' fluctuation) while I'm using the PC. The readings should be rock steady no matter what you are doing. Any drop or spike in voltage indicates a problem with the power supply.

Hope that helps.

 

[pushkar1989]

Thanks, I will check this when I get the multimeter.

 

[pushkar1989]

HI

Can I test it on a running computer? And open my programs like After effects, etc?

 

[TVeblen]

Yes.
You want to connect the meter with the PC off just to be safe, but once it's all connected then you want to turn on and run the PC and run all the intensive programs.

 

[pushkar1989]

HI

I have got my hands on Multi Meter and tested for Voltage.
On yellow it keeps at 12.42 most of the time and goes sometimes 12.43.
On red, it is stable 5.12.

So my PSU is good?

 

[pushkar1989]

HI

It looks to me a hardware issue, as when I was in safe mode, and I tried compressing some file using winrar and winzip I got black screen.
Will this be faulty Mobo?

 

[TVeblen]

HI

I have got my hands on Multi Meter and tested for Voltage.
On yellow it keeps at 12.42 most of the time and goes sometimes 12.43.
On red, it is stable 5.12.

So my PSU is good?

Yes, this (somewhat crude) test shows that your power supply is holding steady voltage. It is the best we can do. It says you can rule out a bad power supply.

 

[TVeblen]

HI

It looks to me a hardware issue, as when I was in safe mode, and I tried compressing some file using winrar and winzip I got black screen.
Will this be faulty Mobo?

Mmmm. That makes me wonder about the hard drive.
I suggest downloading and running the hard drive diagnostic program from your hard drive's manufacturer and running it.
http://www.carrona.org/hddiag.html

 

[pushkar1989]

I have two HDD, one WD 1 TB and one Samsung 500 GB.
Can you assist me?

 

[TVeblen]

It would be the one that Windows is installed on.

 

[pushkar1989]

okay, I found it.

http://support.wd.com/product/download.asp?groupid=613&lang=en

But which thing to download? Have you done this before?