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Help! Screen turns black but computer still runs!

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Dec 21, 2009
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System Name Uhh WTF
Processor A10-5800K
Motherboard ASrock FM2A85X-Extreme4-M
Cooling Coolermaster Vortex PLUS
Memory 8GB Samsung 1600MHZ 1.35v
Storage 120GB Agility3
Display(s) ASUS 23" TN Panel
Case Silverstone SST-PS07
Power Supply 550W Antec Modular "Basiq" 80PLUS
Software Windows 8 x64
My computer screen keeps turning off - signal cut. My computer remains running but when I press caps locks or num lock none of the lights on my keyboard turn on like they should if the computer was actually running. I thought it was a video driver for my A10-5800k was cutting out at first but upon updating my video driver but I updated to the latest 12.10 drivers and the problem persists. I can be running my system for hours at a time then all of a sudden the video feed gets cut off but my computer continues to run. If I press the restart button my computer doesn't reboot but if I shut it down completely then turn it back on it boots.


Any ideas on what the issue could be?? Power Supply? I have a 550W Modular Antec that is 80 PLUS certified. It's less than 2 months old.
 
I've had a couple different computers do that (screen suddenly goes blank) and it was usually the PSU. One of them was an HP Pentium 4 system with a crappy Coolmax 400w PSU, and the other was a quad core LGA775 Xeon system with an old Antec True Power Trio.

Do you have another PSU to test with by chance?
 
Temps, check the temps of your CPU?

otherwise motherboard might be faulty? or is starting to die?

Or that^
 
Motherboard, CPU, RAM are all less than 2 days old. The power supply, SSD and CPU cooler are 2 months old.

Core Temp gives me 40C max core temp under a stress

HOWEVER

HWmonitor shows my "Package" temp as 88C under full load and my CPUTIN as 50C full load!


I am using a Coolermaster Vortex Plus




I do have a spare power supply but it's a 300W Bestec (Came in an OEM HP)
 
Done - still looking for help :p TMPIN3 temps look to match up w/ Coretemp temps.
 
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Prime95 has been running for 15 minutes - no shut downs so it cannot be CPU temps.
 
Is the system power policy set to have the computer sleep at all? Does the display cut out in the middle of using the PC or when it is left idle?
 
Is the system power policy set to have the computer sleep at all? Does the display cut out in the middle of using the PC or when it is left idle?

It shuts off randomly while using it. The monitor goes black and loses signal but the PC continues to run (Lights and fans) it will only reboot if I completely shut it off and on. I
 
Is windows still running when it all goes black? or does everything stop working?
 
I can't tell because the screen doesn't display picture. I would assume it quits running because if I press caps lock or num lock none of the lights on my keyboard light up like they usually would.
 
I can't tell because the screen doesn't display picture. I would assume it quits running because if I press caps lock or num lock none of the lights on my keyboard light up like they usually would.

Ok my guess then it be mobo is failing? Possibly ram, but thats easy to check, run it with just 1 stick and swap and change to see what happens?
 
Ok my guess then it be mobo is failing? Possibly ram, but thats easy to check, run it with just 1 stick and swap and change to see what happens?

Well the problem is it happens out of the blue. It could run for 13 hours before it happens. I switched my RAM placement and unplugged/replugged the 24 pin and 8 pin right before I posted this thread. No issues so far. The motherboard is brand new and hasn't show any other signs of failing. No burnt VRM's or anything.
 
Well the problem is it happens out of the blue. It could run for 13 hours before it happens. I switched my RAM placement and unplugged/replugged the 24 pin and 8 pin right before I posted this thread. No issues so far. The motherboard is brand new and hasn't show any other signs of failing. No burnt VRM's or anything.

Strange :ohwell: Have you got a spare GPU that you can test in the machine? just to see if there is any issues with the onboard GPU?

Hardware can fail at any point regardless how old it is, it can be 30 seconds old to 7yrs old, it realy doesn't matter.

BIOS is fully up to date isnt it?
 
Strange :ohwell: Have you got a spare GPU that you can test in the machine? just to see if there is any issues with the onboard GPU?

Hardware can fail at any point regardless how old it is, it can be 30 seconds old to 7yrs old, it realy doesn't matter.

BIOS is fully up to date isnt it?

It's actually on on-cpu gpu. Therefor the processor would have to be defective for the GPU to be the issue. I would think at least :o BIOS is up to date (1.10) board just came out less than a month ago.
 
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It's actually on on-cpu gpu. Therefor the processor would have to be defective for the GPU to be the issue. I would think at least :o BIOS is up to date (1.10) board just came out less than a month ago.

Fair enough, wasnt sure if the APU's could still work (CPU wise) if the GPU part died or not? Ok it might, go look on there website and see if there is any new ones, they can release new BIOS's at anytime and up to like 10 times in a few yrs lol
 
Fair enough, wasnt sure if the APU's could still work (CPU wise) if the GPU part died or not? Ok it might, go look on there website and see if there is any new ones, they can release new BIOS's at anytime and up to like 10 times in a few yrs lol

Yea - ASrock is one of the better companies w/ BIOS updates. It never fails that when a new processor comes out even their low-end boards get BIOS support for them. But I am not convinced it'd be a BIOS issue. Still no issues so far.
 
The system did it again last night >.>

The screen shut off and lost signal - while the PC kept running. No USB power for mouse or keyboard.
 
The system did it again last night >.>

The screen shut off and lost signal - while the PC kept running. No USB power for mouse or keyboard.

Man i dont know there can be so many possible things, i still think Mobo but thats just me, maybe the drive is disconnecting from the system? and this is why your getting those results? like a sata issue or something? Swap ports see what happens? Honestly running out of idea's here, just keep testing with different things and parts see what happens, not much else you can do.
 
Man i dont know there can be so many possible things, i still think Mobo but thats just me, maybe the drive is disconnecting from the system? and this is why your getting those results? like a sata issue or something? Swap ports see what happens? Honestly running out of idea's here, just keep testing with different things and parts see what happens, not much else you can do.

I put the PSU in another one of my systems w/ Sleep turned to Never. If that system exhibits similar problems - I'll rule it as the PSU. If not i'll rule it as the motherboard. If it is the motherboard I will order a different one while waiting for the return money from the other - the question is - what Micro ATX FM2 motherboard should I order? Whatever I order needs VRM cooling and it has to be A75/A85X.
 
I put the PSU in another one of my systems w/ Sleep turned to Never. If that system exhibits similar problems - I'll rule it as the PSU. If not i'll rule it as the motherboard. If it is the motherboard I will order a different one while waiting for the return money from the other - the question is - what Micro ATX FM2 motherboard should I order? Whatever I order needs VRM cooling and it has to be A75/A85X.

Righto sounds good, ive built a few FM1/FM2 system and i went with Gigabyte, not sure on the VRM cooling though. I would have to double check on that.
 
Righto sounds good, ive built a few FM1/FM2 system and i went with Gigabyte, not sure on the VRM cooling though. I would have to double check on that.

I'm also looking for something that costs less than $100 w/ VRM cooling, 4 DIMM and 8PIN CPU power (For cosmetic reasons) I've owned several Gigabyte boards and never had an issue w/ anything at all - aside from their color scheme :)
 
if everything is ok i suggest try to check one by one with least hardware attached, installing new os could be done just to make sure that theres no apps or setting that prevent your system from shutting down
sometimes i experience it with crappy board but never with branded board
 
I'm also looking for something that costs less than $100 w/ VRM cooling, 4 DIMM and 8PIN CPU power (For cosmetic reasons) I've owned several Gigabyte boards and never had an issue w/ anything at all - aside from their color scheme :)

Ive used gigabyte in 99% of my builds and in 11yrs almost 12 ive only had 1 die on me and even then it took 1.5yrs to die.

I have used 2-3 Asrock boards lately and there ok but still prefer gigabyte.
 
What connection are you using to your monitor? If you're using DVD-D, try using HDMI or VGA instead and see if the signal drops. It could be a faulty cable or an issue either with the connectors on your mobo or monitor.
 
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