Black Screen of Death when trying to run 3D applications

[CameronB92]

So today I put a new motherboard/CPU/PSU/ and 2 sticks of DDR3 RAM 8 gigs (Corsair Vengeance) into my tower.

After I booted it up and downloaded the drivers for my mobo, I tried to run the Windows System Rating program.

Almost immediately after clicking the run button my fan on my GPU kicks into high gear and my screen goes black and my monitor loses signal to my PC and shuts off. I have to force shutdown my PC.

I booted my PC back up and tried to run a game and lo' and behold the same thing occurs. So I do a clean install of my OS because I figured I was having some issues with conflicting drivers from my old mobo because in my eagerness I neglected to uninstall them prior to swapping the new motherboard in.

After the clean install I again went and downloaded the drivers for my motherboard, GPU and updated my DirectX. I figured that this would of fixed it but NO.

I'm still having the same problem.

So I went and downloaded a program that would scan my system for outdated drivers and ran it. It came up with 2 outdated drivers:


One for my sound card and one for my PCI express. SO I'm currently downloading those to see if by some chance that this fixes it. But I doubt it

The new board I put in is a Biostar TA75m+
and my CPU is last year's Llano A8 3850

 

[CameronB92]

and my discrete GPU is a HD 6870

 

[CameronB92]

anybody?

 

[chugot9218]

You made sure everything is properly connected? No misplaced headers, and you made sure the standoffs are all properly in?

 

[CameronB92]

Regarding the standoffs my Motherboard plate could not line up exactly with the standoffs so I coulnd't but all the screws in. But the MB is raised up and not making contact with the inside of my pc case

and this was my first PC build so could you specify what a header is? IS it one of the many connectors I had to plug i into the motherboard? If I didnt plug something into to the right place would my pc turn on at all?

 

[weaselman]

Right, so you have a Llano A8 3850, Cpu/Gpu integrated.
And are running a 6870 Graphics card in the Pci-e slot of the board.
Lets see if we cannot work this out.
As soon as I start a program that uses the Gpu the screen goes black and the signal to the monitor is lost.
Obviously you need an Ati graphics driver installed so the Gpu can be used to its full potential. The next thing to remember is when you launch a program that intends to use the Gpu, the power demand of the card increases, so if the power supply unit is not up to the job you will get a black screen, with no signal to the monitor.
Can you post what brand of power supply you have and it`s wattage output, and the amp ratings of the 12v rails of the power supply unit please. Then we can rule out if it is the problem other than driver related.

 

[CameronB92]

Most certainly Weaselman. My PSU is here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139028

 

[chugot9218]

If you don't have your standoffs in it can still start up and may only short when a certain component is used, I would try breadboarding the system to see if it works than or if anything is permanently damaged.

 

[CameronB92]

If you don't have your standoffs in it can still start up and may only short when a certain component is used, I would try breadboarding the system to see if it works than or if anything is permanently damaged.

My motherboard is on the standoffs I just couldnt put all the screws into the stand off holes because it would not align correctly when I put the back of the motherboard into the I/O plate.

 

[chugot9218]

Ahh I dunno, still sounds like a short to me and when installed correctly the I/O shield should match perfectly, unless there is a manufacturing flaw in the case.

 

[CameronB92]

Ahh I dunno, still sounds like a short to me and when installed correctly the I/O shield should match perfectly, unless there is a manufacturing flaw in the case.

the inside of my case is pretty bad actually

 

[chugot9218]

What is the case? Your PSU's specs should be fine and Corsair is a quality maker.

 

[CameronB92]

It's an ASUS case, really cramped on the inside. The exact make of the case I am not sure how to determine

 

[bruce555]

Asus would still meet ATX standards. The MOBO should line up. Which ASUS case?

 

[CameronB92]

it says Apevia on the top, so an ASUS Apevia?


Talking about the standoffs got to me to doubting what I did.
I only put 2 screws into my mothebrboard stands offs should I just remove the motherboard again and try to make them all align correctly ?

 

[chugot9218]

You can take a look at page 10 of this manual it describes where the standoffs should be for each form factor: http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/matxspe1.2.pdf

You also should not have any standoffs placed where they should not be, but you should also use all of them as well.

 

[CameronB92]

SOme nrew information, I just checked windows update and I have 141 updates to install, could this be the root of my problems? Downloading and installing them now


I placed all of the standows I had (6) in the corresponding locations on my motherboard. I only placed screws in 2 of them though because the others would not align correctly when I put my motherboard into the I/O plate. THe motherboard seems secure as in it was not moving around when I set the case upright and put my GPU in

 

[chugot9218]

It cannot hurt to install them, but what you previously described still sounds like a short to me. I would possibly consider returning your case, all your MOBO screws should fit into the standoffs.

 

[CameronB92]

It cannot hurt to install them, but what you previously described still sounds like a short to me. I would possibly consider returning your case, all your MOBO screws should fit into the standoffs.

if my motherboard is not touching my case how could it of shorted?

 

[bruce555]

You've installed six metal standoff's underneath the motherboard where only 2 are in the proper location. That leave 4 in contact with area's of the motherboard that are not correct causing a short.

 

[CameronB92]

Thy're where the holes are on the board. just they're not aligned to where i can fit the screw in

 

[Nedal0]

Can you give me a bit more details about you Ram ?

Corsair Vengeance DDR3 RAM 8 gigs ? Eg. Speed Rating or Specific Model

 

[chugot9218]

If it is not aligned then it could be contacting and shorting, even the vibration from your GPU fan revving up could shake the board down onto a contact.

 

[CameronB92]

RAM:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145345

It should be noted that I ran memtest for 7 hours and it reported that my RAM was fine.

 

[weaselman]

Ok, It must be something to do with the power to the board Cameron.
Make sure the Eight pin block from the Psu is connected to the motherboard located next to, or near the Cpu socket. Next check the 24pin atx power block is fitted firmly into the block of the board. And make sure both of the six pin blocks from the power supply unit are plugged into the back edge of the 6870 graphics card. The Psu is fine btw Quality. You may also want to take a look in the ATI graphics applet, Have a check that the 6870 card is set in there as the primary display.
Also look to see if cross fire is enabled or disabled. Disable it first. then test to see when you run a game ect if it diplays without the monitor going blank. It maybe a case the system is switching from the 6870 card as the output to the screen to the A8 cpu/Gpu chip and defaulting to the graphics output on the motherboard, and why it blanks the screen out. Remember because you have an A8 AMD ATI cpu/Gpu. that it can most likely do cross fire, And the switching may be the cause if the 6870 card is not setup on display 1 or the monitor you are using. If the A8 is set to use it, any 3d test or program will switch to the on board graphics output on the back of the board. So you need to check this in the ATI driver app cameron, as it could be the cause. Good luck.